Jamie Johnson, Social Content Assistant, Sheffield City Council
Image: At Sheffield’s Millennium Gallery, filming content for a social media video.
The step from university to full-time employment is a big one, much like the step from full-time education to university originally.
I can’t imagine I made it any easier by stepping into the world of public sector and local government communications, being handed a variety of work straight off the bat. No day has been the same, if you can excuse the cliché,
And if you can excuse another cliché, the first three months have flown by. There have been plenty of highlights already, learning no end of new skills and getting stuck into fresh roles.
Successes and Struggles:
The Town Hall clocktower framed by two red-leaved trees.
As a part of the social media team at Sheffield City Council, the majority of my work is creating positive content and executing digital communications.
It has given me the opportunity to meet some fantastic people in my short time with the Council so far, including much-loved local artist Pete McKee and inspiring campaigner (and council officer) Tracey Ford.
I have been able to take my learning from university into my early work, whether that be video editing or writing. But, there have been new mountains to climb too.
Perhaps a surprising one is the use of artificial intelligence. There is an expectation that all younger people can use AI, however in my experience of education it was vehemently discouraged.
So, imagine my surprise when my manager was encouraging me to use AI rather than hide away from it. That has been a struggle to adapt to, looking to use it as timesaver to aid administrative work and free up more time for creativity. It is a completely new skill, and while I remain trepidatious about the technology, its uses, and its future, it has been interesting to develop my understanding of it.
I have been helped by both my determined manager Louise Gibson and delightful colleagues throughout what had the potential to be a difficult time. It has made my transition from education to work a near seamless one.
There always remains the niggly struggles of feeling like you do not quite know exactly what to do in some situations, however small. It has the air of learning
on the job in terms of the where and how to sit within the overall environment, while the mix of new and familiar tasks has brought a thankful variety.
A growing understanding of local government communications:
Interviewing Ruth, in a yellow top, about Sheffield’s Inclusive Recovery Cities program.
Speaking to people and giving them the space to tell their own stories has been a great joy. Pictured is Ruth, a recovered addict who has turned to helping others through the tough times of addiction. She spoke powerfully and allowed me to grasp what my job is at its very core: taking the stories of people in Sheffield and broadcasting them to a wide audience.
You can watch my interview with Ruth, and others who work to help those in addiction, on the Council’s Facebook page.
The routine of full-time work has been a change too. I stuck to my own flow in my final year of university, with certain hours of certain days dedicated to various projects and coursework, but life in work is no doubt different.
In that comes one of the other benefits of the public sector: the flexibility. Shifting hours around life outside of work has been a great help in adjusting to my new normal. Communications is an ever-moving beast too, one which brings both its own challenges and perks.
How a BA Journalism degree has helped me:
Stood next to Sheffield artist Pete McKee as he paints a new mural.
I loved my three years at the University of Lincoln, being taught about journalism and practicing in the real-world environment. I came out with a first-class degree and gold standard NCTJ diploma, two things I am immensely proud of.
However, the interviews I did with a widow ahead of a charity football match for his husband and content I produced that helped raise the profile of charitable work in Lincoln is something that brings me even more pride. Those are the things that give a sense that the work you put hours and hours into is making a difference.
That is something I have taken into my first full-time role. Being able to shine a light on those often in the darkness is truly important, and a great thing that local government and public sector communication allows for.
The core elements at the heart of any good journalism degree, as the one in Lincoln is, provide solid foundations for a career in communications too. And, even if my lecturers will be pained to hear of my glowing praise of the ‘dark side’, a journalism background is a superb starting point.
There is no end to the transferable skills from my BA Journalism degree to my current job. Interviewing, video editing, and filming, are the tip of the iceberg, but I have gathered a greater number of abilities since starting my role.
From delivering training presentations and leading on campaigns to channel development and creating social media content, it has been a fantastic three months. Talk about stepping in at the deep end. Jamie Johnson on LinkedIn – Jamie Johnson | LinkedIn