The other day I had to do a careers day for final year students looking for a career in publishing and soon-to-be graduates are, well, soon-to-be graduates. The vast majority are sickeningly enthusiastic and woefully under prepared for the real world. Not to discount graduates, we have all been there, and yay for education and enthusiasm, but in my day-to-day, I prefer someone with a touch more seasoning and experience on them. So to start with, I was all mentally prepared to fight them off.

But then the first workshop started, and they were just so fricking adorable. Seriously, they were like a basket of fluffy little kittens.

I tried hard. I tried to be hard, and bitter, and cynical. I am a gatekeeper to their chosen career, and they need to be worthy, damnit!

But whatever I threw at them, they just kept coming back.

They were so motivated. And shiny. And excited. I could, just about, stand firm against this. I have made someone cry before, and you know what?

But these guys were prepared. Naive, stupidly optimistic, woefully ignorant about the real world, ridiculously enthusiastic, but at the same time they KNEW they were in for a fight and they were READY.

I had NO resistance.

I’ll admit it. I crumpled like a paper bag in a rainstorm. I just wanted to hug them all and tell them that everything would be all right

So, soon-to-be graduates from the Brookes Publishing MA, I salute you. You impressed me. I wish you good luck in your endeavors.

Just, don’t come asking me for a job just yet. I still only rarely do graduates.