LIVERPOOL SCREEN SCHOOL CAREERS AND EMPLOYABILITY CASE STUDIES

LIVERPOOL SCREEN SCHOOL

CAREERS AND EMPLOYABILITY CASE

STUDIES

Read student and graduate case studies from Liverpool Screen School

CREATIVE WRITING

GRADUATE CASE STUDY

TAMMY REYNOLDS IS A CREATIVE WRITING GRADUATE WHO WORKS AS A YOUNG

PERSONS PROJECT COORDINATOR AT DADAFEST, A DISABILITY AND DEAF ARTS ORGANISATION

Tell us three things you like about your job:

❙ The people I work with. They’re artists, they’re interesting and I’ve learnt a lot from them.

❙ The brilliant young people I meet on the projects. They’re creative, honest and tenacious.

❙ The fact that I work in the arts. It’s not always a creative role but I am based in The Bluecoat in the city centre, and am given lots of writing opportunities because of it.

What did the selection process involve and how did you prepare?

As the role involved working with young people, I mostly prepared by researching safeguarding procedures and evaluation and monitoring procedures, as I hadn’t had much experience in those areas. I referred heavily to my experience of being an Editor for In The Red 14 during the interview to demonstrate my project management skills.

What help or support did you access from the Careers, Employability & Start-Up Team?

I visited the Careers Zones in my last semester of university for CV advice, as I wanted to have two kinds, one that was a creative CV and one focused on administration skills. It was really helpful and it’s important to use as many resources as possible whilst you’re at university.

What relevant work experience/skills/volunteering/student union activities did you use during the selection process?

GRADUATE CASE STUDY

As previously mentioned I focused on my experience of being an Editor of In The Red 14. I also spoke about being an Open Day Representative for LJMU and how I established positive relationships with my lecturers and the faculty staff.

What advice would you give other students to improve their employability?

Take every opportunity that is shown to you, paid or unpaid. Do favours for your friends or lecturers. Collaborate with each other. Use the city to your advantage, network, promote yourself by learning how to write or speak about your skills. If you meet someone who you think could help you in the future, tell them about your ideas now.

What aspects of your degree were particularly useful in the selection process?

The Writer at Work Module was really helpful in terms of networking and connections via the guest speakers who visited us. The poetry events hosted by LJMU were also really beneficial to me in the way that they inspired my career choices and helped me engage with the arts community in Liverpool and the North West. The main aspect of my degree that was particularly useful, were the lecturers and I value their advice, guidance and eventual friendship enormously.

THOMAS ALKER IS A CREATIVE WRITING GRADUATE WHO UNDERTOOK AN LJMU-FUNDED INTERNSHIP

Why did you want to do an LJMU-funded internship?

I was in a full time job but I found myself lacking any sort of challenge or satisfying work, so when the opportunity arose I thought I would be silly not to grab it, regardless of the risk involved with it initially being only 20 days long. The graduate accelerator internship scheme was like a lifeline for me.

Describe the role you undertook and your main duties:

The role I had with Library Services was User Experience Assistant. This involved me creating a report for the Library on their user experience from a student’s perspective. This meant researching the core principles of library user experience and a methodology that I could use to create the report, such as surveys and interviewing current students to explore their likes and similarly, their dislikes of the library. My main duty was to complete this report relatively autonomously.

What did the application process involve and how did you prepare? It involved selecting different areas of work experience I thought to be

relevant or interesting to the role. I was then invited to interview with the Associate Director of Library Services.

What help and support did you access from the Careers, Employability & Start-Up Team?

I found the CV session ran during the internship to be most helpful to me as it gave me the opportunity to sharpen up my CV.

What advice would you give to students to improve their employability? Take the opportunities presented to you and never rule any company or type of work out because you might not think it to be relevant to your study. I surprised myself during my internship in terms of how much I enjoyed it and how relevant I found it to be to my skills learnt at university.

POSTGRADUATE CASE STUDY

SINCE GRADUATING FROM BA (HONS) DRAMA AND CREATIVE WRITING IN 2017, GREGORY KEARNS HAS BEEN WORKING AS A SALES AND MARKETING ASSISTANT WITH THE BRAIN CHARITY AND IS COMPLETING A POSTGRADUATE COURSE AT MMU.

Gregory, can you provide a brief overview of your postgraduate programme and your competition success?

