We are always pleased to be able to share our interns experiences and this blog is no exception. Isha was an intern at Literary Agency Furniss Lawton between September 2014 and August 2015. She is now working their permanently.

Here are Isha’s Top Tips for anyone applying to work or intern with a literary agency:

• READ. Specifically, make sure you’ve read at least two books published this year. You need to be able to talk about recent books, so if you spent three years at university studying books written before 1900 (like me), make sure you brush up on your contemporary knowledge

• Know what a literary agent does, and the different between a literary agency and a publishing house (e.g. Penguin Random House, Hachette, HarperCollins, PanMacmillan) – if you’re asked why you want to work in one instead of the other, you should have an answer prepared.

• Research the literary agency you’re applying to (the agency website, Bookseller articles, just a good Google!) – what recent books have their authors written, what genres do they represent, is there anything you like/recognise and can comment on?

• Remember: publishing is a business. Be aware of genres in the market – what kind of books are doing well at the moment (for example, psychological crime thrillers in fiction; healthy eating and colouring books in non-fiction), what books are in the Top 10 bestseller list (e.g. some of the best-selling fiction of 2015: The Girl on a Train, Elizabeth is Missing, The Miniaturist), what genres do you read yourself etc.

• Literary agencies are made up of various departments e.g. Contracts, Foreign Rights, Accounts – if straight up agenting doesn’t strike your fancy but you still want to work with books, utilise the skills you may already have. For example, you could use your expertise in Spanish/French/German to work in Foreign Rights, or your Law degree to work in Contracts.

• Join Twitter! Follow literary agents and professionals in publishing. Twitter’s a great resource to keep updated on what’s happening in publishing, especially as agents and publishers will tweet about their latest projects.

• Finally: be proactive, be passionate, be prepared!

As well as giving her top tips on securing an internship at a literary agency, Isha also shared her views on why Creative Access internships are so valuable…

I found Creative Access through Twitter and was lucky enough to secure my internship at Furniss Lawton – exactly the sector of the publishing industry I was interested in.”

“For me, what was so valuable about what Creative Access offered was the length and structure of the internship. When you’re just out of a short internship, working at a temp job, writing essay length cover letters no one responds to and pouring over job sites hoping to find work you’re actually passionate about, a year-long, paid internship at a literary agency couldn’t be better.

“Creative Access ensures that your company designs a training structure geared around your personal development. My training ranged from learning about pitching and writing feedback to writers, to tracking sales figures and getting to grips with accounts. This gave me a cohesive grounding in how literary agencies function. Since I’ve started, I’ve learned so much about the commerciality of publishing, the relationships between agents and editors, the way the market works – things you only pick up on the job over an extended period of time.

What’s rare about the Creative Access programme is that you’re partnered up with a mentor, a senior professional in another part of the company who reviews your progress with you – my mentor was someone in management, someone I wouldn’t really have access to in the same way if I was just a new starter.

The mentoring framework makes you accountable in a positive way; I was conscious I needed to work on something each month to maximise my experience – and it was great having someone in management rooting for me!

After my year, I knew I wanted to continue working at a literary agency, and when I was offered a permanent role, I jumped at the chance. I spent a large portion of my internship reading and sifting through submissions, I’ve given feedback to senior literary agents, and I’ve read drafts of their authors’ works-in-progress – the best thing has been getting to know their tastes and securing their trust in my opinions and recommendations. For book lovers and aspiring literary agents – it doesn’t get better than this!

In the second guest blog post from Joshua Graff UK Country Manager & Senior Director, LinkedIn EMEA, Joshua talks about how you can use LinkedIn to get ahead in your career.

In my last Creative Access blog I talked about the need for better diversity in the creative industries – a move that isn’t just the right thing to do, but one that also contributes to business success.

At LinkedIn we help people all over the world succeed in their professional lives, regardless of their background.

It also helps people to be better at the job they have now, as they are exposed to content and conversations about their industry, along with the skills and experience needed to move them on.

Having a strong LinkedIn profile doesn’t have to be difficult and a few simple steps could help you land that dream job or perform better in your current one. Here are my seven tips for using LinkedIn:

1. Create a profile (and take pride in your online appearance)

If you haven’t got a LinkedIn profile, get one. Getting started is easy – LinkedIn guides you through the setup and prompts to you add a photo, your current position, past positions and your education.

If you already have a profile, make sure it looks smart and displays all of your experience accurately. Completed profiles are far more likely to be viewed by potential employers. Adding a profile picture gives a personal touch and makes your profile 14 times more likely to be seen – just make sure you keep it professional.

2. Start building connections

Developing a strong network is key. By connecting with at least 50 trusted contacts you will start to see the effects of having an online network and increase your chances of getting in touch with the right people to get ahead in your job hunt.

