Key Skills

 

As chief reporter at the award winning Stockport Express, I regularly supply strong splashes and quirky page three stories which are often syndicated to the national press. I have also worked as acting news editor and gained invaluable experience in team leadership and story placement.

 

Week in week out I provide insightful and provocative stories. In my role as education and politics reporter I have nurtured excellent connections with all the MPs and secondary head teachers in the borough and often break good human interest stories by going out and talking to residents.

 

Having achieved much in the six months I have worked at the Express I now look forward to meeting greater challenges. I would excel in a hectic and demanding news room at a daily title and contribute much to the rest of the team.

Journalism:
I am NCTJ trained and have experienced journalism at national, regional daily and local weekly level. My strongest points are: building up reliable contacts, asking probing questions and being highly organised. Having worked for a variety of regional and national newspapers for more than 2 years, I have gained the following: an ability to adapt to different house styles; good interpersonal skills and a professional but friendly telephone manner. I have experience in: using cutting libraries, copy tasting from newswires, producing interesting news from dull press releases.

 

D.T.P: Mac and PC literate and trained in the following software: QuarkXpress, Microsoft Office including Word, PowerPoint and data inputting (Dolphin). Through editing the Kent University students' newspaper and home use I have become conversant with: Dreamweaver, PageMaker, PhotoShop, Illustrator, WordPerfect, PageMill and Copydesk.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Career History

 

Stockport Express Guardian Media Group Chief Reporter 20 March 02 to present

Stockport Express

Guardian Media Group

Junior Reporter

17 Dec 01 to 20 March 02

Surrey Advertiser

Guardian Media Group

Trainee Reporter

22 June 00 to 17 Dec 01

Woking News and Mail

Guardian Media Group

Trainee Reporter

12Dec 99 to 21June 00

University of North London

Admissions Unit

Student Recruiter: responsible for making standard offers for degree courses

12 Aug 99 to 15 Oct 99

The Independent

The Information

Proof reading, fact checking and research

 

Fridays, 1 Feb to 10 June 99

The Guardian

Education

Journalist and researcher

24 to 31 August 98

Old English Inn Society

Journal

Editor, including original design and subbing

1997

 

 

Work Experience and Voluntary Work

 

Manchester Evening News

Journalist

20 to 25 Nov 00

The Independent

Journalist

1 to 30 Oct and 28-31 Dec 98

Surrey Advertiser

Journalist

1 to 5 Nov 99

East London Advertiser

Journalist

May 99

Brighton Evening Argus

Journalist

Nov 98 and Jan 99

Brighton Evening Argus

Photographer

Feb 99

Kent Messenger

Journalist

April 98 and Jan 99

Canterbury Times

Journalist

May 98 and Nov 98

Kent Messenger

Campus Comment,

Edited student page after successful project proposal

Oct 97 to April 98

K

University Newspaper,

Editor, journalist, photographer

Oct 97 to Sept 98

War Child News Bulletin

Assistant Editor, including subbing and page production

Aug 96 to Sept 96

 

 

Training

 

NCTJ Professional Journalism

Lambeth College

Local Government

Central Government

Law (libel, contempt)

Law (general)

Journalism Practical Journalism

Credit

Credit

Pass

Pass

Pass

Pass

1 Feb to 2 July 99

NUS Media Training

 

 

 

25-27 Oct 97

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Education

 

University of Kent At Canterbury

MA

BA

Modern Literature

English Literature (2.1)

1996 to 1998

1993 to 1996

City of Westminster College,

London

A Level

English Literature (A) History (A)

Art and Design (A)

1991 to 1993

Hampstead Comprehensive Secondary School,

London

GCSE

English Literature (A) English Language (A) History (A) Maths (A) Design (A) Art (B) Integrated Science (B,B)

1986 to 1991

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Additional Information

 

Mobility: I have a clean UK driving licence. Photography: including press photography, with several photographs used in the Surrey Advertiser. Interests: creative writing and oil painting, literature and film

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

References

 

Annabel McLaren

Content Editor

Learn.co.uk

The Guardian

79 Farringdon Road

London

EC1M 3JU

020 7713 4019

Jill Burdett

Deputy News Editor

Manchester Evening News

169 Deansgate

Manchester

M3 3RN

0161 211 2467

Craig Archer

News Editor

Stockport Express

Wood Street

Stockport

SK3 0AB

01614754834