My first journalism job as a BBC radio journalist

Now a journalist BBC Three Counties Radio, Holly Nichols shares how her time at the School of Journalism helped her get to where she is now.

What is your job title now? 

Right now, it is journalism coordinator but I have just gone for a promotion and got it, so as of March 2, I will be a BBC journalist. (Article published February 24, 2025)

How did you find the job you’re in now? 

I did work experience with them [BBC Three Counties Radio] during my first summer of university. After that I pulled the editor to one side and said I don’t want to leave and I have really enjoyed this and if there were any shifts I can take.

After that it was gradual and I started to get a shift here and there and it started to pick up over time. For my last two years at the School of Journalism, I was freelancing with them so I already knew this job was coming up in May because it was covering someone who was going on sabbatical.

I had to apply and through the process which included an application and a board.

What does a day in your life look like? 

I get up at 4am every morning to get in for 5:30am because the show is from 6am to 10am. The senior journalist is already in and the presenter will get in at the same time.

For that half an hour leading up to the show we are just making sure everything is as it needs to be, we’ve got the audio in and we know what the stories are.

I read the travel news every half hour, so I have to write and cue my travel news and then we also talk on air, it is sort of a zoo format. After 10am, recently we have been doing a lot of outside broadcasts which I have been producing which are really fun.

Did you always want to do radio? 

When we started our course, everyone had an idea of what kind of journalism they wanted to do and then by the time we left it had changed so much. I never thought I would do audio journalism or radio – I didn’t know what type of journalism I wanted to do. I picked it up as a passion and realised how much I loved it. 

What was the most valuable lesson you learnt at the School of Journalism? 

In the first few weeks we were taught the basics like the inverted pyramid and the pub test, which I think about a lot when I am pitching stories to go on air. Even though I’m not writing things up, I think about what the most important facts of a story are and how that would go in a headline. 

I think it was week three when Graham said we have to go out and write three stories due in two weeks. It was really scary at the time but it pushed us. It didn’t give us the chance to think about it, we just had to do it. We had to get over the fact that we had to speak to people, we just did it and I think about that a lot because often in this industry there isn’t time to think – you just have to react and do. If you’re too scared to do it, it’s not the industry for you. 

Do you have any important advice to anyone who is considering journalism at university level?

Just say yes to absolutely everything because you’ve got absolutely nothing to lose at all. If it is an opportunity to grow or develop a skillset, just do it. Even though it may feel terrifying to say yes, every time I have said yes, I have learnt something. If Tom sends you a press release – write it up!

What has the biggest challenge been since getting into journalism at industry level? 

There are so many amazing people just fighting for the space. It can be really challenging, especially when you have imposter syndrome and are thinking ‘Am I as good as these people?’.

The School of Journalism graduates go into the industry prepared for life as a journalist. Read about Rahima’s first job in journalism here.