I am currently studying for a Master of Fine Arts in Poetry at Manchester Metropolitan University. I’m in my second and final year of the course where I am writing a book length manuscript of poems. Recently I was longlisted for the National Poetry Competition, which meant that I was in the top 1% of the 14000 submissions they received.

What does your job in the Brain Charity involve?

It is quite a varied job. During one day, I can be writing copy for the website or a leaflet, taking room bookings over the phone, and number crunching for upcoming events. The Brain Charity is a relatively small charity, so it is quite common to be juggling lots of different types of tasks. I also manage the building on weekends.

Can you tell us things you like about your job?

I love working in a community-orientated environment. It has encouraged me to research and develop my skills in fundraising, which I think will be of benefit to me in my future projects.

What did the application process involve and how did you prepare for each stage?

The Brain Charity posted the job opportunity on a couple of different sites. The site I saw it on asked for a video cover letter – a little while after starting the job, I found out I was the only applicant who had done this! I don’t necessarily think it helped me get the interview (I think they only looked at my written CV) but it did mean that I had practiced for the interview already. For the first stage I think the best thing you can do is read the job description, refer to the buzzwords they have used and contextualise it in your own experience. Then for the interview stage I think I just googled interview questions and came up for answers for most of the questions I found.

What advice would you give to other students to improve their employability?

When talking to people who might employ you, whether that is through writing or in person, try to work out their values and reflect these back to them. There are usually a couple of applicants that could competently do the job, so the employers must then consider someone they also think will fit in their team. Luckily for me, I already thought community was really important and I think that came across when I went for my job at The Brain Charity. Also, there are quite a few parts of my current job that I learnt after I started. I think there is a temptation to just apply for jobs that you know you can do but the most fulfilling jobs are always going to be those where there is room to learn more.

Would you do anything differently if you were a first-year student again? I find getting work done for my postgraduate course so much easier then I did for my undergraduate. I used to procrastinate a lot more than I do now. I think having a full-time job that I had to turn up to really helps with my discipline and sense of self-motivation. Having said that, I think struggling with my self-discipline was an important part of the process that helped get me to where I am now.

What aspects of your degree were particularly useful in the selection process?

Maybe this is a more direct way than most people can expect from a university module, but I first worked with The Brain Charity in third year at LJMU. As part of the Writers at Work module, a friend and I decided to run poetry workshops with people who had neurological conditions. I stayed in contact with one of the volunteers at The Brain Charity and that was my gateway into the job that I have now.

CREATIVE

Why did you decide to apply for your postgraduate course?

I wanted to further my knowledge and craft in poetry. For me, the course at MMU provided what I wanted as the modules involved both reading poetry (20th and 21st century writing) alongside a consistent writing workshop element.

What did the application process involve for the programme?

I was required to submit a portfolio of my writing alongside a short essay on why I wanted to study on the course. My time at LJMU helped me build up a portfolio of poetry and I worked with my tutors to decide which poems to send off. After my application was successful, I was invited for a short telephone interview. We spoke about poetry I’d mentioned in my essay, what I was writing, and delved further into what I wanted to get out of my studies.

What help and support did you access in the Careers Zone?

Throughout my time at LJMU – particularly in my final year – I regularly

visited the Careers Zone and received support in searching for internships and postgraduate study programmes. I was torn between studying poetry and publishing, but with the team’s help, I decided what I wanted to do.

What projects and work and you currently doing?

I’m getting involved with as much writing as I can. I’m working as a WriterIn-Residence with the Independents Biennial and as a contributing writer for Corridor8, Sphinx and Bonus Stage. I’ve also continued my third-year Writer at Work project, Independent Variable. Initially, IV started as a collaborative science-themed poetry anthology aimed at raising proceeds for the Iodine Global Network, but I’ve since built a new website that publishes regular content. I’m looking at further creating a platform that champions interdisciplinary work between art, poetry and science.

WRITING GRADUATE CALLAN WALDRON-HALL IS CURRENTLY STUDYING A POSTGRAD QUALIFICATION IN POETRY

POSTGRADUATE CASE STUDY

JOSEPH TURNER, ENGLISH AND CREATIVE WRITING

Doing an LJMU-funded Internship has made me more confident in approaching new people and interacting with them in a professional and creative manner. Before the internship I would have been a lot more tentative to engage in things like this, so on a personal and professional level it has really allowed me to gain skills that will be key in my future career.

