After the interview

The interview is over and you wait to see what happens.  Rethink's media team will stay in touch with you throughout the interview process to keep you updated on any progress.

What to expect

Some media formats can take several months before the final product is printed or broadcast. Most media volunteers say the experience is a very positive and empowering one.

However, your interview may be dropped, usually because a big news story breaks and the reason for your interview has become a low priority. You will probably have given a great interview and the material for an excellent programme or article, but the news agenda can change quickly.

Try not to take the ups and downs of the media’s way of working to heart. The journalist may be equally frustrated that all their hard work has been for nothing if a story is dropped. There will be other opportunities, so learn from your experience to make the next interview opportunity even more positive.

If your interview is printed and broadcast, hopefully you will be happy with the end result and feel proud of speaking out. However, sometimes the final article is not what people expected.

Once something has been published, that’s it, it’s in the public domain and it’s difficult to have further dialogue about it with the readers. It is however possible to make a complaint to the editor or writer.

Janey Antoniou

Don't dwell on the details

Janey has these words of advice: "First, it’s worth standing back and thinking about your reaction to the published article. What is it you don’t like – the headline? The photo? The angle? The detail? The headline and choice of photo is the domain of the editor who is thinking about maximising the readers, and even the writer has difficulty influencing them.

Forget about the detail – no one other than you knows (or cares) if it’s incorrect. If you don’t like the angle, a polite phone call to the writer may persuade them to write a correction, or at least add to their knowledge or change the way they think. For yourself, chalk it up to experience, ask about angles in advance and learn to laugh about it afterwards!”

Read Emma Harding's advice on what to expect after the interview - instant fame?!