How do you get a job as a copywriter in Cornwall? Part One

Part One – Where to begin

As I reach the final stages of my MA course inevitably I start to think ‘what an earth am I going to do with my newly honed skills once all this is done?’ After all, I came to study and help myself gain knowledge of possible career paths as a writer. The good news is I do have one idea. What about being a copywriter?

I don’t particularly want to move away from Cornwall after I finish this course. It’s my home after all. I’ve begun to notice in recent years that there’s quite a few communications/ marketing/ PR agencies around. Not to mention the people who do are freelance writers. Maybe this is something I could do. So just how do you get a job as a copywriter in Cornwall?

Fiona Campbell – Howes at Radix Communications tells me ‘the good news it there are good jobs to be had’. This is something which is echoed by freelancer Anna Clarke, who says ‘there is definitely a demand here with all the start ups and businesses around’. I’m glad about this. For too long I feel as though I’ve been told I need to leave Cornwall to have any chance of creating a career. One of the places Fiona tells me to look for role is on the Grad Cornwall website, ‘the one-stop-shop for advertising and applying for graduate level jobs and careers in Cornwall’. Radix have recruited three graduates through this scheme so it seems like a good place to start.

So after entering a few details and adding preferences specific to me I have an account which will email me with any possible opportunities. However, I need to stay proactive and decide to search around for other potential places. There’s Grad Southwest which is similar to what I’ve just signed up for but, as the name suggests, it has a focus on the wider South West region. I also come across Cornwall Business Magazine which has a jobs section, so I decide to take a look at what’s on offer. There’s one job which catches my eye for a Marketing and Communications specialist. Turns out it’s a freelance position rather than at an agency.

Ideally I would like to begin my career at an agency, just to build up a bit of confidence and a profile. But in Cornwall I am open to the possibility of working freelance.

Speaking to freelance Anna Clark it seems that this is also very much an option. She tells me that, ‘the important this is networking and making yourself know’. She also invites me to join a Facebook group she runs called Cornish Creatives. It’s a group of about 90 members who are photographers and crafters as well as bloggers and writers. It’s a great way to get to know people and who knows what opportunities might turn up from being part of it. So of course I join.

Thinking about networking I do a google search to try and find out if there are any Cornish design sites I could join. I find one called Design Cornwall which describes itself as ‘a place for ideas and action’. Scrolling through the different feeds there is everything from offers of office space to different job opportunities. Nothing which catches my eye, but I think it’s still a place worth joining just incase something interesting comes up.

Rhona Gardiner from Excess Energy suggests that ‘living and working in Cornwall means you have to be “multifaceted”‘. I think this is true, especially with what I’ve been looking at in this post. I’m not going to suddenly come across a great copywriting opportunity if I don’t put myself in the right places to look. I’ve found so far that this is an important part of the process of looking for the job.