Archive for March, 2010

Careers Corner Interview: Ollie Stallwood, Journalist

Ollie_Stallwood_PolaroidThe next instalment of our Careeers Corner interviews is finally here! We’ve decided to take a look at the world of journalism. It’s a tough industry to crack and things haven’t been made any easier by the current economic climate. Here we give you an insider’s perspective.

Ollie Stallwood, a motoring journalist, has been in the industry for around eight years and in the field of motoring for three. Ollie has written for various publications (The Metro) and online media (PistonHeads.com) and has plenty to share about his experiences and how you can follow in his shoes.

Interestingly, Ollie studied History of Art at university – a subject he believes has had no relevance to his professional career! Read the rest of this entry »

Web Browsers – An Overview Part 1

browsersThings have progressed a lot since 1991. We no longer have to worry about this, nor put up with this, or dress like this. In keeping with sensible improvements in politics and popular culture, the internet has also developed somewhat. Back in the early 90s the behemoth of technology we all now appreciate as the internet was merely a newborn monster, wet behind the ears and tiny. The only web browser available at that time was something called (imaginatively), the WorldWideWeb; now, there are scores of niche and custom browsers. Whilst an in-depth knowledge of the differences between a Midori and a SeaMonkey might be a little over the top, browsers nonetheless constitute an important way of managing both your time and your career capabilities through the medium of the internet. Here, I take a whirlwind tour of some of the freely available ones you should really know about. Read the rest of this entry »

Office Etiquette Do’s & Don’ts Part 1

office_etiquette_freelancestudentsAs an intern (or office newbie) it’s crucial to make an immediate impact. Not only because you want to look the part but also for networking reasons, as you want to make sure you leave a good lasting impression for possible work in the future. And so I’ve put together a list of Do’s and Don’ts or golden rules if you like. These may at first come across as humorous but they are salient points which if followed will ensure that you aren’t remembered for all the wrong reasons. Read the rest of this entry »

5 Reasons Why You Should Start a Blog

blogging_computer_imageAs a student, it’s highly likely that you will have come across the 21st century phenomenon that is ‘blogging’. Whether you’ve been trailing your local parliamentary candidate or checking out the latest celebrity gossip, chances are that even a perfunctory afternoon trawl of the world wide web will quickly find you sat in front a blog of some description. This is all very well, I hear you say, but blogs are just for famous people – what can they do for me? Well, actually quite a lot. You don’t have to be Barrack Obama to have one, nor do you need to be Bill Gates to run one. In fact, as the following list attests, they can be an invaluable resource in terms of securing employment: Read the rest of this entry »

Picturehouse Giveaway: Win a Pair of Cinema Tickets!

picturehouse_logo_01To celebrate our successful New Year redesign, Picturehouse Cinemas has very kindly offered us 10 pairs of free cinema tickets to give away!

A couple of us here in the team are members of the Picturehouse and we regularly visit both their Clapham and Brixton (better known as the Ritzy) cinemas. Picturehouse are a far cry from the typical hoodie-filled cinemas. Instead they offer a cool, intimate, and relaxed atmosphere (wine and beer can be taken into the screens!) which caters well for their regular audience of film-buffs and trendy types.

The cinemas show a good mix of mainstream and arthouse films. We highly recommend them and if you’ve got a keen interest in films then make sure you check out the Picturehouse blog too.

Competition Details

The competition is open to members of FreelanceStudents only. In order to be in with a chance of winning one of the 10 pairs of free tickets, all you have to do is send us a simple one liner to support@freelancestudents.co.uk on a feature, idea, or improvement you would like to see added to the site. For example:

“I would like to see FreelanceStudents add company profiles, so I can learn more about each company before applying“ – easy :-)

Now, there’s one unfortunate caveat. The competition is only open to UK residents, due to shipping costs for international rates.

The competition ends on Wednesday 17th March. The winners will be chosen by random from the various (sensible) submissions. So get sending us your suggestions today to be in with a chance of winning a pair of free tickets!

FreelanceStudents gets a Facelift!

FS Snapshot v0 3In the 7 months we’ve been in operation FreelanceStudents has seen steady growth, with many small (and some large) businesses jumping on board and many students from across the UK signing up. To keep up with this growth, we decided to embark on a redesign of the site. It was a big effort and we’re pleased with the result…

Read the rest of this entry »