1. How I Got My Job and other stories by Joanna Geary Web Development Editor, The Times Background picture “Open Tattered Book” by “Playingwithbrushes” http://www.flickr.com/photos/playingwithpsp Used with permission under Creative Commons License

2. Chapter One Unrealistic Expectations

3. 5 Newsreader 12 War correspondent 14 Reporter with helicopter and super-human boyfriend. 16 Political correspondent… maybe 18 Slightly going off the whole idea… 20 International development expert 22 Journalist for BBC Radio 23 Newspaper reporter

4. Chapter Two “ You were our second choice”

5. The Scott Trust Scholarship “ Thank you for your request for feedback. Unfortunately, the judging panel can not remember which candidate you were. This is probably indicative as to why you were not successful.” The Sutton Coldfield News “ We felt it better to take a candidate who had already had NCTJ training. You would have been our second choice.” The Birmingham Post & Mail Trainee Scheme “ It came down to four, but the editors could only take on three trainees. You were just pipped at the post, I’m afraid.” The Solihull Times “ We were very impressed, but we have had someone volunteering for us for quite a while now anda we feel we should give them the opportunity. You would have been our next choice.”

6. Chapter Three The Phone Call

7. “ Would you like to swap a week of work experience at the Birmingham Mail for a trial on the business desk of The Birmingham Post?”

8. December 2004 General Business Reporter March 2005 Enterprise Editor A ugust 2007 Media & Marketing Editor

10. Chapter Four The Blogging Years

11. I’m not quite sure how it will work, but I hope it will be a mash up of those things that interest me: sustainability & the environment, the creative industries in the West Midlands, Birmingham politics and (tentatively) the future of local and regional newspapers. Strange mix, but I’ll never know if it will work until I try. It can’t possibly be less successful than my attempts at floor laying. I sit on the floor surrounded by badly cut pieces of laminate – the casualties of my hopeless attempts at DIY. This, I guess, is as good a time as any to start my own blog. It is something I’ve been mulling over for some time. There are thoughts and events that occur during my job as a regional newspaper journalist that I feel need a forum. I hope this blog is it. Floored

14. Chapter Five Minding My Own Business

18. Chapter Six The Tweet

20. Chapter Seven The Job

22. THE END? joanna.geary[at]thetimes.co.uk @timesjoanna