A couple of years ago,
aged 27, I decided to quit my job to enter my dream industry – that
of book publishing. It was, I realised, where my true passions lay
and I was convinced that people would see that and give me a job. I
was keen, I was hard-working and I loved reading. Why wouldn't they
give me a job?
I was prepared for it
to take a few months. What I was not prepared for was the
thirteen months of uncertainty that followed, the long hours, the
lack of sleep, the stress, the dramas or my depleting bank balance.
For anyone considering
the work experience route into publishing (or a similar sector), here
are my top tips to consider before you take the plunge:
Have savings
ready in your bank account
Money is a worry for
anyone who doesn't know where the next pay cheque is coming from. You
may have some money in the bank when you decide to opt for this route
but the longer you spend as a workie, the more time will pass with
money going out and not coming in. If you can, get a weekend job to
supplement your income, but this may only add to your stress levels
so it's always wise to do some forward planning and have a back-up
sum ready to use when needed.
No job is too
small
As you are not getting
paid and are coming in at the very bottom, be prepared to do the jobs
nobody else wants to do or has the time for. These jobs are not made
up just to annoy you. They are all necessary, whether they be
photocopying, scanning, putting names into a spreadsheet or posting
out book after book and receiving a million papercuts for your
efforts. These jobs help the team you are supporting. Do them and
they are far more likely to help you out in the future. Moan about
them and nobody is going to be recommending you for anything but a
deletion from their list of potentials employees.
Build
relationships wherever possible
The saying goes “It's
not what you know, it's who you know.” This is never more true than
the publishing sector, where one person's recommendation can mean the
difference between a paid placement or no placement, an interview or
no interview, a job or no job. You are likely to move around a lot as
a workie, from department to department and company to company and it
pays to keep in touch with the people you meet along the way.
Make yourself
known
Many departments have a new work experience person every fortnight,
especially the busier ones. That's twenty-six people over the course
of a year. Make them remember you. And by that I don't mean start a
fight with someone or leave photos of yourself on everybody's desk.
Talk to people. Engage with them. Be more than just another face
passing through. Make an impression – and make it a good one.
Ask questions
As well as talking to people and making yourself known, it's
incredibly important to ask questions. Don't worry about bugging them
or being a nuisance. Have questions ready prepared, think about what
it is you want to know about the industry and how they can help you
find the answers. Chat over lunch, or while you grab a cup of tea in
the kitchen. If you're worried that the person is too busy all the
time, send them a quick email asking if they'd be able to sit down
with you at some point and go over some questions you have. If you
don't ask, you don't get. Of course, it's probably best not to
harrass people on your very first day.
Enjoy the perks
where you can – you've earned them!
You may not be getting
paid but there are perks to be had as a workie for those able to
prove their worth. The biggest perk is the books. If you are offered
any, take them without feeling the need to check “Is that OK, are
you sure?” Many companies, especially the larger ones, have shelves
covered in books that can easily be re-ordered. Always ask, of
course, but take what you can get. They'll be happy to give you
something as a thank-you. There may also be invites to events –
book signings, launches. These are all part of the industry so go if
you can. Offer to help out. It shows dedication on your part and will
probably be lots of fun!
Prepare for the
long haul
The uncertainty is the
hardest part of being a workie. You could get a job in a few months,
perhaps – if you time it beautifully – even less. It's more than
likely though, especially in the current economic climate, that you
will have to wait a lot longer. Prepare yourself as much as possible
for the possibility that you may be doing this for a while. It's a
marathon not a spirit. You have an end-goal in sight and it is highly
probable that you will, at some point, reach a wall and just want to
pack it all in. You need to really want this if you are going to be
able to stick it out for the long haul, so make sure you've really
thought about it beforehand.
Have a break
All work and no play
makes Jack a dull boy. And all work and no play makes a workie a
cranky, volatile shell of a human being. Take it from me. It's
important to pace yourself and have some downtime. See your friends,
have a night in watching mindless TV, spend an afternoon cooking.
Whatever you do to relax, do it – at least once a week. Or you will
go mad with the stress of it all.
Be prepared at
interviews
The longer you work as
a workie, the more job offers will come your way. You will probably
have an idea of where you want to work and will be checking the
websites weekly, possibly daily, to see if new jobs have come up. You
will probably be applying for any job you feel is remotely relevant
just to get your foot in the door. To a workie, a job interview
really is the be-all-and-end-all because it is your lifeline. It is
your goal. The last thing you want to do then is be so excited at
actually making the interview stage that you panic, talk too much,
forget what you wanted to say and completely mess it up. Focus on all
the skills you have learned to date, research the company and
department thoroughly. Read up on the authors and have some questions
ready. It's easier said than done, I know, but go in there calm and
prepared, show them why you are the ideal candidate for the job and
don't let it destroy you if it's a no.
Be strong,
don't let people take advantage
Overall, everyone I
encountered – both as a workie and beyond – in the world of
publishing was supportive. If you proved you were a worthy asset they
would do what they could to help you. Many have gone above and beyond
for me without me even asking. However, there are always going to be
exceptions to that rule and you need to be very careful not to be so
helpful that people end up taking advantage of you. There is a
reason workies are given the menial tasks – they are unpaid staff.
It's great to be given a bit more responsibility – it shows they
have faith in your abilities – but this responsibility can become
too much too quickly. I had one placement where I was effectively
doing somebody's job while they were on holiday – something I
should have been receiving a temporary salary for. I had clearly been
placed there because I was an experienced workie. They saw my
abilities and sought to exploit it. I didn't even get a reference or
any thanks at the end of the three weeks and nobody ever stopped long
enough to answer any of my questions. Work experience should be a
two-way street. Don't let them walk all over you.
Good luck, and may your
journey be worth it!
Though Part Two begins with a happy Bella (Kristen Stewart) revelling in her new life, the drama begins when Alice sees that the Volturi vampires think their daughter Renesmee is an immortal and are coming to kill her. The most important law of the vampire world is that biting a child is forbidden and the Volturi believe the Cullens have broken this law and must stop them. In order to prove that Renesmee was born, not bitten, Edward (Robert Pattinson) and Carlisle travel the world and enlist all the friends they can find to stand with them against the Volturi. As a result, a whole host of new vampires arrive in the town of Forks from across the globe and Jacob, who has imprinted on baby Renesmee so is forever with them all, finds himself outnumbered by red eyes. 
Whereas fans of the series had spent all their time thus far observing the world of the vampires from the outside, Breaking Dawn Part Two offers the chance to experience it from the inside. It is a far more adult book than the earlier three, with marriage, pregnancy, parenthood and lots of vampire sex to boot and Condon handles this well, keeping the theme of young love and Bella and Edward's plans of 'forever' at the forefront while allowing his stars to grow up and develop.
It’s worth considering that the dominance of adaptations at the cinema does not mean there is no room for something new. Two of the greatest films of 2012 so far – The Raid and The Cabin in the Woods – took old, tired ideas and injected new life into them. Cabin took every cliché in the horror genre and flipped them on their head to make something brilliantly clever and original – but it was done by lovingly taking everything that had been done before and making something new with it. The Raid had a fundamental plot similar to that of Judge Dredd but by using a new martial arts star (the insanely talented Iko Uwais) and showcasing the martial art style of silat, writer/director Gareth Evans managed to redefine the action genre.
DOUGLAS HODGE TO PLAY WILLY WONKA IN WORLD PREMIERE OF ROALD DAHL’S
CHARLIE AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY
Here is the official press release:
