FT Life and Arts by Emily Kent-Smith

Friday, 13 January 2012

Whilst making my way to my internship interview I was reminded of some wise Shakespearean words: ‘The course of true love never did run smooth’. In my case the appropriate quote was: ‘the course of getting to an interview never did run smooth’.

I arrived at Paddington after what should have been a 90 minute journey wearing
a white shirt tie-dyed with coffee stains. I rushed to M&S to buy a (panic purchase)
replacement outfit and then bundled myself in a taxi for Southwark bridge. On the dot
of 12.30, my designated interview time, the taxi driver was slowly approaching the
bridge. ‘One Southwark Bridge doesn’t exist. How far is it from the FT?’ I looked up
and felt rather foolish, the letters F and T were staring me in the face and I realised
that this building was clearly quite the London landmark.

Weeks later, I began my internship on the Life & Arts desk except this time I skipped
the coffee and strode along the bridge feeling elated that the glass building ahead
would be my place of work for the next month.

I was greeted by an Assistant who instantly made me feel at home. Not one detail was
omitted; I was shown where every team sat, taught how to top up my canteen card and
even instructed on how the hot water machine worked.

I was then taken to conference where each editor pitches topics for the next day’s
paper whilst Lionel Barber oversees proceedings and comments on areas that are
excelling and others that need improving. All in all, a fast-paced and awe-inspiring
start to my internship.

I was then allocated a desk for the next month and made to feel at home. Thanks to the Assistant's explanations and a one-on-one training session where I was taught how to
use ‘Methode’, the system where the entirety of the newspaper comes together, I was
saved the embarrassment of constantly quizzing my editor.

By the first afternoon, my internship had kick-started. I have now been here two
weeks and, clichéd as it may sound, every day has been different. Life & Arts is so varied
that I can be researching the Dukan diet one day and Zbigniew Brzezinski, Jimmy
Carter’s advisor, the next. Duties can involve fact-checking, proof-reading, tweeting
and administrative duties such as organising my editor’s post and compiling a
schedule of upcoming events.

I can honestly say that whether filing an invitation or carrying out a research project,
I always learn something along the way. Who knew that a silk garment had been
created entirely by spiders? Who could name all of Brangelina’s children? Not I.

I feel at ease amongst my team and am consistently given the opportunity to attend
exhibitions or film screenings. I am certain that the next few weeks will be just as
educational and I feel confident that I will leave the FT wiser and even more inspired
to succeed in a career in journalism.

FT Special Reports by Alanna Petroff

Monday, 21 November 2011

I chose journalism as a career because I value learning, variety and the ability to work with effective, smart people. I have found all of this during my internship at the Financial Times.

While interning in the FT Special Reports unit, I have had variety in my daily work. I edited numerous Women at the Top blogs and an article about archaeology and antiquities. I wrote and coordinated the visuals for interactive, online articles. I took a leading role in compiling nominations for the annual FT Boldness in Business awards. I also attended daily news conference meetings with all of the head editors at the newspaper.

This variety kept me constantly learning on the job: I learned how to piece together a successful interactive article, I learned about the business of antiquities and I learned about the top women in the business world, such as the formidable Irene Rosenfeld from Kraft.

I also had the pleasure of working with spectacularly bright, friendly people during my time at the FT. The journalists in the Special Reports unit have been very welcoming and made me feel that I was part of the team. I have also met numerous people across the FT newsroom and had one-on-one meetings with top journalists and editors. Everyone has been very supportive and gracious.

I have found what I was looking for: learning, variety and good people. As an intern, I could not have asked for more.

FT Special Reports by Daniel Hadlow

Thursday, 3 November 2011

Monday morning was a bit of a blur. For the first time in years I had tried to join the dreaded commuters on the way into the office, and by the time I reached the FT building, I was just calming down after a few elbows and bashes along the way. All of a sudden it really hit me, never have I ever interned at a place with such a grand and international reputation. Stress levels were up again.

But these feelings were quickly dealt with through the helpful nature of the editorial assistant who came to meet me and another intern. A brief tour of the offices aside, the first port of call was a morning meeting with all the key editors, and Lionel Barber himself. It was highly interesting to oversee the gathering of all of the day’s news stories, and by the time I got back to my desk they were up on the website.

