MSc Global Politics, 2009
Editorial Chief, Ringier Studios
After I finished my BA in 2008, I took a year off, visited Vietnam for about 5 months and worked as a journalist at a newspaper in Cyprus. When I started my MSc in 2009, I had an interest in journalism, but also wanted the skills and qualifications to enter an organisation that was engaged in policy and action rather than just reporting on what was happening. When I finished my studies I moved back to Vietnam because I missed the place and felt confident that I would be able to find work in an NGO or related field there.
After arriving and job searching for a while in the NGO field, I realised that it wasn’t going to be very easy to get a paid job in that sector. I first found employment as an editor at a publishing house, before landing my current position as the chief of the editorial department at a company making commercial, editorial and educational mobile applications. I also volunteered my writing skills to an NGO called Roots of Peace that conducts re-planting of crops in countryside that has been cleared of war ordnance.
I was a pretty ‘un-technological’ person before I got into digital media, so I would never have guessed that I’d end up here. In the two and a half years that have passed since then I’ve managed to understand the importance of design in delivering a message, which was something that was quite unknown to me before starting. I’ve also managed to keep up to date on my ‘intellectual passion’ - international politics - through regularly scouring articles on global phenomena and writing about them when I have spare time.
My current job sees me cycle to work every day in central Saigon, and join a team of about 30 young people who are passionate about the creative work they undertake. My role has evolved from essentially being a copy and scriptwriter to dealing with clients, becoming part of the management board of the company here in Vietnam, researching innovation and controlling the quality of our productions. I work closely with other heads of departments - from design, to 3D, sound and video – to conceptualize how we can create constantly evolving, exciting and engaging ways of delivering messages.
I have friends that did very well remaining in their field of study, becoming international civil servants and joining international organisations. My best advice is to put aside some money so that you can feel comfortable applying for an un/low-paid internship, because unfortunately that seems like what needs to be done for entry into many government, INGO and IO positions (unless you already have experience). Above all however, it is important to persevere and be confident, even in the face of apparently recurring disappointment. If you can walk away from LSE with a degree you are proud of, you can do anything!