Media jobs and advice blog

The football World Cup will attract thousands of casual fans that are not used to its lexicon As the football World Cup approaches, the thought of 104 games featuring 48 teams across five weeks, will fill many people with dread and see them running for the hills and the (relatively) safe haven of Netflix, Amazon Prime etc. For football fans like me, it's time to plan when you might actually get some sleep. But the inbetweeners are those that will watch some of the games and w

When Manchester City 'scored' in the final minute of a Premier League game last season at Liverpool, there was much anger at it being ruled out after a video review. According to the laws of the game the right decision was made, but there are strong arguments to say the 'goal' should have stood. To some people it was following the letter of the laws too strictly. Being a pedant essentially. When I worked at Sky News there was a certain colleague who'd send out almost daily em

Not hearing back from job applications or feeling stuck in your media career? If you’re trying to break into, or move forward in the media industry, you’re not alone. You might be: Sending out applications and hearing nothing back Getting interviews, but no offers Unsure what roles actually suit you Struggling to stand out in a competitive industry This is exactly where The Media Mentor helps. Real support for real media career challenges This isn’t generic career advice. It’

Sometimes delayed gratification is seen as being spiritual Ok you smutty click-baiters, this headline has drawn you in because you thought I would be writing about Sting and some of his recommendations around the bedroom. Sorry to disappoint you, but this is about my advocacy against today's binge culture and why waiting for something brings extra joy (stop it! I said it's not about THAT). When I was a kid Christmas Day had a certain routine, one that amazes people when I tel

Spring and suimmer is when many media students look to find placements and internships for the next year to gain valuable experience in the industry. It is crucial to get those 'air miles', as I call them, and learn how things are done in the industry. This process should get you to meet new people, develop new skills and gain insight into the way people produce content and target certain audiences. There are many great schemes that are run in ways that offer huge value. But

A-listers tend to be available only when they have something to plug I was very interested to read the largely cool reviews of Claudia Winkleman's chat show. One article suggesting her 'hot streak' of success has come to an end. One of the main issues has been the timing, when the Hollywood red carpets are less well trodden and awards season means A listers have other distractions and commitments. Last week's show had three actors I'd never heard of and Josh Widdicombe. When

As a huge sports fans there are many events and moments that are must-watch. Whether it’s England in the Ashes, England's football teams at major tournaments or Reading competing for a trophy. OK, I admit that last one rarely – if ever – happens. Whilst all of them demand my attention when they happen, without doubt my favourite annual sporting event is golf's Masters. Each April, the Sunday night final round is essential viewing. So much so that it is in my calendar at the s

Creating a CV (or resume) is something we often do with very little guidance. Sometimes the advice and guidance is too generic. If you are working in media, your CV needs to work in that sector. Here are some simple layout and content tips that will help you get started or refine what you have already. Keep it to one page - if you can. Even though that might seem hard if you have been working for a few years with different companies, recruiters prefer a single page. However,

Panel interviews can vary in intensity Many job interviews are held with two or three people plus a member of the recruitment team. At the BBC these are known as 'boards' but we generally call them 'panels'. When you do these interviews, online or in-person, they can be intimidating. Here are some tips based on recent experience of clients and from recruiters. Research, research, research For job interviews research is of course vital and for a panel you should find out about

Avoiding 'ghost' adverts can help you to manage the job hunt Ghost jobs exist for a variety of reasons and are very frustrating for the job hunter. Why waste your time applying for a role that does not exist? In media they are less of a problem, because job titles and specifications make it easy to spot the fake adverts. However, there are some things you can do to avoid falling for them. Jobs That Stay Open for Months - No Closing Date On my website I delete jobs that have b

So many mentoring clients tell me that they feel 'lost' when thinking about a cover letter. Where to start? What to say? How long should it be? Are they even looked at? These are all good questions and it is vital to have some idea of structure and flow. Of course, some employers do not ask for a cover letter, whilst others do not read them, even if they do ask for one. But I know some companies that place great value on the cover letter and even use it to score candidates af

I was interested to learn recently that the age-group most likely to make a New Year's Resolution is Gen Z. It seems it's still fresh and exciting when you are 18-25 to set yourself some goals for the coming twelve months. For older people, the yearly failure to adhere to most of these resolutions seems to tire us out and mean we are less likely to make any. But it is natural to start January thinking about changes you would like to make in your life and perhaps this will f

Del Amitri's Scotland World Cup song from 1998 When Scotland beat Denmark in that dramatic game to reach the World Cup for the first time in 28 years, my thoughts immediately turned to my favourite band. Admittedly I think about Del Amitri a lot, as they are a very important part of my life ( see previous blog ). What many people had forgotten was that the official song when Scotland last reached a World Cup was by Del Amitri. But 'Don't Come Home Too Soon' was and remains di

Having thoroughly enjoyed the first UK version of The Celebrity Traitors I was hungry to digest analysis of the dramatic finale and the series as a whole. My choice for analysis is always a podcast, as I like to drive and listen, where I can really concentrate on what is being said. So I rushed to my BBC Sounds and Spotify apps on the morning after the last show was aired. My first choice was the official BBC show, The Traitors: Uncloaked, which is made by Listen (part of Pl

When BBC Radio 4's Soul Music won a silver at the British Podcast Awards in the Arts & Culture section this week (Ocotber 2nd 2025) I was...

Would you want to work here? I work in news where there are hundreds of cliches, but job adverts are also full of them. Below are some of the most common and what I think they really mean. A Competitive Salary We will pay you the minimum we can get away with. Salary Based on Experience We are looking for the cheapest hire. A Team Player This is a cliquey place. Deal with it. Self starter We have no time to train you for this role or explain properly what you will be doing. Ev

When a colleague at Sky News once said to me "Why do you care so much you're just a freelancer?", to say I was taken aback is an understatement. As someone working self-employed (as I preferred to label it) I always care about my work and ensure I give value to any outlet or company hiring me. On reflection, of course it said more about that colleague than it did me, but it indicated a snobbery I have often seen and felt around the work of freelancers*. The suggestion was tha

Asking good questions at an interview can make a good impression I have heard some awful stories of how media interviews have been...

On a recent episode of The Media Mentor podcast I talked to an AI specialist in recruitment and discussed the key things candidates and...

There are so many podcasts, this list highlights some of the very best!