The remainder of the internship consisted of tasks like researching the prospects of the fleet car management world, gathering information and writing a concise history of climate change meetings, and proofreading and subbing articles for ‘Women at the Top’ (which is your baby if you come to work on the Special Reports desk), amongst other things.

The overall feeling of my time with the FT is a great sense of belonging. Immediately made to feel at ease, the team was very accommodating and there wasn’t a single member I felt I was bothering with questions on my various tasks. And the responsibilities come with the position. Of course you will get the odd task that isn’t that stimulating, but the vast majority of jobs thrown your way are as equally rewarding, as they are testing.

FT Weekend Magazine by Daniel Cohen

Monday, 10 October 2011

On a Monday morning, pondering the definition of ‘smart casual’, I arrived at the FT. I was welcomed by the helpful assistants, who gave me a tour of the building and explained the workings of the paper. I was then taken to the Magazine desk, where I was introduced to the editorial staff and given my desk, which has a river view.

The Magazine goes to press Wednesday afternoon, so Mondays are not the quiet start to the week that I expected. I was placed with the subeditors, whose banter put me at ease, and set to work proof-reading before being initiated in the art of fact-checking. At the Magazine this is a reassuringly thorough process. I set to work with my arsenal of highlighters, confirming every single reference that contained factual information. When I asked if this included checking whether our prime minister is, indeed, called ‘David Cameron’, I was told that this was a 10 on the scale, and I should investigate everything 9 or below. Using my red highlighter to point out errors brings out my inner teacher and is always cruelly satisfying, especially when the article is by an author of note.

At the morning editorial conference, which I have attended twice so far, one has the chance to see how the paper comes together each day, and how the FT – and newspapers generally – function as a whole. At first, it can be a little difficult to follow, especially when someone rushes through the latest market figures as if they’re the racing results, but it’s given me useful insight into the kinds of stories editors look for.

While the first half of the week, before the Magazine goes to press, is mostly dedicated to sub-editing, the rest of the time offers opportunities for research and some writing. I’ve already investigated such diverse subjects as rugby, dinosaurs and Teddy boys. The editors are sympathetic to the intern’s desire to get into the paper and offer opportunities to contribute to regular features like ‘FT Foodies’ and ‘First Person’. The workload can be irregular, so it pays to approach them rather than waiting for them to come to you – there’s usually something that needs to be done. They’re keen to hear your thoughts about the articles that are running and ideas, and it’s nice to feel that your opinion is valued.

FT Special Reports by Rebeka Shaid

Thursday, 29 September 2011

I had walked past the rather grand FT building many times, wondering what was going on behind the dark tinted glass windows. So when I arrived for my first day as an intern with the Special Reports desk, I didn’t really know what to expect. I had heard good and bad things about internships at big, international newspapers so I was, admittedly, a bit of a nervous wreck as I was waiting in the reception area. In fact, I felt like a lost sheep. But the moment I was met by the lovely editorial assistant who herded me and another intern through the maze-like corridors, showing us the various busy and buzzing desks, I completely forgot about my worries.

After this little sightseeing tour of the offices, I then embarked on a quite intense training session, which gave me a fascinating insight to Methode 4, the FT’s content management system. And once my lunch break was over, I finally got to sit with the Special Reports team on the second floor. Everybody I met there was very welcoming and the first task I was given basically consisted of editing, fact checking and proofreading one of the ‘Women at the Top’ blogs. Before I knew it, my first day was already over. Since then I have not only made good use of the coffee and tea facilities, but I’ve also gained a real understanding of what life at the FT is really like. Attending the daily conference meetings is certainly a highlight as you get to witness the editors discussing big stories in the making. Oh, and being given an FT email address is also a big plus - it gives you a strange feeling of empowerment!

It’s still early days for me, but the one thing I have noticed right from the beginning of my internship is that interns here are treated as members of the team. You can expect to be given real responsibility and your work load is likely to vary from day to day. For instance, I would spend one day researching enterprise zones and tax breaks, another contacting and calling up entrepreneurs, sending out press requests, chasing up PR officers, editing articles, or working on the ‘Women at the Top’ blog. At the moment I am managing the production of various interactive graphics that are going to be put up online shortly, so liaising with design editors and picture editors is really important. It’s also really exciting that I get to write short introductions that are going to be published soon! There are, of course, some less stimulating tasks to be completed, but overall, my experience as an intern at the FT has been really positive. You’re thrown into the deep end and the internship is really what you make of it.

