Job Agencies in London

[Tinker]

I graduate this summer (in media) and hope to get a decent job in London, can anyone reccommend any good job agencies that specialise in graduate training jobs? Is London an exciting place to work in? I've always thought it might be really depressing, so some positive stories might be nice (but negative ones are always fun to read...) Thanks! xx

[becks]

Hi Tinker, if it's media jobs that you are interested in Phee Farrer Jones just won the recruiter of the year award for media jobs, try them on www.pfj.co.uk as they have a specialist graduate scheme. Be warned tho that a lot of their jobs are B2B magazines and also a lot of sales. You haven't really mentioned what it is you want to do, i graduated with a journalism degree a couple of years ago and am currently being a journalist so if you say what you want to do i might be able to give some better advice. If it's magazines that you're after the only way to get in really is work experience, often unpaid but can get you a foot in the door. Check mediaguardian.co.uk/jobs for info on jobs in the media and pick up the guardian on mondays and saturdays as they are the specific media sections that often have a lot of recruitment companies as well as jobs in them. good luck and let me know if i can help in any other way x

[Tinker]

Thank you becks, what a sweetie you are!! Ok, well to be honest I don't know what I want to do. The degree was pretty much a bit of everything (film production, theory, journalism, magazine design etc). They were all quite interesting, but I know how hard it is to break into the media scene what with a million other people trying to do it as well! What I'm really looking for is an interesting, varied graduate job where I'll be trained in something (anything! I really don't mind). I don't mind if I get rubbish pay (I'm sure I will as I have no experience other my retail part-time work I did whilst at Uni). I was thinking, maybe a job in publishing.....I'm not sure......I'm so stuck!! Thank you for your help, it means a lot!! xxx

[becks]

Yeah my degree was a bit like that - where did you go? I was at bournemouth... Anyway, when you say graduate training i'm assuming you mean training to actually be a journalist/writer/broadcaster rather than say training for a media sales job or something. Maybe if you're not sure work experience could be worth a try, i got a job the day i got my degree results and in a way i wish i hadn't. You get used to having money and then become unwilling to give it up even tho it might not be what you actually want to do. i actually wish i'd done loads of work experience at glamour or something because i could be a writer there now... Most places do pay expenses - i did FHM for a month at uni and they paid for that, but be warned it is CR*P, i made 80 (seriously) cups of tea a day when i was there. So if you're not sure what you want to do try work experience - anyhting less than a month isn't really worth doing, and you might find a job at the end of it. That way you can try radio (i did LBC), TV, magazines and maybe newspapers (although they're not great for work exp). Then you might know what you want to do. If it's proper training for a particular job check out the BBC jobs page as they offer very good training courses but are notoriously hard to get onto.

[becks]

ALso check emap.com ipc.com and natmags.com for jobs on magazines - editorial assistants can be great for grads altho with little chance of writing. Don't know much about the production side of things but if you want to do that the best bet is to be a runner and there's loads of jobs for them - or just apply to the production companies direct - get a copy of the Guardian Media Guide as that has about a million phone numbers. lastly i know you've said it but be prepared to send out hundreds of CVs and hear nothing. i'm a writer on a local paper and apply for at least two jobs a week, i've been doing so for the last six months and i've had two interviews so be warned. it is hard. with publishing i'm not sure if you mean like the mags/paper etc like i've said or more the actual publishing (books etc) side, of which i don't really know much about... but there's a specific publishing section on mediaguardian.co.uk jobs bit. check out pfj, but mediaguardian.co.uk really is the best and the do advertsie training programmes at companies. good luck! x

[Tinker]

Wow! Thank you so much for all your information and help, it's certainly given me a lot to think about! I'll check out the agencies you've suggested and report back on the outcomes. Oh, I studied at Essex University for my degree, although I'm sure Bournemouth was a lot better (and sunnier!). Thanks again for all your help and sorry for this late response, wish me luck!! : )

[becks]

Good luck! And let me know how you get on - you'll probably end up with a wicked job and i'll be asking you for a job soon!!

[becks]

Oh and seeing as i completely forgot to respond to that other part of your question - yes london is an exciting place to work - it's wicked and i've been chasing a job there for bloomin ages!! It's a great place with so much to do and parks in the middle of the city, although the tube at this time of year is actually disgusting - still walking is always an option. Mmmm love it in town, wish i was there now...