Olivia Coles - Graduate Case Study
Olivia Coles is a video journalist at the Times and The Sunday Times in London. Olivia graduated from LJMU with a degree in History and English and then went on to do an MA in Broadcast Journalism at City University, London.
What does your current job involve?
As a video journalist working for The Times and The Sunday Times, no two days are the same. I either work for the website/ app where I will cover a wide range of domestic and international news. The rest of my time is spent pitching original stories, researching, filming and editing.
I specialise in politics so I am normally focused on UK political news. We have a weekly politics video series so I am often out and about filming for that. I can be interviewing MPs or going to interesting places like parliament, Downing Street or party conferences. I could also be planning for upcoming political events like elections.
Once I’ve been filming, it’s then my job to edit down the interview and extra shots into a video for the website and social media pages. For example, I was filming outside Downing Street for an original piece when Boris Johnson became prime minister, I attended the political party conferences and spoke with Conservative and Labour MPs and recently went filming with an ex-KGB officer about Putin and the war in Ukraine.
If I am working for the website or app, I will be following the daily news agenda. I attend The Times’ daily conference to liaise with other departments about our news agenda, check the newswires for new stories or videos and speak with other reporters. It's my job to keep the website updated with the latest breaking news and also offer analysis through video on the day’s biggest stories.
How did you get to where you are today?
During university, I did a lot of work experience. It is great if you can get work experience locally in Liverpool or in your hometown. Lots of local papers, radio stations and broadcasters are keen to have people in. There are also opportunities within local journalism to get out and about with reporters, see how things work and even sometimes the chance to put your own story together. After university, I had a short time doing freelance journalism work. This is great to try your hand at lots of different places and see what you like doing. I would say to not be discouraged if you get rejected from jobs, keep going and the right thing will come along. Sometimes journalism is about being in the right place, at the right time. So make yourself available to lots of different opportunities and you never know where they could lead you. In terms of connections, journalism is a small world. Your work experience should lead to connections and they might be able to put you in touch with other people in the industry or recommend you for a role.
Three things I like about my job
- No two days are the same. You work on a broad spectrum of domestic and international news.
- You get to meet an array of people with lots of interesting stories to tell. This could be anyone from MPs, ministers, campaigners or everyday people with incredible stories.
- It feels like you’re in the action when there is breaking news, it’s a very fast-paced environment and I thrive on that.
What skills are important in your job?
- Good verbal and written communication skills
- Being a people person - wanting to tell stories
- Having a creative eye
- Working collaboratively with a wide range of people in the newsroom
- Full of ideas for stories/ ways things could be done differently
What work experience or volunteering did you do to help you get to where you are today?
I was in the radio society at LJMU and had a weekly show on Looprevil student radio with a friend. It was great fun and a good way to learn the ropes of live radio. It’s also a good opportunity to meet other students with the same passions as you. I also did work experience in Liverpool at Radio City and BBC Radio Merseyside.
What advice would you give to other students to improve their employability?
Speak with your tutor, a lot of them are incredibly helpful. Use the LJMU Student Futures Team, I had several sessions in the library with an advisor who helped me with an application for work experience. Involve yourself in an LJMU society.
Reach out to as many people as you can in your desired field. You can normally find people online. You can reach out to them either to ask them about their role/company or even work experience. I managed to get a lot of work experience by emailing editors from various organisations.
Share your work online. It might feel a little cringey initially, but if you have a LinkedIn/ Twitter/ blog, you should showcase your work. You can then take this to employers and it's something to add to your CV.
Support from the Student Futures team
If you want to talk about potential careers options with your degree, need help finding opportunities or want support with your CV, application forms or preparing for an interview, you can get advice and guidance by booking a 30-minute 1-2-1 careers meeting with a Careers and Employability Adviser from the LJMU Student Futures Team. You can also come along to a Careers drop-in or CV Café which take place weekly at the Careers Zones for quick careers queries.
If you are thinking about starting a business, freelancing, pursuing a side-hustle or have an idea that you want to explore further, email the Start-up Hub and a member of the team will be back in touch. For more information about the Bathgate Boost Award, visit the Start-up Hub website.
For help finding part-time, temporary or casual you can fit around your studies, email the Unitemps team or visit their website.