Career advice
Can I advise you on what direction to take in your journalism career?
Well, I can't advise anyone how to make up their minds about the great questions of life . . . you'll work it out.
I can advise you only from my own experience.
I have discovered that I took directions as opportunities presented themselves.
For instance, when I started I didn't plan the varied five-descade career I've had.
But as each enticing idea or opportunity came along, I took it.
Sometimes it was a disaster, sometimes a triumph, but always a valuable experience.
But here's one piece of advice: make a start.
Get something published, quickly.
You could ask me for my article called "Traineeship guidelines". Ask by email only and I'll email it to you. Remember, email only. Use that exact title.
As you will. The same as anyone in any career.
- My own mistakes
- Nasty bosses
- Uncooperative interviewees
- Technology that didn't work
- My own misjudgments
- Bad luck
- Sleeping in
- Forgetting
- Being lazy
- Telling a fib and getting caught
- Being thoughtless and getting a fact wrong
- Bosses who didn't back me
- Panicking lawyers
- Timid editors
- Getting sick on the wrong day
We're all the same, making all the usual blunders.