Inside Story - Radio Producer / Reporter



Elizabeth

Age Range
26-35

Countries of Work
UK

Study and Career History
I went to a minor university in Stoke on Trent (now called Staffordshire University) and gained a BA(hons). When I left I worked in the personnel department of American Express HQ in Brighton. Then I moved into recruitment consultancy but had always wanted a job in media and saw myself trapped in a very soul destroying job. I did a dramatic resignation and then went travelling for a year. I returned and determined to get a job in media. It never quite worked out to my satisfaction though – I worked in the press office for a county council for example which wasn’t much better than being a recruitment consultant. I had to do something dramatic again, so I resigned and enrolled on a Post grad course in journalism at Portsmouth. This was the best move – I was fully trained and qualified. I made contacts and the year went really quick. I left and walked straight into a job with the BBC. I now produce the breakfast show on Southern Counties Radio and love it.

How long have you been doing the job?
2 years.

Did you decide on your career path or did it all happen by accident?
I tried to take opportunities but my experience has been that planning was best. As soon as I trained properly and was fully focused things happened very quickly. You could be lucky taking opportunities as they arise but I found that I was spending too much time doing things that weren’t ‘quite right’. I could imagine drifting unfocused through jobs like this forever – until I fully trained. Training also gave me the confidence to know that what I was doing was right!

How did you get your "Glamour Job" ?
Towards the end of the course I started job hunting. The first interview I had was my present BBC job. I think they like me because I was older than the other candidates and they saw me as having more life experience – so ironically, doing other jobs before training actually ended up in my favour!

What does the job involve?
Early mornings! I mainly produce the breakfast show which goes on air at 6am! I have to make sure guests and interviewees are all ready for the correct times. I need to research the topics that will be talked about, but as we are often reacting to breaking news I have to be able to cope with dramatic last minute changes! I also do some reporting, interviewing and presenting.

Describe a typical day at work.
It’s a cliché, but there is no such thing as a typical day. Because it’s the breakfast show I’ll turn up at 5am with a plan for the day and something will have happened overnight like a crash or robbery and everything will change. I spend a lot of time on the phone co-ordinating guests and I have to ‘feed’ Jo (the presenter) questions and ideas. I put together recorded segments of the show and try to keep everything together – not easy!

What do you like most about the job?
It’s so dynamic. Nothing is ever the same day to day. As a local radio station it is at the heart of the community here in Sussex and you meet so many interesting people. Knowing that people rely on you and have expectations from you adds a pressure that you thrive off.

What don’t you like about your job – if anything?
Obviously – the early mornings! It’s ruined my social life. There’s a shift system so I also work lates – so it messes up your body clock terrible.

During your teenage years did you have much vocational guidance from school, university, family or friends? What was your biggest influence?
I didn’t have any guidance. I just had an idea of what I wanted and no matter what job I was doing I had it in the back of my head. It’s slushy (sorry) but my boyfriend was a big influence because going to college for a year meant he had to support me and put up with me being a 30 year old student!

If you took end of school examinations did you get exam results you were happy with from your education?
I went on through to university. I did well at school, 6th form and university so was very happy.

Do you think that what you studied in school or in your further education was right for the career you are in now? Any regrets?
If I had done a media degree instead of English and History then I imagine I would have been doing this years ago.

Have you taken further studies since leaving secondary or tertiary school. If yes, what did you study and why did you decide you needed more qualifications?
Yes – the post grad media at Portsmouth – see above.

What was your first job?
Personnel officer with AMEX.

What has been your most bizarre or challenging job to date?
This one! Imagine trying to produce 3 hours of interesting breakfast show 6 days a week!

What is your ultimate goal.... is this it, or do you have a pinnacle you have yet to reach?
I feel like I’m doing very well – this is only my second year so I’d like to do this for a while.

What are your top tips for personal success?
Keep an idea of what you want in your head so that if you are ‘side-tracked’ you can turn things into the direction you want.

Any comments?


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