Advice For Journalism Students, Pt 1: How To Transform Your Online Presence Into A Change Agent & ‘Get A Job’
In honor of Internet Week New York and the resulting bevy of resources, I’ve decided to contribute some of my own.
A while back, Gawker posted a snarky list of job opportunities for J-School grads. I enjoy this site and I’m all for snark, but considering the dismal economic climate I felt the tone was unnecessarily cruel.
Additionally, Gawker Media employees are no strangers to layoffs. It’s not a big leap to suggest that – in the very near future – one of them could be in the position of calling a J-School student “boss.”
(image via berbercarpet’s flickr)
Recent college grads were raised on technology. Media savvy millennials eat it for breakfast.
Once a J-School grad does find a job, it’s possible that he or she could be your fiercest competition.
As one who loves sci-fi, conspiracy theories and blowing through glass ceilings, I am here to share some knowledge. 🙂
Don’t give up. There’s always a way.
Here is Part 1 in a series of unscheduled/strictly-when-I-feel-up-to-it posts that will feature ways J-School grads could find a job, despite what haters have to say.
These suggestions could be helpful to anyone seeking a position related to writing/reporting.
Despite the promising title of my post, these “steps” aren’t quick fixes and require long-term efforts. I am not offering a turnkey method for success. Some things I suggest won’t work for you, for a variety of reasons. So, take my suggestions with a grain of salt and add them to your arsenal of job hunting resources. Don’t be discouraged because you don’t see immediate results.
Who am I to offer advice? I’m me, a freelance O.G. (currently rocking a staff position with MTV News) who has experience in both traditional and new media.
I am also friends with many folks who were laid off, as well as graduating students now facing the daunting task of securing a j-o-b. I listen to their stories and learn from their successes and failures.
In this post, I will touch on ways to grow your audience and build community, even though my own site barely does any traffic. Truthfully, I didn’t create The Lair to make money. I don’t actively work on building an enormous readership. I know how to do both of these things, but don’t, because they aren’t motivations for me. Just because I don’t consistently apply SEO/brand management strategies to my own site and online presence, doesn’t mean I don’t know what I am talking about.
What I do on the web works for me – when it doesn’t work, I change it.
Considering the above factors, you might decide to question my authority on this topic and choose not to read the rest of this post. Well, this is my way of giving back. Take it or leave it.
Future posts will include interviews with employed and unemployed journalists/writers/reporters/media professionals who can offer their own thoughts and advice. I’m very slowly reaching out to folks and will eventually post some Q&As.
Ready, all three of you (statistically)? Here we go!
Pt 1: How To Transform Your Online Presence Into A Change Agent & Get A Job (more…)