It’s September. Why Am I Talking About Christmas Jobs?

A key message for graduates and freelancers as we get into meteorological autumn is to think ahead. Now is the time to act. To be proactive, not just reactive, with opportunities.

There are fewer adverts around at the end of August, as we see an annual lull in job postings. That will change later in September and things will pick up.

BUT if you're looking to expand your work and get your foot in the door with places, then you need to think about Christmas and the New Year already. Yes, you might eye-roll at the festive tat filling shelves in shops already, like I do. BUT it's a reminder that those looking after the rotas in media outlets are likely to be thinking about and planning for late December and early January.

News doesn't stop over Christmas. Neither does radio, TV, online publishing or communications. And there will be gaps in those rotas that someone, somewhere, is staring at and desperately hoping will be filled.

Finding the people who look after those rotas is always important. But try to do it now. Get to the person with the headache. You could be the pill that eases it. Even if you're a little early, emailing and contacting them now alerts them to your availability. They may remember you when they start filling those gaps.

All of this underlines my philosophy about the broader job hunt: the RAP Method. You need to be Reactive, Active and crucially here Proactive. Don't wait for the opportunity to appear. Sometimes, you need to put yourself in the frame before anyone starts looking.