FILM STUDIES

What is your job role?

My job title up until May 2017 has been Assistant Editor. My duties involved the management of footage on professional television/ film shoots, which in turn involved backing up, organising and syncing. I have credits for five productions, including ‘Moving On’ series 7-9. My other duties have involved editing both online and offline, as well as delivery to the BBC and working on screenings and many other corporate projects for businesses. Most recently I have been promoted to Editor on my first production and will, this year, have my first full editor’s credit on BBC One’s ‘Moving On’ series 9.

What do you like about your job?

The thing I love about my job is probably how every day is different and is such a challenge. It never gets boring. I’ve had the pleasure of working on some amazing and important projects, as well as working with incredible and amazing people. I also love the experiences I’ve gained from doing this job. I have done things which I would never have dreamed I would be doing a few years back when I was at LJMU, and I can only thank LA Productions and all the staff there for giving me the opportunities and experiences I’ve had the pleasure to obtain.

Is there any aspect of your job you dislike?

This is so difficult as I love most things! Probably my social life has suffered because of this job; to do production work, especially in editing and post-production, you need to be 100% committed,

you can’t give it less than that. Because of this my social life and my free time get taken up quite a lot, but I don’t mind really, I love my job and I get to do amazing things all the time, so it’s very hard to find something I do not like!

What experience did you gain at university and how were you supported?

Through the university (before I started at LA) I took part in a few projects via PULSS and without these amazing opportunities I probably wouldn’t have gained the experience which led me to where I am today. Also the university helped me obtain my first week of work experience at LA with a trip over to the building and I was able to access funds to pay me for my first work experience which was amazing. I really wouldn’t be where I am without the help of all the staff and students whilst I was at LJMU.

Any advice for current students?

My advice to students would be just to get engaged, get involved and be active! Studying hard is really important but in a field like this, experience speaks for itself and whilst you are at university, it’s the perfect time to get it! You will never get this much free time again, so use it to the best of your ability, get jobs, get experience and then you can use all that to your advantage. Do it even if it isn’t in your specialist field, sacrifice that night out to go to a networking event or take part in a project because it’ll be hard to get that opportunity again.

ALEX BEARDS IS A FILM STUDIES GRADUATE WHO NOW WORKS FOR LA PRODUCTIONS

GRADUATE CASE STUDY

The advice and the guidance given by a Careers and Employability Adviser at the Careers Zone was vital in coaching me about how to communicate and articulate myself to future employers. I also had mentoring and help with my professional CV and constant support and advice on interviewing.

ABBY BRENNAN, FILM STUDIES GRADUATE

What does your job involve?

My job involves various duties. I manage the social media accounts of my organisation and promote our job vacancies (English Teaching positions in Sichuan). I do this through creating marketing materials and creating partnerships with other companies and agencies to expand our pool of foreign teachers. I also create videos about our teachers’ time working for us. As I am a rare native English speaker at the organisation, it is also my job to revise any documents or texts written in English. Occasionally I also assist in the interviewing of candidates for our vacancies.

Three things you like about your job:

❙ I like the nature of the work, how it is related to the media in some way, and about connecting with others.

❙ I like the great atmosphere at work and my wonderful colleagues.

❙ I think working in education is incredibly rewarding.

What did the application process involve and how did you prepare for each stage?

The application process was like any other job really, I made sure my CV and application materials were as good as they could be before applying. Then I had an interview which I prepared for by preparing answers to mock interview questions I found online.

What advice would you give to other students to improve their employability?

I would say that you have to get as much work experience as possible, you have to make yourself as marketable as possible, and working in a professional environment is invaluable. In most industries, experience is essential because it shows not just what you have learnt but what you can do. You have to be proactive and make sure you go out and

do things. You have to make yourself standout amongst other competitors, you have to offer something that employers want but don’t have.

After I graduated I did several unpaid internships looking to find a job in the film industry, these valuable internships are things that you will have to do. But moving from one internship to another can be tiring and you start to crave some stability, consistency and an income. So I think finding a job in an unrelated field that allows you to concentrate on your film work outside is what most film graduates do. As a film studies graduate I am currently on an unorthodox path to get to where I want to be. Over a year ago I decided to travel to China to teach English, whilst this may seem like a left turn, I can tell you that my passion for film remains undimmed and my determination to work in film remains as dogged as ever. During my break I undertook an internship with a corporate film agency, but all experiences can be made relevant and have transferable skills. Currently I handle the social media and marketing aspects of an education recruitment organisation in China, which does allow me to create videos, although for marketing purposes. This job does however allow me to focus on film outside of work. I know that I have taken a different route but I still fully believe I can reach my goal.

