How to prepare yourself for a career in the media right after university admission

Brief guide on how to prepare for a career in the media after joining university or college. What you should to increase your employment chances as a journalist.

So you have just received that admission letter to university to study mass communication and journalism. Your heart skips with happiness. You eagerly wait for reporting day and when it finally arrives, you report,all set for the new adventure. Most journalists would tell you media is a demanding course and it is not all about class work alone. You have to do your part as well.

Get conversant with  media tools

Don’t feel shy to get your hands on cameras,editing softwares and everything that comes inhandy. If you have any questions, consult your instructors.They will be glad to mentor you. Make use of the university studio as well. Take your practical classes seriously and handle each project with professionalism.

Polish your language

Read news articles/magazines/books and learn to articulate.Whether you see yourself as a camera person, anchor,producer or even reporter, good command of English/swahili is a must have. You can also enroll yourself in an extra language. Acquite yourself with media language.

Take part in contests

Don’t lose the chance to join contests organized by media houses or relevant stakeholders. Use the chance to showcase your skills and expose yourself to the industry.You might end up with being hired or even get job offers.

Freelance

Use your skills to engage in something meaningful. Write articles for blogs/websites. Shoot newsworthy stories in your locality and sell them to media houses. All this to make sure you have something tangible by the time you graduate.This way you will have links to refer to.You will not only polish your skills but also gain passion for your career ahead. You will have a rough idea of how your days will be.

Internship  and attachment

I won’t go much into this because I had talked about it in my earlier article How to graduate with experience on your CV.Since getting a slot in the media is competitive, it would be wise if you book as earlier as possible.