FT Life and Arts by Maria Howard

Monday, 19 September 2011

There is no doubt that an internship at the FT gets off to a glamorous start. The first time you walk through the doors of the scary grey building on the Thames you can’t help but feel important. The excitement builds as you are invited to attend the daily conference, given a seat in the hierarchy and nervously shake editor Lionel Barber’s hand.

After your busy first morning you are sent to the 6th floor canteen with a perfect view of London tinged a business grey by the windows and a large selection of food to rival any school dinners.
In the afternoon I was sent to my new home, the Life & Arts desk, that puts out the weekend supplement. Everything is considerably more relaxed than on the busy ground floor where the financial newsroom is dominated by screens showing 24 hour news channels and the air is filled with panic and/or excitement depending on what the stock markets are doing that day.

Soon after my arrival I am handed a copy of the upcoming Lunch with the FT interview and told to come up with some ideas for the ‘lunch box’. Instead of making sandwiches I am being asked to write some headings for a small feature that could accompany an interview with a technologically-savvy Shaolin monk.

I quickly get to work but soon learn that the pace here is more tortoise than hare due to it being a weekly feature-led paper rather than a news-based daily. As someone who up until a few days ago was an unemployed graduate I take this in my stride. Everyone seems busy but not harried and they’ll always have time to answer any questions you may have.

I have spent a lot of time fact-checking which allows me to read all the articles ahead of when they are published. So now I am very knowledgeable about fashion’s top families, the history of New York’s skyscrapers and Michael Moore’s eating habits. All useful stuff I’m sure you will agree.

A highlight of working on the Life & Arts desk is the exciting offerings in the post; glamorous invitations to art and fashion events arrive in expensive envelopes and dozens of shiny new books each to be carefully noted on the forward planning list in case they prove to be feature-worthy. The editors rarely have time to go to all these events so you often end up benefiting and enjoying the odd film screening or glass of wine courtesy of some gallery or fashion house. David Hockney’s press launch at the RA was one such exciting affair with free coffee and croissants and a presentation (some might call it a rant) by the man himself.

It certainly is a great introduction to the world of arts and lifestyle journalism but here is one last tip: it helps to be well-versed in the art of tweeting as the editors are very keen to attract people like you to what might otherwise seem like a very grown-up paper.

FT Beyondbrics by David Andani

Tuesday, 26 July 2011

I was eased into my FT internship with an invitation to the morning editorial meeting 10 minutes after arriving on my first day. Seeing Lionel Barber and other senior editors setting the agenda for the newspaper was a real privilege.

I was on the Beyondbrics desk - a desk blogging the latest market news from emerging and frontier economies. I had a variety of tasks throughout the internship including, initially, formatting and fact-checking and later, subbing and some writing of my own.

The first thing that stood out to me about the FT was the expertise and specialist knowledge of the journalists. Whatever the story or angle there will be an expert on the topic somewhere in the building. Need to know any intricacies regarding hedge funds? No problem - speak to the hedge fund buff. It gets far more niche than that. I recall a colleague writing an article on an Asian emerging market airline and seeking more in-depth information. He managed to locate a colleague who had spent years in the region studying that very topic.

I knew prior to my internship how highly the FT is regarded, but experiencing this first hand was quite remarkable. I researched a takeover story concerning a large US organisation on the day the deal was announced. I asked the press office if there was anybody I could speak to and was understandably told this may be difficult as senior personnel were in meetings all day. Five minutes later I received a call from a senior representative who gushed: “We love the FT here – we read it every day.” There were endless examples of this. For another story on a multinational company, I asked to speak to the company’s press office. My request was turned down. Instead I was offered the opportunity to speak to the CEO of the company’s Asia-Pacific operations.

Overall my internship at the FT was a truly memorable experience where I gained an invaluable insight into the culture and ethos of a world-class organisation and had the opportunity to meet some great people and journalists. And the best feeling? Googling my name at the end of the internship and discovering that the search results were no longer filled with myriad entries of my social networking exploits, but instead, links to articles written to me on the FT website. Amazing.