Each week we'll be explaining how to look for work experience. First up, journalism

If you are a media junkie, are fascinated by current affairs and enjoy dealing with people, journalism may well be for you.

Appropriately enough, experience is highly important in the career, and if you can get a week of work experience at a newspaper or radio station it will benefit you for your career to come.

It's important to remember that although the fruits of a journalist's labours are visible for all to see, an article or a news report is often the product of a relatively long process of research and interviews.

This sort of research makes up the bulk of a journalist's work, and a stint of work experience will give you an insight into that.

So how do you go about getting work experience in journalism? Big organisations such as The Irish Timesand RTÉ often offer work placements, but spaces are limited and competition is fierce. Apply early with a CV and a cover letter, but don't bank on them.

In terms of seeing how a newspaper or a radio newsroom works, you may have more luck with a smaller publication or local radio station. Do your research. Call up and ask whether somebody can talk to you about getting a placement. If they can, find out their name. If you're lucky enough to talk to them, tell them you have a CV ready and ask if they want anything else, such as a sample article. Would they prefer to receive it by e-mail?

If you don't get to talk to them just send a letter, a CV and an article to them and follow up with a polite phone call. If the paper has nobody in particular who handles work experience, find out the name of the editor and address the letter and CV to him or her.

Use your contacts. Do you know anyone working at the paper? How about your local radio station? Contacts are by far the best way of getting a foot in the door. If you are serious about getting work experience, don't just stick to your work-experience dates. Offer to work on a Saturday or during the summer. This will show an editor or a station manager that you are serious.

Needless to say, when you are applying for work experience, you may not have any luck. Be persistent and keep trying. Keep your eyes open. Jump at any opportunity to write, even for a school magazine. Does your local hospital have a radio station?

Getting work experience in this area will require you to be organised, efficient and persistent - and even going through that process will give you an idea about whether you are suited to a career in journalism.

For more about journalism as a career, see www.careerdirections.ie.