Would you do anything differently if you were a first-year again?

I would absolutely prioritise getting as much work experience as possible, and I would just be more proactive, as a Film Studies student, I would have done more, filmed more and wrote more.

GRADUATE CASE STUDY Stand out from the crowd by gaining relevant work experience LIVERPOOL SCREEN SCHOOL www.ljmu.ac.uk/studentfutures

5 CAREERS AND EMPLOYABILITY CASE STUDIES

JOURNALISM / INTERNATIONAL JOURNALISM

Why did you want to do a placement?

I was anxious to further my work experience as I know my type of work is incredibly difficult to get into and I wanted a head start. By working at the world’s biggest media organisation, and then working abroad, I felt that I was able to really understand what future employers would want of me.

Where did you find out about the placement?

❙ I found out about the BBC Radio 4 placement as it is an opportunity offered through lecturers’ connections as well as a BBC BJTC placement. I’ve always wanted to work in radio so it was perfect for me.

❙ I discovered Africa Media after following up previous volunteering I had done in Madagascar. I used social media to make connections and discovered this organisation through documentaries made for Discovery Channel, by Africa Media’s founder, Ryan Johnson.

Describe the role you are undertaking and your main duties:

❙ Working at Radio 4, I sourced stories, secured interviews and edited audio, making it fit for each daily show. My role was a producer, and hearing stories that I worked on on-air, was a definite highlight. I managed to secure Glen Matlock, former Sex Pistol for an interview which was great.

❙ Africa Media allowed me to experience an entirely new culture and way of reporting. I covered everything from personality profiles to the necropsy of a Great White Shark. Learning to write for such vastly different genres worked in my favour as five of my stories ended up being published in magazines available worldwide. The connections I made out there have also helped me massively in my chosen career path. I was able to write my dissertation around the contacts I had made there and I hope to go on to pursue a career in environmental journalism.

What did the selection process involve and how did you prepare?

In order to get the internship with Africa Media, I had to do a Skype interview with the journalism specialist. For this, I made sure I provided examples of my past work, and thoroughly researched the area where I was going. A journalist always needs to be fully informed on the area they could be reporting for and I was

determined not to be caught out. Applying for Radio 4 meant I had to provide lecturers with examples of my work and prove why I thought I was good for the role. My past volunteering at my local hospital radio stood me in good stead, and meant I had plenty of experience to showcase. I also had to be willing to travel away from university and spend a day at Radio 4, making sure I fully understood what was expected of me.

What relevant experience did you use during the selection process? For the past year I have been a Liverpool Echo Community Reporter, showing my commitment to my desired career. This helped me, along with the grades I was receiving on my course.

What advice would you give to other students to improve their employability?

Get as much work experience as possible, taking every opportunity that comes your way. Some are unpaid and seem worthless, but even getting articles published in things such as the Tab, the university’s newspaper, meant I had a published portfolio of work. Show that you are willing to do any task, whether it’s something you’re interested in or not. One of the largest articles that I received the most response from, was a science report that initially I didn’t want to take on. I’ve now come to realise it is an important part of journalism, and can be key in breaking news to the general public.

Would you do anything differently if you were a first-year again? I would take every single opportunity given to me. In first year, I wasn’t prepared enough to apply for the Go Global scholarship, but if I had been, the following year I would have been able to complete the Sound City internship. I’m now doing it as I’m graduating, but I could have been pursuing even more work experience.

What aspects of your degree were particularly useful in the selection process?

The live news-days run on the journalism course meant I understood what it was like to actively work as a journalist. The level of professionalism meant that it was easy for me to adapt to a busy newsroom.

JOURNALISM GRADUATE JESS GRIEVESON-SMITH TELLS US ABOUT HER WORK EXPERIENCE AS A RADIO PRODUCER FOR BBC RADIO 4 AND A MULTIMEDIA JOURNALIST FOR AFRICA MEDIA

PLACEMENT CASE STUDY

Shannon, can you tell us why you wanted to do a placement?

I wanted to expand my knowledge of the field I wanted to go into so I found an opportunity in the job that I wanted to do to see if I actually liked it before I finished university. Plus, it gave me more confidence in completing my course as I learnt skills that were very valuable.

