Thursday, August 19, 2010

Job Advert: Staff/Online Writer for Total Politics


Staff/Online Writer

About Total Politics:
Total Politics is the UK’s leading monthly political lifestyle magazine and in just two years has established itself as the only magazine read at all levels of UK government and across the political spectrum.

Total Politics prides itself on being unremittingly positive about the political process, publishing agenda-setting interviews with the biggest names in British politics, sparking debate with hard-hitting features, and raising standards by informing readers about the latest in political campaign techniques and technology.

Core responsibilities
• Blog and write articles for the Total Politics website, producing timely and proactive content
• Construct special sections to be included in Total Politics magazine, from ideas through to completion
• Be available and willing to contribute to various sections of the magazine when required, producing well-written and accurate features and articles
• Interview leading political figures
• Attend political events
• Work alongside advertising to produce well researched articles that appeal to commercial interests

Essential attributes
• An undergraduate degree of 2:1 or above
• Experience of writing, including features and interviewing
• Excellent spelling and grammar
• Experience of subbing
• Experience of online journalism
• Ability to write in a descriptive but concise style
• A solid knowledge of British politics
• Ability to grasp concepts quickly
• Excellent computer skills
• Good project management skills
• An ability to work quickly against a constantly changing news agenda

Desirable skills
• A post-graduate qualification in journalism
• An ability to understand basic HTML coding

Desirable personal qualities
• Self-motivated and proactive
• Flexible and adaptable
• Good team-worker with ability to work alone
• Hands-on approach to work
• Quick-learner
• Good attention to detail
• Enthusiastic

Salary:
£18,000

To apply:

Please send your CV and a covering letter to Emily Sutton at emily DOT sutton AT totalpoliticsDOT com. Applications close at 5pm on 3rd September 2010.

19 comments:

Stuart said...

Rules me out. I've only got a third.

Seriously Ian, you should say 2:1 and above for those under 30. Before that, when degrees were proper, maybe any Hons could suffice?

The Grim Reaper said...

Simple question - why exactly do you need a degree to do this job?

Woodsy42 said...

There is a strong indirect element of age discrimination in specifying a 2:1 degree, or indeed any other educational level. GCSE, A level and degree grades have 'inflated' in the past 30 years.

Ian Matthews said...

£18K for a job requiring experience, a 2:1 and possible post-grad!!

You have got to be joking!

P. Stable said...

I know there's a second recession looming and everything, but I can't help but think the salary is a little on the low side (for London) if you want someone with that range of experience, skills and qualifications.

Mrs Rigby said...

"An undergraduate degree of 2:1 or above"

With respect Iain, and even though others have made the same point, this should at least say "NQF Level 6 or above"

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Qualifications_Framework

Steve Tierney said...

I'd say asking for a degree is a big mistake. You rule out some excellent writers and for what? Some of the greatest writers and journalists didn't have degrees.

If I were you I'd have put the degree in "desirable" and left the door open for people with great skills who developed them in non-traditional ways.

I also can't believe that with the qualiications and experience you'd like you are offering only £18K.

Patrick said...

only the desperate and passionate will apply. me thinks.

Iain Dale said...

Loving how people seem to think they can run our company better than Shane and I can.

bob said...

Wow.

I don't even know what a 2:1 is or a "NQF level 6".

I earn more than that working on a helpline.

Poor jurnos.

Jabba the Cat said...

"An undergraduate degree of 2:1 or above"

Isn't that BCC in real(1970's) A-level grades?

Scott said...

Iain, £18k for a job description like that, with a degree, and in London. Sorry, sounds like slave labour to me.

P. Stable said...

"Loving how people seem to think they can run our company better than Shane and I can."

Crowdsourcing, Iain. Big Society and all that.

Or possibly just a bunch of underpaid, unemployed ex-journalists who never went to university.

Daniel Mason said...

Very amusing, some of these comments.

Perhaps all those who think a degree today is worthless compared to the marvellous education you super-intelligent folks had 15, 20 or 30 years ago ("when degrees were proper") would like to go back to university now, since you would find it so simple?

I'm sure the debt would rest easy on your shoulders, and the intense, unprecedented competition for jobs wouldn't bother you one bit. By the end, of course, a first class degree would fall neatly into your lap.

Ah, the delusions of the old(er).

Daily Referendum said...

£18,000? - For that kind of money all you usually need is the ability to say "Do you want fries with that?"

Page With A View said...

Peanuts -> monkeys. If you have enough of them tapping away you might get the perfect story, eventually.

"Loving how people seem to think they can run our company better than Shane and I can."

A bit uncalled for - you left comments open so why deride people giving honest (mostly helpful) feedback?

Hamish said...

£18k?
Phnawahahahahahanraar!

Unknown said...

And they call papers the dead tree press...

Ian Matthews said...

" Iain Dale said...
Loving how people seem to think they can run our company better than Shane and I can."

Not really. Just the HR department ...