Being at the very start of your career doesn’t have to be a hindrance. Start close to home with family connections and friends. Spending a few minutes each day connecting with people you’ve met professionally or looking at ‘recommended connections’ will make a real difference.

3. Spot opportunities

Follow companies that you’d love to work for on LinkedIn (tip: you can find Companies under ‘Interests’ on the navigation). This means you will get updates on new hires, promotions and even job opportunities on your homepage – putting you firmly on the front foot.

By checking out Company Pages, you’ll get a much clearer idea of what life within these organisations is like, and hear the latest business news and industry updates straight from the horse’s mouth.

4. Get straight to the people that do the hiring

Don’t be afraid to reach out to recruiters on LinkedIn. Use the ‘Advanced People Search’ to build relationships with a select number of recruiters who specialise in your industry and you’ll be top of their mind when great job openings come up.

5. Distinguish yourself from the crowd

Aim to secure recommendations from colleagues, clients, and employers who can speak credibly about your abilities and performance. Asking them to focus on a specific skill or personality trait that informs their opinion works well. This will show that you’re a respected and valued employee or business connection.

But remember to return the favour by offering meaningful comments and recommendations to your network of connections.

6. Keep your profile active

Use your LinkedIn Profile to create a two-way conversation with your connections by participating in relevant groups and sharing engaging content. If you see an article on a topic that interests you, share it and invite discussion by posting it as a status update. This shows you have a genuine interest in your chosen industry.

Check out the profiles of successful people you admire and look at the kind of content they’re posting and engaging with. It’s important not to imitate them too much, but it’ll give you an idea of what a strong profile looks like.

7. Be yourself

You are more than a set of skills or a list of experiences. Match your offline with your online identity by keeping your profile authentic. Use your own voice to give your online profile a warm personality and try to avoid writing in the third person unless that formality suits. Picture yourself at a meeting or interview and make sure your online profile marries with this.

Here at Creative Access, we aim to ensure that all of our interns achieve their potential during their placements. Through our monthly masterclasses and mentoring sessions, we take pride in the knowledge that our interns are equipped with the vital skills needed to succeed in the industry.

Alumni, Dominic Grant has been no exception. Dominic holds a particularly special place in our hearts, as our very first ever Creative Access intern, having secured an internship at Marv Films back in July 2012. He now permanently works for the Kick Ass director Matthew Vaughn and recently finished working on Vaughn’s latest film, Kingsman: The Secret Service. We recently caught up with Dominic to find out what it was like working on the Hollywood production…

What were your main duties on the set?

During my time on Matthew Vaughn’s Kingsman: The Secret Service as Key Production Assistant, I had the opportunity to work through pre-production, production and post production.

During pre-production I was present and filmed all of the auditions and cast readings including Taron Egerton, Colin Firth, Jack O’Connell, Daniel Kaluuya. I had the opportunity to take charge of script distribution and logging, script revisions, storyboard distribution, crew office set ups, studio liaison and the standard PA tasks.

During production I was able to spend a lot of time going between the production office and set. I was able to see exactly how things work on set, how both crew and actors are managed, and – most importantly for me – the work of the Producers on and around set.

What was the most important thing you learnt whilst working on Kingsman?

I learnt about the clarity and attention to detail required to organise location shoots (which are not fun when you are in the middle of nowhere, at an airbase, at 4 O’Clock in the morning in December!).

During post production working as a Post Production Assistant I learned an incredible amount regarding the finer and more technical aspects of film making; the workflows and procedures editors follow, the negotiations producers have with distributors and financiers, the relationship between Director and Editor, the role of a Post Production Supervisor… the list goes on!

What surprised you the most?

I was amazed at the work the sound engineers do for a film and how it brings the footage to life. I saw the fascinating world of colour grading and VFX which absolutely blew my mind! Those guys are wizards!

What was the most exciting thing you got to do?

From a production perspective, I really got a chance to experience roles higher than my own because production office responsibilities were split between just myself and my Post Production Supervisor. I tried my hand at Travel and Accommodation coordinating, organising Actors and ADR sessions, setting up for reshoots and additional photography, organising small VFX shoots etc. Absolutely invaluable!

Any final words…?

All in all, the experience on Kingsman is one I will never forget and has taught me so much. I will always be thankful to Matthew Vaughn for showing me the real world of auditioning and script readings and how to get the most out of your actors; Producers Adam Bohling and David Reid for teaching me how to be efficient and militant-minded in getting jobs and people organised and throwing me in at the deep end with a number of big tasks responsibilities; Production Manager Iain Mackenzie for approaching me and offering me the job on Kingsman and then inviting me to stay on for Post Production; the legendary Production Coordinator Karl Caffrey for really trusting in me to take on the responsibility needed, offering me brilliant advice on just about everything industry related and otherwise.