BBC Radio News myChance trainee journalist scheme

Case studies - Joanne Fagon

Joanne was born in Leicester. She studied in Lancaster and lived in London for seven years. She also did a bit of travelling in Europe. Joanne returned to Leicester to work as a community education manager. She joined Radio Leicester as a trainee broadcast journalist.

Here's what Joanne has to say:

"You need to have a lot of confidence in yourself, as you'll be thrown in at the deep end very quickly.

Of course you'll get support from your line manager and you'll be shown how to use the equipment, but you'll be learning on the job.

Don't be afraid to ask questions. It's better to be totally sure about something by getting someone else's guidance.

If you get something wrong, it can reflect on the whole team, as well as yourself. Don't let me scare you. I'm just saying that communication is important. If you don't understand something, ask again! You are a trainee, so they expect you not to know everything.

• Ask for feedback on your work, so you can check your progress.
  
• Be creative with your work. What would get your attention, how can you make something ordinary, extraordinary!
  
• Keep in regular contact with your 'contacts', the best stories often come from people you get to meet on the job, or from people you already know.
  
• Listen more, talk less. Your interviewee(s) and their views are important, but work with them, to get their story across.
  
• Stick up for yourself. If people aren't understanding your ideas, communicate them in a more interesting way, or rewind... 'Is this story really all that? Who cares?' etc.
  
• Always remember, you are now part of the media. You are meant to be neutral, unbiased with your views. Your comments, could be quoted. You are now representing more than just yourself!

Most of all have fun. This experience doesn't last long so make the most of it, take advice, positive or negative, and learn from it.

Good luck!"

Next Case study - Hasan Salim Patel >

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