An open letter by the financial journalist Felix Salmon, in which he responds to his many emails from budding hacks with strong words about why he thinks journalism is "a dumb career move", has spawned a hashtag, #AdviceForYoungJournalists. It's probably best summed up by the Mirror's Martin Belam:

The #AdviceForYoungJournalists hashtag is a weird mix of great advice, jokes, and really genuinely bad advice. The internet in a nutshell.

— Martin Belam (@MartinBelam) February 10, 2015

After watching it scroll by on our tweetdecks with mild fascination for the past couple of hours, we thought we'd gather some of the best, worst and funniest advice that's popped up, for the use of journalists young and old, and anyone interested in what the media should be:

Here is some actually good advice...

Don't use this word whilst. This is not the 17th century. #AdviceForYoungJournalists — Scott Reid (@scottreid1980) February 10, 2015

Tell stories that aren't being heard. Amplify unheard voices. "Go to where the silence is" - Amy Goodman. #AdviceforYoungJournalists — Laurie Penny (@PennyRed) February 10, 2015

#AdviceforYoungJournalists Read, read, read, write a bit, read, read, write a bit more; go for the story 1st, the example/case-study 2nd. — Alastair Stewart (@alstewitn) February 9, 2015

#AdviceforYoungJournalists is read who you wanna write for, write how you speak and never turn down a pint. Seriously, pints are ace. — Sam Diss (@SamDiss) February 10, 2015

#AdviceForYoungJournalists Always get a receipt — fleetstreetfox (@fleetstreetfox) February 10, 2015

Best three interview questions: Really? Oh? Go on... #AdviceForYoungJournalists — Kay Burley (@KayBurley) February 10, 2015

...and some pertinent if snide points:

Wd be funny if everyone who tweeted #AdviceForYoungJournalists about lack of sleep/anti-social hrs/other tedious moans were summarily fired

— Jess Brammar (@jessbrammar) February 10, 2015

#AdviceforYoungJournalists have family who live in London and might subsidise you to work unpaid for anything up to three years — Alan White (@aljwhite) February 9, 2015

Some of this #AdviceForYoungJournalists is SO pompous. Don't be pompous, is my advice.

— Bryony Gordon (@bryony_gordon) February 10, 2015

My #AdviceForYoungJournalists is to never do anything for free. Especially give away advice to young journalists. — F. Bill McMorris (@FBillMcMorris) February 10, 2015

#AdviceforYoungJournalists -Be white -Be male -Breathe -Repeat — Hussein Kesvani (@HKesvani) February 10, 2015

Here is some bad advice from members of #gamergate who hijacked the thread:

#AdviceForYoungJournalists U are not on a quest 2 make a difference in the world. Ur job is 2 inform others, not propagandize. #GamerGate — EscapeVelocity (@EscapeVelo) February 10, 2015

#AdviceForYoungJournalists #GamerGate Don't buy into gender politics and erase identities to push a narrative pic.twitter.com/4OboN8w0SM — WTF Mag (@thewtfmagazine) February 10, 2015

#AdviceForYoungJournalists If you have a vested interest with the subject, recuse yourself or disclose. #GamerGate pic.twitter.com/ZDFeOAsLh4 — Tony Stark (@Starksnark79) February 10, 2015

And some less helpful but quite funny lines:

When looking for spare change, lift the sofa cushions right up rather than just reaching around the backs of them #AdviceForYoungJournalists — Tim Stanley (@timothy_stanley) February 10, 2015

actually laughed out loud, I am awful RT @BeauWillimon #AdviceForYoungJournalists is trending. I've got some... pic.twitter.com/MUyxJwGGLa — Elena Cresci (@elenacresci) February 10, 2015

#AdviceForYoungJournalists the reflections are not real they are echoes of demons shimmering between our world & theirs clawing at your mind — Keri (@kerihw) February 10, 2015