Jobs and Opps at The Face, the i Paper, 5 Live, the FT, and Many, Many More 🦦

Plus, Hannah's top tips for getting your first byline.

Evening all, Hannah here —straight off the back of running my very first Journo Resources masterclass last Wednesday. The brief was to talk about how to get your first paid-for, professional byline and I really enjoyed sharing everything I’ve learned about journalism so far and since joining the JR team. It felt like a real full-circle moment. A lot really can happen in a year and when you trust the process… Which, for full transparency, I am very much still learning to do — we’re in this together! Here, though, are my main takeaways from the workshop:

1. Believe in your own ability to create “a portfolio of work”: Providing links to work does not mean they have to be big, nationally published pieces. In most cases, your idea and suggested headline will be the first thing the editor looks at. Links to work are an add-on to prove you can write. You can even take a DIY approach, particularly for first-person and opinion pieces which might not require case studies. Time does equal money, but if you can set aside some time, sit down with a coffee (or any other beverage of choice), turn your phone off, and write a piece on a Google Doc. Then link it like you would anything else online.

2. You have to start somewhere: If you have an overarching topic you want to write about, there are tonnes of ways to tease out the actual story. Start simple, with a mind map or bullet points. Use the five Ws as a reference point and search phrases/questions related to your topic — Google, Google Scholar, TikTok, Instagram, Reddit, etc. That way, you’ll see if and how people have covered it previously, and it might help you find your way into the story idea and pitch. 

3. Write the pitch in the way you might the piece: Small things can make a big difference — for example, adhering to the publication’s tone and style in your pitch. Granted, you don’t have loads of space to play with, but it’s worth trying if you can. Add a short bio at the end of your email — particularly if you are approaching an editor for the first time. It will also give you some more words to sell yourself and the way you write. Throw in something human about you too — whether that’s a fun fact or something about a hobby!

Finally, one bonus thing to leave with you — the shorter the better. Don’t be afraid to illustrate things in bullet points; do whatever you need to do to communicate it most clearly. If you’re struggling with a word count, keep leaving and coming back to it to shave the words off! A break and fresh eyes are never a bad idea. Which is exactly what I’m off to do right now.

PS. You can see the full watchback of Hannah’s event here, which also includes examples of her own successful pitches. We’d also love to hear your tips in the comments below!

We’re 10% Of The Way To Selling 300 Copies Of Our Mag!

Thank you so much to all of you who’ve supported us so far — we’re now 10 per cent of the way to our goal of selling 300 copies. We’d love to get to 20 per cent this week — which means selling another 30 copies. If you can support our work — which promotes transparency, provides paid training schemes, and our redundancy support sessions — we’d be so grateful, especially in the month of December when we typically don’t sell many job adverts. In return, you’ll receive a beautiful 100-page magazine, packed with features, resources, and exercises to plan your year.

• The Stray Ferret covers news in Harrogate and the surrounding area, with a focus on original investigations. They’re in need of a journalist to work on daily stories and wider investigations. It pays about £22,000pa.

• 🚨 It’s your last chance to apply for the 2024 News Summer Internship at Bloomberg. You’ll be paid £29,500pa FTE for a ten-week contract where you’ll pitch and write stories, conduct interviews, and work on multimedia content.

• The Financial Times is offering a sub-editing fellowship for emerging journalists from the Black community. It’s a six-month scheme embedded within both the printed paper and the digital publishing desk and pays £2,400pm.

• Choir & Organ, International Piano, Opera Now, and Musicals Magazine are looking for an editorial assistant to work across the four publications. You’ll be paid £26,000pa, be given on-the-job training, and write news, interviews, and features.

• Two internships here with the Jamie Oliver Group. One is for a digital, marketing and design intern to focus on brand experience and the other is for a social impact and product intern. Both look incredibly comprehensive, last for 12 months, and pay £26,000pa.

• The Face is offering an editorial and social internship to support various teams at the magazine, It lasts for three months and pays the London Living Wage.

• This is more marketing than journalism, but The Kennedys is a five-month-long internship with ad agency Wieden + Kennedy London. You’ll attend workshops and tutorials, work on real briefs, and be paid the London Living Wage.

• 🚨 Act fast — today is the closing date for this researcher role at 5 Live, where you’ll be working on Gordon Smart’s show. It’s Band B, which means it pays from £23,103pa and you’ll help generate ideas and make the show happen.

