1. The individual completed 3 compulsory internships during their studies which provided valuable learning experiences through practice and feedback, even if the internships required self-funding. 2. They appreciate the freedom and independence in their current job as a journalist, but note they sometimes miss constructive feedback to help determine what to focus on for their career development. 3. Having tested different possibilities through internships and a second course of study, they recognize the importance of experimenting before making final career decisions in order to find the right fit and avoid regretting choices later.

2. Say
(Short extracts of responses and related questions)
So how was it, how did you end up where you are now? Did you plan it already during your studies?
Not at all, I didn’t know what I would like to do after my studies. Not a clue. My friends at age of 25 were already successful
…I still asked myselef what to do.
You studied international relations and journalism. How did you know what to choose?
I wanted to try both. My internship in the polish embassy showed me that this is not for me; It is like working in a local
government but abroad…You know what I mean. Beuroracy. Not for me.
And 3 other internships?
I learned much more there than during my studies, this job (jurnalism) is based on practice.
But what exactly was so helpful?
Everyday I had some small thing to do and than I got feedback – It was not pleasant but I‘ve learned a lot
And what about your studies? (and studying how to write)
It was boring. And I suppose that to be really good it should probably be even more boring.
So you feel like you didn’t learn a lot?
In terms of writing: not really. Maybe today I would appreciate it more? When you have some practice behind you absorb theory
better
How the internships were organized? Somebody helped you to get it?
You had to do it yourself, find the firm, all on your own. But it was compulsory, with signatures etc.
So how did you finally find your job?
I finished my internship, and come back to studies (second faculty) and than after few months my boss called me.
And what did you do?
I graduated, and decided to quit my second studies. I defended my thesis the end of March and the beginning of April I was
already in Warsaw. It seemed good decision.
And In your first job. How did you know what to do?
I did not. I was observing the others. I think they had some plan – staring from easy things, some research, easy pieces. They
invested time and money in teaching me. I appreciate it.
And how is it now?
I have a lot of freedom, I am more independent, what I am missing sometimes is constructive feedback – what is good, what is
bad? I am asking myself more and more often: what should I focus on? How should I plan my next few years of professional
career? That is where I am now.

3. Do
Internships
He completed 3 compulsory internships during studies
(it cost him time and money – for example he had to pay his accommodation in Paris, trips to Italy to prepare
his first article etc. )
Learning on mistakes
He appreciates feedback he got during internships – this is how I learned the most
Practice
(during internships and now at work ) I had lots of opportunities to meet people, to do things, to get practice.
Proactivity
(Interesting: he does not use this expression: proactivity. It seems in his mouth absolutely normal. You earn
money to get good internship, you work hard, invest time and money to prepare yourself.
Modest behavior, observing
Maybe because I listen, I learn, I am not argumentative.

4. Think
• Necessity to be proactive – he does not express it explicitly, it
seems „obvious”; the only way to do things
• He sees the big value of institutionalized internships that forced him
to get experiences from various fields
• Getting the job is the question of …being modest, working hard,
getting practice (he gives other examples of two other young
journalists that followed the same path )
• It is important to experiment - to test various possibilities before
you take the final decision. What do you really want to do? It is
worth to devote 2 months not to loose many years.
• He definitely appreciates a long perspective that the employer has
taken – to train, to allow to make mistakes etc.
• He appreciates the place he is now, he wants to focus, orientate his
future development (what should I focus on)

5. Feel
• The biggest challange was (and still is) to decide what I
really want(ed) to do; what am I good at
• He seems convinced that one has to spend a lot of
energy and be ready to work hard to get the freedom
he has right now.
• While thinking about future he asks questions: what to
focus on, what steps should he take?
• What like with his job? Freedom, I can decide what and
how I write. Greatfull – to employer who devoted time
and money and has taken a longer perspective
• To develop he needs constructive feedback (and this is
what he is sometimes missing right now)

6. Stakeholder
X
Is a young journalist graduated from
international relations and journalism at one of
polish universities. Working in one of polish
newspapaers.

7. Need
Considering his decision making style X need is
to find his proper way (method) to take the
decision about his professional career: what to
focus on, what kind of new skills to develop?

8. Insight
X takes decisions quickly (he moved „overnight” to
another city to get a job, quitting the second faculty
of studies) but after deep consideration and – what
seems crucial - personal experience (internships in
polish embassy in Paris, in various newspapers).
He needs „to feel”, experience what he is
choosing, what he is resigning from before he
decides.