Keeping It Real with Rory – January 2010

Quite a lot has happened since I last wrote in Orkney Today. In fact, four weeks ago I was sitting in a small office in the BBC’s Bush House building in London. I was being interviewed for a job as a trainee studio manager at Radio 5 Live.

I’d never had to sit any kind of interview before so the whole experience, including travelling down to London on my own was challenging. Trying to stay cool, calm and collected while three senior members of BBC management fire difficult questions at you is not easy and when it was all over I was pretty certain I hadn’t done enough to get the job.

In the days that followed I just couldn’t help but go over and over the whole thing in my head, and the more I did so, the more things I remembered that I thought went badly. The fact that everyone I spoke to wanted to find out how it went just made matters worse. By the following Monday I was beginning to wonder when I would hear their verdict. Trying to stay positive, I kept reminding myself that it would be worth the effort just for the experience of doing an interview, plus I knew I would be able to ask for feedback that would be helpful in the future.

Anyway, on the Monday afterwards, when I was sitting at home having lunch with mum, I got a call from one of the guys who interviewed me. After saying who he was, Chris asked me how I though I’d done. I didn’t really know how to respond to that so I just said that I hoped I’d done enough, but being my first ever interview I really had no idea what to think. He responded by saying that the board thought I’d done pretty well and that they would like to offer me the job! I couldn’t believe it, I genuinely thought I wouldn’t get it simply because it would have been too lucky to get the first job I’ve ever done an interview for.

The job is initially based in London, where I will be trained as a studio manager. SM’s are responsible for the technical side of producing live radio programmes. They press the buttons and operate the faders and other equipment in the studio to ‘drive’ the programme. I’m one of six people who passed the interview process and we will start on the 8th of January with three weeks training at the BBC’s training facility in Evesham. After that, we’ll move to London where we’ll be given more ‘on the job’ training at the BBC World Service, before moving over to Television Centre and 5 live its self.

One of the most exciting things about this opportunity for me is that, if all goes well with my operational assessment in a few months time, I’ll be involved in 5 Live’s major move to Salford in 2011. It’s going to be a big challenge for everyone and I feel privileged to hopefully be playing a small part.

The combined excitement of a new job and moving to the capital is pretty immense and I’m really looking forward to getting stuck in. However, I know I’m going to miss the perks of home. I’ve had such a fantastic time at Radio Orkney over the last few years, but especially during the last six months while I’ve been there full time. The staff are all such lovely people and it’s been a real pleasure to work there and I know I’m going to miss them all. I plan to continue writing in the paper each month, and presenting ‘Hit The Beach’ on Radio Orkney. Sadly I’ll not be able to do it live but instead I’ll record it in London and send it up to be played off a CD. Hopefully they might let me make a guest appearance on the request programme next time I’m home for a holiday!

Changing the subject completely, I’ve been quite surprised by how much chaos the snow caused in the run up to Christmas. Nationally there were hundreds of road closures, dozens of vehicle accidents, several grounded flights and even channel tunnel trains that couldn’t go anywhere because of ‘the wrong kind of snow’!

Years ago I went to Toronto in Canada on a family holiday. I remember driving along the road with snow piled over two meters high on the verges, and yet the highway was running very smoothly. Here, we just need a dusting of snow and a bit of a cold snap and the entire country seems to shut down.

I’m not intent on laying the blame with any one organisation in particular, but it strikes me that as a nation, Britain was seriously under prepared for the cold weather. Some reports suggest that we face very cold winters for the next ten years or so. If that does prove to be the case, we’ll need to get a bit more organised, otherwise I think we risk loosing out economically.

I suspect there’s a good chance that you might have made at least one new years resolution for 2010. I’ve never been particularly keen on making them as I always feel like I’m setting myself up for a fall. However, I think setting out some goals to aim for isn’t a bad idea.

I’ve decided that I really what to get to grips with video editing on the computer. I’ve been trying to work on it over the last few months but there are so many distractions at home its hard to find time for it. I don’t know if it will be any easier in London though!

The other thing I’d like to start doing again is podcasting. I haven’t recorded a single one since I graduated from University. So, if there’s ever a dull moment in the big city, I’ll more than likely be mixing new jingles on the computer. Whatever you decide to do this year, I hope it goes well. Cheers.