Where did you find out about the placement?

My lecturer helped me sort my placement out. The university had connections with the publication I wanted to get involved with.

Can you tell us about the role you undertook and what your main duties were?

I arrived with my own ideas and I spoke with the editor about which ones she liked and could use. I started working on these ideas straight away so that they could be added to their website. This involved doing my own research and contacting my own interviewees. It also involved writing up the feature articles, proofreading them and adding them to the online system used to create their website. I was able to do some training, which helped me greatly as it gave me an insight into industry standard skills that will be highly useful in future jobs.

What did the application process involve?

I informed my lecturer of my interest in the placement when she announced it at the end of second year. This ensured that I was picked first over other people in my course as spots were given out on a first come first served basis. Without showing this interest, I might not have been given the opportunity to do the placement.

What help and support did you access from the Careers, Employability & Start-Up Team?

The helped I received really got me prepared for the placement as I got in the right head space for the professional environment I was going to be in. The advice they gave me helped me brush up on my skills when writing my CV.

Did you have any relevant experience that helped you in the placement?

I took the skills that I had learnt from being an Echo Community Reporter, which helped me greatly during my placement at Red Magazine. The work experience not only helped me throughout my placement at

Red but it also helped me during my entire final year. The skills I took were time management in how to work to a deadline, confidence when speaking to people I didn’t know, and I also significantly improved my writing skills.

I also did some work experience for the Daily Mail which helped me get used to working in the environment I wanted a future job in.

What advice would you give to other students to improve their employability?

I would say get as much work experience as possible during your three years. It not only helps with making you more employable but it helps you gain skills that you will need during your three years. Without having work experience, I wouldn’t have gained as much confidence and the required skills that helped me so much during my final year.

Would you do anything differently if you were a first-year student again? I would have put more effort into learning shorthand. I didn’t realise just how useful it is and how much I would need it further down the line, especially during third year as you need to do a further court story, which would have been so much easier if I had kept up my shorthand. I also feel this would have given me an advantage when applying for jobs.

What aspects of your degree were particularly useful in the selection process?

I found working on the website and magazine in third year the most useful part of my degree as it gave me a realistic look into what journalism jobs would be like in real life. It gave me hands on experience in the job that I wanted to do and gave me the relevant experience that employers would be looking for. It also helped me get into the routine of what life as a journalist would involve.

Any other advice you would give to students about their employability?

I would say getting a good CV together is really important when applying for jobs and work experience. The better your CV the more experience you will be able to gather during your three years, which means you are able to gain more skills that will help you with your course so you can graduate with the best possible results.

NGUNAN ADAMU IS A JOURNALISM GRADUATE WHO WORKS AS A PRODUCER/ PRESENTER FOR BBC RADIO MERSEYSIDE

What does your job involve?

As a producer/presenter for BBC Radio Merseyside, I present a Black magazine show called Upfront which was set up over 30 years ago to address the gap in reporting and promoting events and issues in the Merseyside Black community. I joined the team as a broadcast assistant and now I present the show which is amazing. My day to day job involves researching subject areas, keeping on top of the news and interviewing people for the show and putting my running order together. I conduct around three pre-recorded interviews a week, sometimes more and I also have to pick songs that reflect the mood of the show for that week.

Why did you decide to apply for this role?

I always wanted to be a journalist, I lived and breathed news and current affairs and loved watching documentaries. I never wanted to be a hard news journalist, I wanted to be able to help and support people to tell their story, especially disenfranchised communities and the only way to do this was to apply for a journalism course so I would be trained to do this the right way and understand the concept and formula to being a successful journalist

Three things you like about your job: Interviewing, presenting and finding new stories.

What relevant experience did you use during the selection process?

I volunteered at a youth centre and I was also shooting and editing small films with friends and so I had examples of reviews I used to write.

What advice would you give to other students to improve their employability?

Do as much as you can outside of university as this will help you stand out. Use your passion and hobbies to get you closer to where you want to be and use the internet in a positive way, don’t let anger get in the way of your future goals. If you like a good rant about the government have examples and form an intelligent argument which includes facts and figures rather than throwing accusations, be careful about what you say on social media. Also, research and stay on top of the organisation you would like to work for.

