Andrea Thompson - 2011 Mentor

Andrea Thompson is features director at Marie Claire. She has been in journalism for more than 10 years and has worked for a range of leading newspapers and magazines

Andrea Thompson is features director at Marie Claire. She has been in journalism for more than 10 years and has worked for a range of leading newspapers and magazines from the Daily Mail to Grazia.

We caught up to talk inspiration and her experiences of mentoring for our 2011 campaign.

What has fired your ambition? After starting out in book publishing, I wanted to move into magazines and newspapers. I was excited by the idea of working in a fast-paced, news-led environment. I fired off over 100 applications to ask for work experience and my transition from work experience to paid employment was relatively quick.

MEET THE REST OF THE 2011 MENTORS HERE

What’s been a career high? Working as an investigative journalist, I’ve done everything from going undercover as a fashion buyer in sweatshops in India, to pretending to be an up-and-coming actress to expose producers and directors who still use the casting couch to exploit young wannabe actresses. But whatever I’m doing, no one day is ever the same as the next. And for me, that’s the most rewarding thing about what I do.

What’s been the best careers advice that you’ve been given? There are only two real ways to break into journalism - work experience and pitching ideas to features editors and directors who are always desperate for new contributors with ideas.

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