• 🚨 There’s also another entry-level role as a journalism coordinator at BBC Shropshire, where you’ll work on their breakfast show to provide tech assistance, liaise with guests, and deliver travel bulletins. Again, it pays from £23,103pa.

• There are two research trainee roles available at the Institute of Art and Ideas: one is to work on the science desk and the other on the arts desk. Both pay £20–25,000pa and will see you embedded in the editorial departments.

• And, finally, Maximum PC is hiring a staff writer to look after reviews, features, and guides across the magazine. It pays £25,000pa and we think it looks achievable for someone entry-level.

• Times Higher Education is hiring a reporter to focus on their coverage of Asian higher education, covering major policy developments and stories across the continent. It’s a hybrid role and pays £31–36,000pa.

• Factory International has an opening for a press officer — you’ll be writing and preparing press releases, helping to brief spokespeople, and working on media reports. It pays £24,000pa.

• The Arts Society is on the lookout for a content creator obsessed with all things arts and culture. You’ll work on their new digital destination Cultur.art to “empower people to live artfully every day”. It pays £30–35,000pa.

• 🚨 The Today Programme at BBC Radio 4 has two vacancies for journalists of varying contract lengths. You’ll create packages, find guests, and brief presenters for discussions. It’s Band C,

• 🚨There’s also a journalist role at BBC Radio Berkshire focused on social media, where you’ll reversion content from the show to appeal to online audiences. Again, this is a Band C role, which means it pays £25,670–50,313pa.

• 🕑 Poetry London has an advert live for a poetry editor, who’ll help develop the magazine’s editorial content and direction. The salary is £38–40,000pa and you’ll be expected to pick up work for the summer edition.

• Marie Claire UK needs a fashion writer to focus on their e-commerce and SEO content — this could potentially be a readvertised position as it rings a bell. It pays up to £26,000pa.

• 🏡 This is a copywriter role for a not-for-profit that focuses on social change. The ad suggests the flexibility to work remotely and it pays £30–36,000pa. It looks like you’ll write news, blogs, social media, and newsletters.

• The Record Label is looking for a content producer to create a range of content for artists across social media, email campaigns, and websites. They say the pay range goes up to £25,000pa plus commission — don’t accept any less imo.

• Decanter, the oldest consumer wine publication in the UK, is in need of an assistant editor for its premium content. You’ll head up the ship on a day-to-day basis, as well as develop strategy. It pays £29–35,000pa.

• There are also a few other jobs at Decanter if wine really is your thing. Openings include a senior sub-editor role that pays up to £34,000pa and a social media editor gig that pays £29–38,000pa.

• And, finally, the Motor Neurone Disease Association is hiring a digital officer to work across their website. They’re looking for someone with some experience in SEO and will pay a salary of up to £31,000pa.

• Truly impossible for me to mention at job at The Association of Anaesthetists without mentioning this song. Anyway, they’re looking for a digital content manager to manage content creation and production. It pays £47–50,000pa.

• 🏡 The Musicians’ Union is hiring a communications officer to manage, edit, and upload their online content. As well as news stories, you’ll also look after comms to members and will be paid £46,795–49,820pa. It’s one day a week in the office.

• 🚨 Last chance to apply for the role with Global Witness as a senior data investigations advisor. It pays £53,856pa and you’ll be helping tell investigations that make a difference to deforestation across the globe.

• Go.Compare, you know, from those adverts, is hiring for a head of SEO to try and make sure more people reach them when searching. It pays £52–70,000pa.

• This is a short-term contract for a senior SEO manager. You’ll be in post at an insurance organisation for six months and will be paid up to £83,000pa FTE.

• And, finally, this is a content marketing executive role that looks interesting. It’s working with a new at-home food brand that has been launched off the back of a Michelin-starred Indian restaurant. It pays up to £40,000pa.

• Lucy Sherriff is commissioning stories for BBC Future Planet and looking to build up a roster of freelance journalists based in the Global South who are reporting on their home countries.

• Any soap enthusiasts among our subscribers? If that’s you, News UK is looking for a TV and soap writer on a casual basis. There is also this casual digital showbiz and TV reporter role for The Sun.

• The i Paper is looking for a freelance news editor to oversee the late print newsdesk for at least three shifts a week — mainly on a Sunday to Tuesday rota.

• Northern writers, the Manchester Mill, Liverpool Post, and Sheffield Tribune are commissioning stories to run throughout December and January — particularly data-led and very human neighbourhood stories.

