Media Career Development specialist, Lekan Otufodunrin offers suggestions on how journalists can get selected for media opportunities, including fellowships and other training programmes.
A female journalist once told me how she was accepted for a broadcast training opportunity at RNTC, Netherlands, on her eighth attempt.
After applying seven times, she decided not to apply again. When the call for applications was sent to her, she initially ignored it, but later decided to apply.
Surprisingly, she was selected for the fellowship in 2018 and also got another opportunity in the same media training organisation in 2023.
If you are getting frustrated about not being selected for various media training opportunities, conferences, and others, you are not alone. Many journalists feel the same way, but some do not give up. They keep trying and sometimes get lucky, like this female journalist.
There are also journalists who don’t even apply because they assume they can’t compete with others they believe are more qualified. Giving up or not applying is not the best option, considering the career-boosting opportunities that local and international programmes offer.
The first time I applied for a three-month, all-expenses-paid Advanced Journalism training at Thomson Foundation in the UK, I was selected and had one of the best experiences of my career during the programme.
I have also applied for other programmes and received polite rejection emails thanking me for applying and explaining that, despite being highly qualified like other applicants, only a few could be selected.
Below are suggestions on what to do while you keep trying:
*Be sure you meet the requirements to be favourably considered. If you don’t, don’t bother. Avoid applying blindly for every programme.
*Carefully fill out application forms and attach all required documents. Incomplete or poorly filled forms are usually discarded. Don’t wait until the last minute.
*Ask a colleague to review your application before submitting, to catch mistakes you may not notice.
Speak with colleagues who have participated in the programmes you are applying for. Their guidance can be valuable.
*Acknowledge rejection emails politely and indicate that you look forward to future opportunities from the organisers.
*Prepare better for your next application by strengthening your profile, including more relevant publications or broadcast links.
*Monitor those who are selected and learn from the experiences they share.
*Stay in touch with media organisations through their websites and social media platforms to benefit from other programmes and resources.
*Don’t focus only on top programmes. Participating in local or smaller ones can give you an advantage for bigger opportunities.
*Show evidence that you maximised previous opportunities. This demonstrates how well you will utilise new ones.
*Keep doing your best at your job, whether or not you are selected. Don’t be discouraged by rejection letters. Your career progress does not depend solely on the programmes you attend.
Lekan Otufodunrin
Media Career Development Network
Lekanagency@yahoo.com
+234 8050498530