PLACEMENT 7 CAREERS AND EMPLOYABILITY CASE STUDIES

CASE STUDY GRADUATE CASE STUDY

MEDIA PRODUCTION

GRADUATE CASE STUDY

What does your job involve?

The duties are varied and no two days are the same. I am involved with dealings with bookings for the show, prop buying and working behind the scenes with the Lorraine team. I’m someone who is a bit of a ‘telly geek’ and working within daytime programming was always my aim, particularly with ITV who have the best live daytime programmes. My career ambitions have always been to work in television but where, I didn’t know at the start. I now know after three years and a tremendous amount of support from a great group of tutors, that my goal is to work in production management or producing content for broadcast daytime shows.”

What help and support did you access in the Careers Zones or from the Careers, Employability & Start-Up Team?

I sought feedback on the content and writing style of my evidence for my application form.

What relevant work experience / skills / volunteering / Student Union activities did you use during the selection process?

One of the biggest things for me during my time at LJMU was the student TV show. I can leave knowing that for the first time in LJMU history I managed a team of students and produced LJMU’s first student TV show. My role varied from production management, creating itineraries, bookings, recruitment of crew and admin-based tasks, to researching and producing content suited to LJMU students, but also the presenting aspect which was an amazing opportunity. So I would say that working on the student TV show helped me towards my new role because I made it possible by putting in the hours, working through the

stress and working in a production environment with a top team in front and behind the cameras. It gives me great pleasure to say that alongside my new role, I will also be mentoring a group of second year students to piece together a new student TV show, Study Break, which they will produce and I will support from a distance.

What aspects of your degree were particularly useful in the selection process?

There are two modules which I can say have fully prepared me best for my new role and although during the module I might have complained just a little bit, in a jokey way, of course, I absolutely loved Creative Media Practice. The module explored numerous video making techniques including triptych, projection mapping and social media storytelling, but also it allowed me to play with new tech including augmented reality and virtual reality. I also loved the TV Studio Production module. The brief was so tailored to what I wanted to pursue as a career. This included creating a 15-minute as-live magazine show including an interview, live demonstration and performance which had to be filmed in one take with no editing permitted. Although it was a challenge, the task of sourcing content, producing items and networking with the public formed part of the skill set that I now need for my everyday role.

MEDIA PRODUCTION GRADUATE PETER CARTER TELLS US ABOUT HIS ROLE AS A PROGRAMME ASSISTANT WORKING ON ITV’S GOOD MORNING BRITAIN

JAMES LYALL IS WORKING AS A FREELANCE FILMAMKER DURING HIS MEDIA PRODUCTION DEGREE WITH THE AIM OF STARTING HIS OWN PRODUCTION COMPANY WHEN HE GRADUATES

Why did you want to do freelance work?

My passion for creative arts and love for storytelling motivated me to seek ways of entering the film industry. Creating projects for clients is a way for me to build up a professional portfolio, with official clients who approve of my work. This is important for building up my CV and experience, to get even better work in the future.

Where did you find out about freelance opportunities?

For months, I actively sought out clients that needed a product I could offer. When some finally started getting back to me, the ball started rolling from there. I now give business cards to most people who could possibly be a potential client. Through making projects in my first year of LJMU, I met lots of people who stayed in touch and got me involved in more opportunities.

Describe the role you are undertaking and your main duties: As a freelancer, it’s difficult to complete projects on your own. I have to write, direct, shoot and edit a lot of my productions, and the work load can be heavy. Luckily, I have people on my course who are willing to help out with particularly demanding projects, so it’s a great opportunity to get others involved.

What should students be aware of when considering freelancing?

A lot of clients who want music, promotional or documentary films made (which are most popular for staring off filmmakers), have other people who they can go to, as Liverpool is a creative city. Due to this, rejection is inevitable, but there’s always someone you’ll come across who needs some form of media marketing.

What help and support have you accessed at LJMU? Projects at LJMU have helped me to build contacts and lead to external projects and the Production Unit PULSS is extremely helpful for students to gain experience in corporate and creative work which aids the freelancing process. PULSS is extremely important for students to gain experience to increase their employability, enabling them to have a body of work for

when they graduate. The Careers, Employability & Start-Up Team from LJMU have also offered guidance on how to go about my projects, and gave me a clearer idea on what I need to do. It’s vital that students take advantage of the fantastic facilities at LJMU, and a meeting to improve a CV, or guidance on how to find contacts is on offer, and incredibly helpful.

