Mentoring Blog

Here are job pages for graduates and audio professionals, plus articles about media careers with advice and guidance and opinion on the industry

The art of a good cover letter. How it can help avoid the sound of silence after an application

david003464

Dec 163 min read

The art of a good cover letter. How it can help avoid the sound of silence after an application

So many mentoring clients tell me that they feel 'lost' when thinking about a cover letter. Where to start? What to say? How long should...

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david003464

Dec 29 min read

Recommended Podcasts

There are so many podcasts, this list highlights some of the very best!

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david003464

Nov 303 min read

Being a freelance(r) is not a failure

When a colleague at Sky News once said to me "Why do you care so much you're just a freelancer?", to say I was taken aback is an...

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david003464

Nov 113 min read

The BBC's competition problem

A recent exchange with a close friend about the salary of the BBC's political editor Chris Mason had me thinking. He was astounded that...

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david003464

Oct 303 min read

After the break. Lazy podcast language

I believe it is true that once you have worked in radio, you are no longer a 'listener' in the truest sense. Once you have been 'inside'...

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Customer service. Does it have to be so hard?

david003464

Sep 213 min read

Customer service. Does it have to be so hard?

Having worked most of my life in media, I have a lot of sympathy for people that have much more customer facing roles. Dealing with the...

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The silence killer: Why hearing nothing after job interviews is so damaging

david003464

Sep 163 min read

The silence killer: Why hearing nothing after job interviews is so damaging

We all know that job interviews are some of the most stressful things we do. Many of us go through life having very few of them (which is...

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11 tips for avoiding basic interview mistakes

david003464

Sep 74 min read

11 tips for avoiding basic interview mistakes

Some of the common mistakes in job interviews and tips on how to avoid them

Why choice of words is so important in news

david003464

Aug 84 min read

Why choice of words is so important in news

When the former health secretary, Victoria Atkins, described 'junior doctors' that work in the NHS as “doctors in training” it caused...

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david003464

Jul 234 min read

7 tips for job interviews

Job interviews are intimidating and nerve wracking, especially at the start of your career. Here are some tips to help you through the...

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How AI can help improve radio news bulletins

david003464

Jul 83 min read

How AI can help improve radio news bulletins

In the 2000s I often did shifts with Smooth Radio in London, covering news for the capital but also recording news bulletins for other...

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david003464

Jun 34 min read

In defence of the (good) vox pop

When BBC Radio 5 Live had an 'In My Opinion' on the relevance and usefulness of the vox pop, I was instantly transported back to a...

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6 ways to get media experience without an internship

david003464

May 314 min read

6 ways to get media experience without an internship

Spring and suimmer is when many media students look to find placements and internships for the next year to gain valuable experience in...

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Trusting your news. Why being accurate is less common than you think

david003464

Mar 162 min read

Trusting your news. Why being accurate is less common than you think

I have been thinking about the reliability of news content a lot lately. This was sparked by a couple of things; an interview with a...

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Axing the CV. The company looking for a different way to find talent

david003464

Mar 111 min read

Axing the CV. The company looking for a different way to find talent

Global PR agency Team Lewis has long tried to think differently about talent, with an existing charitable foundation, academy and masters...

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"An odd band to love". Four decades listening to Del Amitri, by me and the band

david003464

Mar 41 min read

"An odd band to love". Four decades listening to Del Amitri, by me and the band

Just after the pandemic I was lucky enough to interview Justin Currie and Iain Harvie from Del Amitri. They were releasing their first...

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Jason Isbell's majestic Union Chapel show

david003464

Jan 293 min read

Jason Isbell's majestic Union Chapel show

It seems harsh to describe someone who has been working in music for more than twenty years as a relative unknown. But Jason Isbell's is...

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Repetition in radio? Just a minute! It's not a crime

david003464

Jan 82 min read

Repetition in radio? Just a minute! It's not a crime

I often get told by my wife not to watch or listen to news because I am so critical and get annoyed at things that 'normal' people do not...

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david003464

Oct 23, 20233 min read

Why have a mentoring session?

A guide to the mentoring and how it could help you

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Protecting your mental health when job hunting

david003464

Aug 15, 20234 min read

Protecting your mental health when job hunting

Looking for work is boring, exhausting and often very lonely. It is a draining experience that can have a negative effect on your mental...

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