Studied NCTJ Fast Track Magazine Journalism

Working as a copywriter for figleaves.com

Age: 23
Completed course: June 2012

How did the course help you progress?
I did English Lit at university and I’ve always been interested in journalism and writing, so I thought this course would be perfect for honing my writing skills. It really helped because I was able to build up my portfolio, and I got to try different things that helped me narrow down exactly which type of writing I wanted to do. Just refined my skills really.

Did you feel more prepared for the workplace when you left college?
I felt so much more confident. Much more prepared than I did after uni, actually. I felt like here it was more geared towards actually getting a job and going to work whereas uni is more like life skills and work as well.

What do you most enjoy about your job?
I love everything. I love writing about... well I’ve just written all the trends for swimwear, lingerie, and I love just the amount of writing I get to do and how varied it is. I’m the only copywriter, so when I started I could sort of say "you know, I’m interested in this... ". That’s why I did the blog and I love writing catalogues and trend copy.

So it’s fashion based as well?
Yeah, it’s good and I work with really lovely people and I get to do some exciting things.

What's been the most interesting piece that you've written?
There’s been so many! One I really enjoyed was a look-book for the press on swimwear trends. I also do an article every month for weddings. It’s called Wedding Planner and it gives brides expert advice on what sort of lingerie to choose for their wedding, what looks good under the dress and how important it is. I also did an advertorial for the Daily Mail when I first started and that was on summer swimwear for men and women, which was fun.

What research did you do into your chosen career?
I did a lot of looking on the internet but my friend actually got a copywriting job at ASOS and I thought "oh wow" and I looked at that and then I typed in fashion copywriter and research about it and thought "that’s really up my street!".

What advice would you give to someone who's applying for university?
I’d say get involved in as much as possible and find the right balance between socialising and doing your work.

What about doing things like writing a personal statement and researching into where they want to go?
Lot of people, before they start uni don’t actually know what they want to do. So I think trying to narrow it down to the career that you actually want to do, then tailoring your personal statement around that.

What advice would you give to someone who wanted to be a copywriter?
Get as much experience as possible. Whether it’s copywriting or journalism. I did journalism interning and I worked for a magazine as well. Build up your portfolio as much as possible. I think I got my job because my portfolio was so big. Get as much varied work as possible – it shows that you're adaptable.

What skills do you think are important for a copywriter to have?
Working to deadlines, being organised, making sure you're focused. It’s hard to feel creative all the time, so taking breaks and looking for inspiration and reading as well, actually.

What qualities do you think a good copywriter should have?
I’m quite a perfectionist, so that could be a weakness as well, but I think attention to detail is important. Being quite a people person, being a creative person and keeping up to date with your field.

Lastly, where do you see yourself in five years time?
Still writing, and within fashion, but I’m not sure exactly. I just want to see where it takes me. I’m quite excited, actually, because I don’t know where I’m going to be but I definitely want to be in writing. Just progress with my career, really.