Leanne Gayle
Business Development Coordinator
Leanne Gayle
Business Development Coordinator
I find that having Dyspraxia often makes it difficult for me to make decisions, especially big ones about the direction of my career. However, my worry and anxiety about not finding the ‘right career’ drove me to find as much work experience as possible. I thought the best way to know what I wanted to do would be to try everything. I had gained experience in major broadcasters, law firms, retail offices, museums, volunteering, and published articles all before I had turned 20. My mind never stops asking what’s next? It is both a burden and a blessing. All of these placements helped me to learn what I enjoyed and didn’t enjoy about different industries. I am constantly working towards a version of the future that is truly suited to me and my strengths.
My career highlight so far has been securing a competitive internship at the BBC out of hundreds of candidates. My anxiety drove me to research meticulously about the organisation, my manager was impressed that I asked questions he didn’t know the answer to. During my internship, I carved out what I wanted to learn and managed to work across everything from Operations to Current Affairs.
My advice would be to always to find a supportive mentor, celebrate the little achievements as well as the big ones such as getting to work 15 minutes earlier than usual and having a few friendly faces to talk to around the office often gets me through a difficult day.
