This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Texas chapter.
On Thursday, a panel of four UT alumni comforted journalism students with the idea that there are still job possibilities in the market and gave them the inside scoop on how to land their first job.
The alumni were able to put many, if not all, students at ease when it comes to getting a job in journalism after graduation and gave a few suggestions on how to gain experience in the field.
Due to the industry evolving over the years, journalism majors have experienced a period of uncertainty and anxiety over the amount of job openings and obtaining a reasonable salary.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, “employment of reporters and correspondents is expected to moderately decline by eight percent from 2010 and 2020.”
Don’t Worry
“I’m mostly worried about finding a job in my field that pays well. It’s really competitive in journalism so a lot of people end up going into fields that pay well, but I don’t want to do that because I’ve worked hard in gaining experience,” said journalism senior Channing Holman. “If I don’t do anything in journalism all of that work would seem worthless.”
Not at all reluctant to disclose salary information, David Muto, Texas Tribune writer and copy editor, was able to put the auditorium at peace when he stated that his starting salary was $30,000 a year and that it increased to $38,000 over the last two years.
Get Digital
The industry seems to be evolving into a digitized news producer as social media interaction continues to increase.
Jackie Vega, KXAN digital reporter and content producer, suggested that students should gain vast knowledge in everything that deals with technology because it becomes beneficial once you are in the field.
According to Michael Mandel, the economic strategist at the Progressive Policy Institute, the number of jobs in the journalism industry has bounced back quickly after a huge downfall between December 2008 and December 2009.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics states that even though there is a decrease in the demand for journalists, the demand for occupations in digital media will compensate for that plummet.
[pagebreak]
Get an Internship (or a Job!)
The alumni advised students to apply for internships where they will be able to learn hands-on about the industry and the specific occupation they are interested in. The interning process helps students determine if they really want to pursue a career in journalism. Muto and Vega stated during the panel that their internships proved to be valuable to their career and ended up becoming their actual jobs after graduation.
Although internships and networking may not be possible for many students because they either work or have other commitments outside of school, Suzanne Haberman, Texas Tribune CO-OP Power Magazine reporter, stated that doing freelance work for various publications could also get your foot in the door and give you the necessary skills for a job.
The panel recommended that even if students get discouraged about pursuing reporting, there are still other jobs within journalism, such as copy editing, design, and others that are available.
The Comfort-Free Zone
“It’s normal to feel like you can’t do it, it’s normal to feel overwhelmed,” said Vega. She encouraged students to “stick to it” and insisted that they will find other areas in journalism that they like.
The panel also reinforced that journalism students need to be able to look back on their theory classes such as media law, or courses outside of journalism to be a more well-rounded and ethical reporter.
Students who studied abroad and were able to learn another language seem to have that “it” factor that employers are looking for in their candidates. Students were motivated to dive into other topics that will give them a more competitive edge in the workforce and let prospective employers see that they are not afraid to get out of their comfort zone.
Jazmien Ulloa, an Austin-American Statesman reporter, stressed that being outgoing will prove to be one of the greatest skills a journalist can have. Therefore, students who are shy either need to come out of their comfort zone, or reconsider reporting.
Know Your Stuff
Perhaps journalism professor Mark Morrison put it best: There are great opportunities for new graduates with journalism skills but the competition is keen. Editors are looking for candidates who have proven experience–internships, student media, etc.–and who have multimedia know-how. Having deep knowledge of business, science, politics or another field is another huge plus.
Sources:
Bureau of Labor Statistics:
and-broadcast-news-analysts.htm#tab-6
journalism-job-market/