Rachel Killington has been making progress at the local radio station. It’s worth a try Life can be funny at times. Just when you think you know who you are and where you’re going, things can suddenly veer off in the opposite direction - and that’s not always a bad thing.
A while ago I applied for a new job, at another radio station within the company. The vacancy was for an online editor, covering two sister radio stations in another county. It’s a job that I would dearly love, but I was very aware of the fact that there would almost certainly be candidates with far more knowledge and experience applying for the position too, and I didn’t want to look foolish by applying for a job, if that job would blatantly be beyond my capabilities. Although a large proportion of my media studies degree focused on website design, I realise I have no ‘professional’ experience as such. After considering all possible outcomes (and after a certain amount of gentle persuasion from my boyfriend Neil) I decided that the metaphorical glass would be ‘half full’, and that I had nothing to lose by applying. I spent two days perfecting my CV and dutifully emailed the application off, then waited. As the days turned into weeks I became despondent, thinking I had made a mistake in applying, yet I kept my fingers crossed tight, and repeatedly consoled myself with the fact that ‘these things take time’. The follow-upGradually the job application disappeared from the forefront of my mind, and all the niggles, qualms and uncertainties (Was my C.V too long? What do I wear if I get an interview? Where will I live if I get the job and move away? ) were eventually forgotten - buried under confetti, balloons and birthday cake. I had a fantastic day as chief bridesmaid at my friend Julie’s wedding, and despite my short (but traumatic!) trip into hospital, I was well enough to celebrate turning 25 - which I did with pink balloons, pass the parcel and a certain amount of alcohol! Although I had resigned myself to the fact that I wasn’t going to get an interview for the job, after a month I decided to send a follow-up email with the intention of obtaining feedback to improve any future applications. Instead of the usual ‘it wasn’t personal, it’s just there were people more experienced/qualified/suited to the job’ reply, I was amazed when I was asked to attend a short meeting to ‘discuss opportunities’. The resultWhen I arrived, the Regional Online Editor had printed off my CV and covering letter. He informed me that I hadn’t been successful in getting an interview for the advertised job. As I had predicted, there were other applicants who were better suited to the position, and these were the lucky ones that had been interviewed. However, he told me he was impressed with my CV and said he thought I had definite potential, and I was astounded when he offered me a ‘project’ of my own. Each station’s website content is being drastically revamped, and I have been assigned two sites of my own to manage. I will be responsible for transferring all the online content from the current sites to a new website host before the new sites go live in a few weeks' time. Although I have only been doing the job a week, I have already acquired an invaluable amount of new skills. I am learning something new each day, and although the work is particularly challenging, I am relishing the opportunity to progress my career, and experience another part of successful commercial radio. I am fascinated by the incredible growth of the internet as a media in itself, and how it affects everyday life, particularly with new platforms becoming available through websites. For me, the internet is the most powerful medium in existence - it is ever increasing, self-reinventing, all-encompassing, and easily accessible. The sheer power of the internet in contemporary society amazes me, and (although I’m sure by admitting this I sound like a bit of geek) I am thrilled to be involved in a continually expanding system of information and communication with the potential to reach millions of people each and every day. Challenges aheadI realise that my ‘project’ is only temporary, and that it is going to be extremely hard work. I understand that I have an awful lot more to learn, and I’m sure I’ll get frustrated at times. I know that this is one of the biggest challenges I’ve ever taken on, but it’s fantastic to be able to look at a webpage and know that I made it. Very soon people are going to be surfing the web and navigating their way through a website that I constructed, and I’m very excited by that prospect. I didn’t get the original job that I had set my heart on, but I’m a great believer that all things happen for a reason. I can work at my own pace, and I still get to be out and about in the community doing my Black Thunder work for the radio station, as my project fits in around that. Each day is different, everyday brings new and exciting challenges, and I wake up each morning eager to see what the day ahead will bring. I am gaining invaluable skills and experience, and I’m incredibly grateful that I’ve been given the opportunity to do just that, and I intend to do the very best that I can! See Rachel's previous job logs: |
