Recent graduate Nikki Osman is keeping a diary for the Guardian’s careers’ site of her attempts to land a job and career in journalism.

Now, almost a year on, with a portfolio in progress and a burgeoning, if not yet bulging, book of contacts, I’m still feeling confident. For the next few weeks, I’ll be sharing with you the highs and lows of my perpetual endeavour to see my words in print and online, as I work on my pitching, dream up inventive feature ideas and attempt to dazzle editors with my passionate prose. With the class of 2010 hot on my heels and the world of words busier than ever, arguably there’s never been a worse time for the budding journo. But persistence pays off, right?

Read part one of Nikki’s diary at this link…

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