• 🚨 Spotted by our wonderful friends at media beans, the Sky Sports Future Talent Programme is for those wanting to work in TV production and content creation. You get paid freelance shifts and tonnes of support.

• Shebs Alom is looking to commission someone who has travelled to Sri Lanka and can provide a sustainable angle for the digital travel magazine Voyagers Voice.

• Investigative news and fact-checking cooperative The Ferret, is looking for investigative pitches to cover the festive period and the new year. Stories should have a strong link to Scotland and be able to be submitted in the next month. 

• Insider’s Emily Krivograd is looking for writers who can share their experiences of going on an Amtrak trip in a private roomette/bedroom.

• Shannon Liao from Inverse is planning end-of-year video game coverage and wants to hear from freelancers who would like to be involved with it in some shape or form. 

• 🏡 This is a contract position for a marketing manager for seven months — it pays £350–400 per day and they’re expecting about three years of experience.

• Finally, our friends at Journalism.co.uk are looking for freelance media trainers to create online courses on any subject that might be useful to journalists. Find full details here.

• 🎪 As previously mentioned in the intro, you can now buy the watchback to Hannah’s event here, looking at how to get your first paid-for byline. We’re also offering a watchback of Steph’s event on how to self-edit your work here.

• 🎪 🆓 Don’t forget that you can get free tickets to our next redundancy support session — this will be with a specialist redundancy support coach who will focus on managing your emotions and creating a long-term plan. Share it around!

• This looks like a wonderful opportunity for anyone looking to break into film and visual content. As part of a four-day talent camp in Zurich, you’ll immerse yourself in workshops, lectures and the Swiss Youth Film Festival. It’s for anyone aged 18–25 and all expenses are covered.

• 🚨 Last call for the prize from The Classical Association for women and non-binary writers aged 19 and under. They’re looking for essays inspired by the classical world, which will be published in one of their anthologies.

• 🚨 It’s also the last chance to apply to be a Young Writer in Residence at Whitechapel Gallery. It will give one person aged 18–24 the chance to write a new piece of writing published by the gallery, the chance to programme an event, and a £500 fee and mentoring.

• 🚨 Also your last chance to apply for the Young Freelancers scheme at London Transport Museum. It’s for people aged 18–25 who want to start out in the cultural and creative sector. You’ll get paid work at a day rate of £120 and offered training which is paid at a day rate of £60.

• 🚨 The next round of Unbound Firsts closes on November 30. It’s for undiscovered debut writers of colour of any age. They’re accepting both fiction and non-fiction books, which will be published in 2025.

• 🚨 International applications for Nieman Fellowships close this week. Apply now for the chance to spend two semesters at Harvard developing your professional journalism skills. A stipend of US$85,000 is paid over nine months.

• 🚨 A similar fellowship with an identical deadline for international applicants here. The Knight-Wallace Journalism Fellowship offers a year of academic study and also pays a stipend of US$85,000 plus US$5,000 in relocation expenses.

• The CatchLight Global Fellowship offers US$30,000 to visual storytellers to work on a project and develop their craft. There’s tonnes more information here.

• The Future Voices Trainee Journalism Scheme is back open again. It’s a paid six-week scheme for journalists in the UK and beyond who’d like to spend time at the BBC developing their journalism skills and telling stories.

• The Telegraph’s Media Literacy Programme is open for applications, helping to equip 16–18-year-olds with the skills they need to understand the news. Send it to someone who might find it interesting!

• And, finally, the 2023 New Media Writing Prize is now open. You can enter any kind of writing or journalism that was built specifically for digital and there are a range of categories depending on the type of work you do.

• For reading in front of a cosy fire with a cup of cocoa, please buy our magazine! It’s packed with insightful features on everything from wearing make-up in the newsroom to how AI might change our jobs. And it helps us keep running!

We’re 10% Of The Way To Selling 300 Copies Of Our Mag!

Thank you so much to all of you who’ve supported us so far — we’re now 10 per cent of the way to our goal of selling 300 copies. We’d love to get to 20 per cent this week — which means selling another 30 copies. If you can support our work — which promotes transparency, provides paid training schemes, and our redundancy support sessions — we’d be so grateful, especially in the month of December when we typically don’t sell many job adverts. In return, you’ll receive a beautiful 100-page magazine, packed with features, resources, and exercises to plan your year.