Q. My godson, who has just finished his A-levels, has always wanted to work in television or film production. I would like to help him get an internship but, although I am a journalist and have some friends in that world, they all say their books are full. If only they would just meet him. The boy is charismatic, hard-working and witty and would be quickly seen to be a great asset in any team he joined. He has written hundreds of letters but to no avail. I would hate to see his charisma diminish when summer ends and he has no job in sight. What do you suggest, Mary?
C.L., London W12
A. The boy is young. He should change tactics in the short term and re-brand himself as a cleaner or male nanny or gardening skivvy. Posing as such a ‘treasure’, he can target the households of some of the more important media moguls until he gets a job, ideally a live-in one. In this way his target audience will receive prolonged exposure to his personal charisma and productivity. When the moment is right, he can announce that he is beginning to think that ‘domestic work’ is not stretching him enough. Moreover, he has been so inspired by his boss’s interesting life, he wonders whether he or she could steer him toward a lowly apprenticeship position which would enable him to keep contact with the household and be able to help out with domestic chores at short notice.
Q. Friends of mine own an independent bookshop. The shop is exquisitely curated to surprise and delight the local brainboxes and aesthetes as well as to stock more predictable and popular requirements: titles both old and new inspire customers.
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