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Surviving creatively is not as secure as working in a bank, and you need to be prepared for rejection. It's hard not to take it personally but remember a lot of this often has to do with the right timing. So try again if it didn't work this time.

If they say no, file their response for possible future contact. They bothered to write back, and though there's no opening now, it doesn't mean there won't be in future. I wrote to Vogue three times before I got a yes. So persistence pays. On the other hand you don't want to irritate anyone, so make a judgement call and gauge what feels right.

Find out about and enter competitions. This is good for disciplining yourself and to keep ideas flowing. I entered the Vogue Talent Contest twice and was a finalist at my second try. I didn't win, but I did acquire new confidence.

What do you do with your placement when you've got it?

There are three main points to remember: watch, listen and learn. Be a sponge - you will learn more by watching than anything else.

Showing off is not a good idea. You did this with your CV, now you're in, there's no need to do it in the office again. If you're on work experience at the same time as someone else then it's great for forming a team and the inevitable healthy competition also keeps you on tip-toe.

Be willing and available and don't think that any task is beneath you. It's not. You are not likely to walk in and be given an exclusive news story/high profile project upon your lap to devour. You must show willingness to do the mind numbing tasks, whatever they might be, first.

Be quietly confident, the age old adage of not speaking until you're spoken to, couldn't be truer here. I'm not suggesting you should swallow your personality, but it's better to perform your tasks as exceptionally as you can and let your strengths shine through. This will be rewarded more readily, than by talking about how good you could be if only they would let you have a go at…

I've noticed that staff on glossies tend to nip out and buy their own designer lattes, whereas newspaper people live for their tea fixes indoors and argue about whose round it is. Enter you: sniff out your office's culture and offer to oblige. There are hidden benefits to getting the tea. Do it a few times and you might just be remembered and loved.

Don't be afraid of pitching ideas. But there is a balance to be struck – no taking over, polite suggestion will suffice. Wow them with your eager fresh mind. It's infectious and people will want to either snuff you out or feel good about themselves for having found you. Ensure you spend your energies on those in the latter camp.

Enjoy yourself!

What next?

Newspapers are a competitive place to be and none of my placements led to permanent work. But I have many friends who got their first jobs through placements so it's not unheard of.

If you aren't offered work, there's no point wasting time feeling despondent. Life's a learning curve and think of what's been gained – you have new insight and a fistful of contacts. Exploit this and make sure you're not forgotten. Think of a good reason (like e-mailing a thank you note, it was great to work with you…etc.), to remind them you exist and are still keen.

Stay focused and keep going. If there isn't anything else you would rather do then there's nothing for it but to keep plugging away. Perseverance and tenacity bring results in the end. Over to you.