Thank you

Since my last blog post, I have received several messages from people telling me to keep at it, that what I am doing is admirable and more importantly that I am not alone... that several people my age are trying to break into their desired industries and that things will fall into place for me too.

It really touched me that people took the time to write to me to help cheer me up and motivate me to keep going. What was particularly moving though, was that some of the people that got in touch were people I haven't seen or spoken to in years, but they still took the time to write. So, for all of you who wrote to me, you have my sincerest thank you.

And talking of being sincere, as I skimmed over in the last entry, I haven't been writing as much recently because I have been a bit down and I think it would be good to get it off my chest. I don't think I expected trying to change careers to be this emotionally difficult. I'm not stupid, I knew I would have to start at the bottom and work my way up and work hard - which I am more than happy to do - but I don't think I was prepared for the general 'joblessness' bits in between; the long periods of inactivity, having your emails/CVs ignored and the fortnightly visits to the job centre. Having to contend with 16 and 17 year olds for the job you want doesn't do much for your self-esteem either.

To use a cliché, it's an emotional rollercoaster, there are moments of great exhilaration when you get an interview or some type of opportunity, but great disappointment when you are told you don't have enough experience or the right qualifications. (The experience thing is a bugger... if they gave you the job, you would gain the experience you need to do the job well!) The qualifications thing particularly hurts too as I always excelled at school and university and got top grades, and so I end up kicking myself saying I should have gone to a different university, I should have done things differently. So, recently I have been focussing on the negatives and thinking about all the things I don't have and didn't do. I don't have a job, which means I don't have any money, social life or car. I didn't do a postgrad in broadcast journalism. I am probably not going to get married soon like all my friends are, and babies are certainly out of the question.

But then I think of all the things I DO have. I have a wonderful, supportive boyfriend who treats me like a princess and worships the ground I walk on. I have a father who has let me (and the fella) invade his home once more, rent free, while I achieve my goal. I have an 11 week old nephew who is just adorable. I may not be 18, but I have life experience behind me and have lived abroad.

So, thanks to your messages of support, I am going to try and make the transition into 2014 a positive one. Things are already looking up, I am seeing this year out in Spain and have had to cut the holiday short and change my flight back home to an earlier one because I have an actual face-to-face interview at the BBC! Can you believe it?! Fingers, toes, eyes and everything else that you can crossed!

Another thing I am taking out of this experience is that it has helped me to contribute to an important project that Key 103 are working on. On the 2nd of January they are doing a news special concerning the increasing number of young people suffering from depression as a result of unemployment, which has, in some cases, sadly led to them committing suicide.

I interviewed a clinical psychologist for the special, and then, I myself was interviewed. Now, I am not claiming to be actually depressed, but I offered my perspective as someone who is unemployed and can relate to how fighting to "make it" in the industry you want can leave you feeling worthless at times. I can only imagine how much worse this is if you have the stress of rent to pay or even children to feed. I think the transition from uni to work is a difficult one, and is one many people struggle with but don't really want to talk about for fear of seeming weak.

If anything good can come out of me feeling this way, I hope that at least one person will hear that interview, realise they are not alone and talk to someone about it, as I do with you. The support you have given me, I have been able to pass on, in the hope that it will help others. You should feel very proud of yourselves! ;)

So, again, my sincerest thank you. Let's make 2014 a good one :)