As much as I am loving spending a few weeks enjoying the RARE and beautiful weather we are having at the moment, I am also conscious that there are so many ways to get yourself known before having a job.
Social networking sites are a key tool in enabling you to find and contact famous and well known professionals, as well as getting your name out there.
Rather than using immeasurable updates make sure every single update is interesting, and lets people know a little about you or your work.
Here are my top tips for making the most of your free time:
1. Start a blog and post at least twice a week
2. Upload an amazing set of photos and post them on Flickr, then add it to some popular groups and heed the advice
3. Follow as many journalists and media moguls on Twitter, who will hopefully in turn follow you too.
4. Utilise these contacts by creating a profile on LinkedIn and adding them. This is the ultimate professional networking site and you would be mad not to be a part of it.
5. Get a freelance position writing editoral for a small cost, although this may seem like a lot of work for not much return, your portfolio of work will be boosted and it won’t look as though you have wasted time.
6. Get out and about, even if it is just around the country of the local area, you will boost your knowledge, maybe spot a news story and take lots of pictures along the way!
7. Create an online or digital portfolio, showcasing your writing skills and your ability to adapt print to the web.
8. Learn how to use a popular piece of photo editing software, such as Adobe Photoshop or Lightroom, not only will your pictures look great it’s also another skill to add to your CV.
9. Improve your interview skills trying telephone and video interviews with as many people as possible, if you can write them up or publish online to get your name out.
10. Do something completely different in another outlet of the media, by taking part in a work experience placement or an internship.
I hope this helps, and for even more great tips, take a look at http://www.10000words.net/2009/06/journalism-grads-30-things-you-should.html
Tags: blog, graduate, job, journalist, social networking, summer holiday, university, work experience