Future Outlook

Short Term Appraisal

What I expect to achieve in six months:

- Offer a good performance in my week long placement at the Birmingham Mail in April 2013. This will be my first work experience within a newspaper environment, so I am very excited about this prospect.

- Impress 69 Degrees in June 2013, when I complete a week long placement there. This is especially important to me as I aspire to work for a fashion and lifestyle magazine in the future.
- Achieve experience and knowledge in the investigative journalism sector, as I am completing a two week long placement at Help Me Investigate in July 2013. During this time, I will also be attending the Centre for Investigative Journalism Summer School which I'm very much looking forward to.

- Work well at the Worcester News, when I complete three days of work experience there in August 2013. I am hoping to use skills I learnt at the Birmingham Mail to impress staff at this newspaper.

Long Term Appraisal

What I expect to achieve in three years:

- As stated before, my main aim after completing my degree in BA (Hons) Media and Communication is to work for a showbiz, fashion, culture and lifestyle magazine. I have a huge interest in these topics and would love to write about them as part of my career.

- I am hoping to graduate from Birmingham City University in 2014 with at least a 2:1 (or preferably a first class). I also wish to have an impressive CV with huge amounts of experience to promote.

- Another one of my aspirations for the near future is to travel. I would love to visit Australia or the USA to go sightseeing and experience different cultures. I believe this adventure would broaden my knowledge and help develop my independence and confidence.

Abbey Hartley