What advice would you give to other students to improve their employability?

If you’re just starting in film, photography, graphic design or any other creative media field, offering work for free is a must at first. For people to trust you enough to pay for your service, they will want to see previous work, which is where working for experience firstly becomes useful. Spending as much of your free time in firstyear researching and learning more about what you want to do in the future is crucial. There is plenty of time beside coursework that can be used for productivity.

What aspects of your degree were particularly useful when finding freelance work?

At LJMU, the Production Unit, PULSS, is fantastic for finding out about and getting involved in projects in Merseyside and even other places. I was asked to help with behind the scenes content for a third year’s film last year, so meeting people who have experienced their degree and spending time with them is incredibly helpful. Due to PULSS working with Alumni, I was able to work alongside one of the graduates for a corporate film.

Any other advice you would give to students about their employability?

Unpaid projects are often extremely fun, and incredibly important for gaining valuable experience. I’ve learned so much through being involved with films that haven’t been paid. Until you feel comfortable enough to pick projects for whatever works best for you, taking anything you can get is important, in order to learn.

LJMU INTERNSHIP PROGRAMME

A fixed number of 20-day funded internships are available to level 5 and 6 students. In a range of disciplines, the internships will be with a local employer, working on a graduate-level project. Internship opportunities will be advertised via the job board in Careers Zone 24/7.

www.ljmu.ac.uk/studentfutures/ ljmu-internships-work-based-learning

LJMU has been the most valuable experience of my life, not only giving me the technical developments in my area but also providing me with the opportunities to meet new people and network with great contacts in the industry.  The resources available to students make learning in your field really easy and the staff always go above and beyond to further develop your experience as an LJMU student.

Opportunities such as engaging with the Centre of Entrepreneurship have been life changing thanks to LJMU. I was awarded a non-repayable grant which has enabled my business to grow in demand and reach goals I couldn’t have predicted. LJMU has without a doubt been a massive part in my growing success as a business owner. I received support from various members of staff on how to get up and running, mange my cash flow and networking - all the support you could ever wish for located in one of the greatest cities. LJMU is an experience I can highly recommend to any student.

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DRAMA

INTERNSHIP CASE STUDY

What did the role involve?

My main role was to organise. Leading up to the festival I liaised with agents and the bands themselves to secure interviews. I also made call sheets and timetabled the crews when the acts were on. During the festival my role was to tell the crew what the creative vision of the piece was to make sure we captured the crowd and culture as well as the acts themselves.

What did the application process involve and how did you prepare for each stage?

My interview was with Paula Baines and Chris and Alan who were the executive producers of the project. The interview was around fifteen minutes long and I was apprehensive being a drama student in a film production environment. I prepared for the interview by using knowledge from my stage management experience and researching the festival itself. I also thought about what makes me stand out as a candidate. In conversation with Chris he said that he remembered me saying that “because of my dyslexia, I feel it helps me think more creatively and outside the box”.

How did you benefit from this experience and what advice would you give other students?

This placement has been one of the biggest learning curves I have

had over the past three years at university. It was a once in a lifetime opportunity and the skills I have gained from this will stay with me for future experiences. The main advice I would give to other students would be set a target and work towards it. Often you find that you are limiting yourself due to grades and other pressures, but once you are in a work environment, a good work ethic will carry you through and people will see your potential. Work hard and seek the opportunities offered via PULSS because they are invaluable experiences that will enhance your employability. Just keep expanding your knowledge and learning in different working environments. Be passionate about what you do and follow those dreams.

Do you have a graduate job set up?

I am currently looking for jobs at the moment. I hope to be an Events Coordinator for a cultural venue within Liverpool.

The main thing employers look for is experience. It doesn’t matter if the experience is paid or voluntary, as long as you link it back to what the company does. Any chance you get, do something different and write about it straight away! It may not seem like applicable experience at the time, but it is very difficult to remember everything you have done years down the line. I keep a file of my applications and CV updates so that I can pick and choose what I want to include in each application.

KITTY COOPER, DRAMA GRADUATE

ROBYN BOWYER IS A DRAMA GRADUATE WHO COMPLETED AN INTERNSHIP AT SOUND CITY AS A PRODUCER DURING HER DEGREE

THERESE MULLAGHAN IS CURRENTLY COMPLETING THE THIRD YEAR OF A DRAMA DEGREE. DURING SECOND YEAR, THERESE COMPLETED A DANCE INTERNSHIP PERFORMING WITH A THEATRE GROUP IN ‘A NIGHT AT THE IRON DOOR CLUB’ AT THE ROYAL COURT THEATRE IN LIVERPOOL.

