JMU Journalism graduate and current intern at Index On Censorship magazine, Alice Kirkland, returned to her old stomping ground today to talk to students about her experiences in the world of work.
She was joined by the editor of Index on Censorship, Rachael Jolley, to tell JMU students about the chance to apply for a nine-month paid internship which would start after they graduate. The annual scheme has been arranged by the magazine for JMU Journalism alumni.
IOC is an international organisation which was founded in 1972 to promote and defend the rights to freedom of expression. It has a magazine out four times a year, and a frequently-updated website which publishes reports on attacks on free speech around the world.
Alice, who is nearly at the end of her stint with the magazine, told potential future interns the benefits of gaining this experience: “You have to now have extra experience on your CV to stand out because people get hundreds and thousands of CVs, depending on the job, and you need something to get you out there and get you noticed. Until you get face-to-face with people they don’t know what you’re like.”
She explained to the students some of the practicalities of moving to London for the internship and some of the experiences she’s had whilst there. The lecture featured an example of IOC’s lighter side with a video they made of Alice racing around London posting petitions to different countries’ embassies against the clock.
Alice, who left JMU Journalism with a heavy heart after graduating in July 2013, also had some advice for students who may be feeling the pressure of the third-year workload around this time of the semester.
She said: “Be organised. Make a plan of what to do and when stuff has got to be in for and how long roughly you think each thing will take. Also, get used to staying in the library for 24 hours!”