LSEJ Alumni Conference 2018

Besma Ayari is a multi-award winning journalist and filmmaker. She graduated from our very own University of Lincoln in 2012 and has since gone on to win several top awards for her work.

Besma is currently working for Firelake Films; a production company set up by her former university colleagues, Josh Jackson and Oli Gibbons.

Her Graduate film about the Tunisian revolution called ‘The end of Silence’ tells the story of the aftermath of the Arab Spring. The film won several awards and nominations including the Royal Television Society National Award for Best Factual Student documentary as well as the RTS Midlands award! The film was also nominated for the New Horizon competition at the Al Jazeera International Documentary Film Festival in 2013.

We will bring you more information about Besma throughout the conference!

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Dave graduated from in 2001 with a Journalism degree, throughout his degree he had gained a multitude of experience in radio, print and television.

From a young age he was interested in sport, writing football match reports for his local newspaper as well as creating content for various football magazines.  This love of sport fed through to his first job in journalism working on the News of the World’s sports desk.

After working at his local radio station in Essex as a news editor he then joined Sky News where he has spent the last ten years. He has been appointed Executive Producer of Sky News Radio and editor of IRN in June 2013.

Achieving a lot already we cannot wait to see where his career will take him in the future, and are looking forward to what he has to say!

#LSJalumni15

 

Jess Jones woks at RBP agency to get this job her tactic was to non-stop email them until they had a position available for her. Within her work Jess works across multiple accounts, she is able to be both PR and Journalist. Her main role is to advise Harley-Davidson dealers, she helps with their online presents, suggesting up dates for their social media and promoting event to the press.

On the Journalistic side of her job she get to work with bmi regional in-flight magazine in this she gets to research, create, interview and crate the story, Jess is also in the publishing process. The interview she is most proud of was her interview with Poison Duchess of Northumberland, in the interview she said to Jess, she often looks round the room and thinks about how she could kill everyone in the room. The Duchess said this after giving Jess a cup of tea needless to say she was not thirsty after that. Jess has also interviewed a number of top designers, and she is due to interview Chris Froome next week ahead of this year’s Tour de France.

Some questions from panel 2

Luke Todd- were you ever tempted not to go to uni?

No, I wanted to go as I wanted the knolage on how to do the job right but I also wanted to have fun!

 

Lucy Vince- what made you want to go in to food?

I did fashion first and I desied I didnt want to do that, food and travel was my hobbies and I was passionate about them. A piece of advice I’d give to you all would be if you’re passionate about something do it!

Why didn’t you like fashion?

I loved to read fashion magazines but doing it as my job I didn’t enjoy it.

 

Luke Todd- Is the fashion world like Devil Wears Prada?

Sometimes you get people who are like “Who are you wearing?” but it isn’t all about £8,000 bags.

Some top tips:

For original stories look online and be vigilant.

Make sure your CV is on one page and is addressed to the right person.

Make your CV stand out and be different and adapt your CV to the job.

Emma is a free lance broadcast journalist currently working as an assistant news editor for ITN. She graduated in 2012 and went on to do her masters degree down in London on broadcast journalism. She has worked in both national and regional newsrooms across broadcast print and online; Emma also specialises in home and foreign newsgathering.

She stresses how work experience got her where she needed to be. She started in her first year by volunteering at Siren FM and later on in her student years became the deputy editor or the “Linc” as well as taking part in the BBC Lincolnshire intern scheme. “All student journalists should get involved with student media from the start.”

Her most recent work experience was for channel 5 with “Aljazeera”. Emma was a news program assistant, he got paid and it gave her a much stronger understanding of foreign news.

One of the biggest stories Emma has covered in her career so far was being outside the hospital at the birth of Prince George. “It was literally a scrum”, even though Emma confesses it was a manic day, it was a great opportunity. It got her name out there and got her some great contacts for a free lancer!

The advice Emma gives is to get yourself out there. Get your own story pitched and get as much experience as you can. During interviews make sure you know the interviewee so you come across as professional and you know what you are talking about. “If you want the job you’ll make sacrifices.”

 

Hannah Gilbey started at the Lincolnshire echo with a 3 week work placement and, in her own words, “has basically never left”. ‘Be brave and always say yes’ is her key advice as her turning point came when she got a front page story at the Echo by being brave and using her initiative.  She is now the busine

Tips:

• Be a yes man (or woman)
• Teamwork is key, don’t be a glory hunter.
• Don’t let fear get the better of you.
• Get as much work experience as possible
• Send stories to local media- badger them!

 

Lucy is currently a content producer at Food Network and Travel Channel International, working for the digital channel. During her internship Lucy was put in charge of the social media for the network. Within the company content is added, as well as articles and blogs online. Part of her role is to interview and edit TV clips but admits that every day is different!

Sam Pidoux confesses this is almost her “dream job!”

Lucy was on the standard Journalism BA honours degree and specialized in radio and print in her second year. She loved every minute of Lincoln- “Best years of your life”.

Before she landed the job, Lucy confessed she didn’t know what to do; she went on placements at BBC Lincolnshire, wrote for fashion websites and even travelled to London to get experience with the press.

She got a position at a lifestyle magazine but the day before she was due to start received an email saying the position was no longer available. “Set back helps you and motivates you more to get what you want.”

The next stage for Lucy was to ring every newspaper and magazine she could think of! She was offered an Internship for five months at a fashion magazine, got paid £5 a day and was based down in London. After the five months she knew she didn’t want to stay in fashion.

Funnily enough after having a conversation with her future boss on a train (unknown at the time) she landed a job at Food Network UK as a digital intern. Last week Lucy was promoted to contact producer.

Moral of the story- “Talk to strangers, don’t listen to what your mum and dad say!”

 

A recent graduate from the university of Lincoln, Luke has served as an editor for FashionBeans.com as well as the fashion and grooming coordinator of both Shortlist and Shortlist MODE Magazine. After taking a year out between his A levels and University Luke focused on getting some published writing done for his portfolio. He went on to do a foundation degree at the University of Lincoln he then moved on to the BA course and graduated with first class honours.

After university, he worked at Shortlist for 6 months as an intern. He has now moved on to be the editor for Fashionbeans, the website receives over 1.5 million visitors per month and is very influential in the fashion world.

Top tips:

• Be everywhere, take every opportunity!
• Rejection is inevitable
• Don’t think you’re too good to work for free
• Have a plan!
• Do even the smallest of jobs *very* well- never do the bare minimum.