Therese, can you tell us why you wanted to do an internship?

I wanted to do this internship, as it was my first opportunity to experience what it is like to work professionally in the theatre world. I’ve performed in many amateur productions before but working in this professional environment gave me the chance to explore and step up to the expectations and skills needed to become successful in such a competitive industry.

Where did you find out about the internship?

The internship was announced to me during a lecture. As soon as I heard about it I was very excited at the thought of potentially being involved. Can you tell us more about the role you undertook?

I was a dancer/performer. My main duty was to portray the storyline to the audience and participate in dance numbers. I also helped to form parts of the story, giving me an opportunity to explore script writing. As a young person in the arts it is important for your own personal opinions to be heard, appreciated and shaped appropriately and this is exactly the strategy to which some of the scenes were formed. We all brought our own spice to the performance and alongside the constant support and encouragement from our incredible directors, Sarah and Andrew, this is why I feel A Night At The Iron Door was such a great success.

What did the selection process involve?

We firstly had to submit a CV. This CV differed slightly from what I usually submit for potential jobs. From small roles to leading roles, I found it important to highlight all my music, dance and acting experiences here. It’s also important to think about relevance so I didn’t bother bringing up my GCSE Science results. I was invited to the next stage which was the audition. We were not asked to prepare anything for the audition but we explored a lot of dancing and acting in groups and through a few improvisation tasks we could already begin see potential characters forming. It wasn’t necessary to stay behind but at the end we were asked to also sing a few lines of Stand By Me by Ben E King. I myself sing but I feel like even if you’re not a singer staying behind to show you’ll try anything is important within this industry and shows commitment.

What help and support did you access from the Careers, Employability & Start-Up Team?

Staff from the Careers, Employability & Start-Up Team talked me through what I was applying for and highlighted the main skills I needed to undertake such a role. This helped me to feature these in my CV. Shannen Quinn was also a great help with some of the questions I had concerning the internship.

What relevant experience did you use during the selection process?

All productions that I had been in up until the audition allowed me to succeed in getting this internship. In particular dealing with nerves and knowing what my strengths are and how to show them off in the best way I can. I have always found that being myself and showing off my personality and creativeness in auditions works really well for me. I like to bring humour to everything I do so although there was no mention of the production being comedic I find making others giggle is the best way to stand out. Dance auditions can often be intense and high energy therefore it is important to have a good fitness level behind you. For me I can thank LJMU Ladies Gaelic Football Team as, even though the season is over, we still focus on keeping our fitness up. This attitude won us the All British University Championship this year. I feel like playing sports and performing in the arts parallel extremely well alongside one another. What aspects of your degree were particularly useful in the selection process?

I have some very talented and intelligent lecturers who teach me in a very professional manner and setting all throughout the year. Channelling their positivity and passion for the arts helps me with everything I do that is drama related.

What advice would you give to other students to improve their employability?

Get as much experience in your career area as possible and make note of your strengths so you can highlight them in the best way. Give your all or don’t bother; if you’re going into something half-hearted you’ve already failed. I always think ‘if you’re not in you can’t win’ and ‘what’s the worst that can happen’ as usually the worst is you don’t get the part. As heart breaking as rejection can be it is important to take every situation as an opportunity to learn and improve. If you are planning a career in the arts, focus on getting involved in as many things as possible and making your contacts early on in the game. Always remember to stay positive and always be yourself.

Would you do anything differently if you were a first-year student again?

I would apply for everything that came before me or graced my emails. In first year I didn’t have the same mentality as I do now and always thought there was no point in applying as there was no way I would get it. I regret that so much now as I feel I missed out on opportunities that could have been incredible.

Whether you are looking to specialise, change direction, enhance your earning potential or boost your employability, staying at LJMU for postgraduate study is a great investment in your future success, with increased earnings of up to 18% for postgraduates compared to graduates.

Go postgrad TRANSFORM YOUR FUTURE WITH POSTGRADUATE STUDY

Masters study set me on the right track. I now have a career rather than a job.

Josh McDowell International Journalism MA

For more information, go to:

ljmu.ac.uk/postgraduate