Holy exciting news!
I got a phone call this morning from the executive editor of The Flint Journal. He was calling to schedule an interview with me for a full-time reporter position. This is my first professional interview and I’m excited at the possibility of kicking off my career. I could end up working for the Journal, the Bay City Times or the Saginaw News. The interview itself is in Saginaw, which is about two hours or so away but I’m gladly driving to take my shot.
I’m going to do some studying and research tomorrow to help me feel more confident and relaxed as well as informed. It may also give me a very tiny edge over other possible candidates. In this day and age, I’m battling people with far more experience as the industry has been cutting back so much. I just have to trust in my own capabilities and go all in, win or lose. I think I’m a strong contender for this position, but if someone else proves stronger then I will have gained some valuable interviewing experience and at least know that they were interested and may not be totally out of the running for future positions.
I was so thrilled to be considered for the job. Even though it is entry level and doesn’t pay much, I completely expected that. I still get overtime, which I would imagine reporters are at least occasionally if not frequently getting, along with good benefits and a 401K matching program. They also provide reimbursement for expenses, as usual, and also any technology that may have to come my way in order to do the job. It sounds like a great deal overall and I still wouldn’t be too far from home.
My sister and I went shopping after the call came in. I just discovered that the suit I’ve had for a couple of years no longer fit the bill – as in is now too tight across the chest and back. Does anyone else loathe the process of trying to find clothes that fit well and don’t run up the credit card balance? Sometimes I swear it’s nearly impossible. I ended up finding something that looked good and wasn’t too incredibly expensive, much to my relief. For some reason I just never thought about trying on my old suit before that phone call. Silly me.
Can you tell I’m excited?
I do exist!
It’s been so long since my last post. First off, I apologize to my few regular readers. I have been returning to a normal life after graduating (YAY!) and moving back home (read: mooch off my parents while I still can). I had boxes and laundry baskets full of God knows what crammed into my room for three days while I tried to sort things out. It’s been kind of crazy and I’m sure you understand.
Graduation went really well. The speaker turned out to be Richard Smith, a top dog from Newsweek and someone in my field. Oh, how I wish I could have talked to him instead of immediately being shuffled outside. I would have done pretty much anything (within reason) for a chance to talk with him, even for a few minutes. It also turns out that I graduated summa cum laude and my senior thesis was accepted by the Honors College. It was a GREAT day.
And now I turn to more serious matters. It’s just more bad news bears for the automotive industry as Chrysler declared Chapter 11 bankruptcy yesterday morning. When are the automotive people going to get around and come up with a solution that works? Clearly something needs to be done toward alternative fuels in addition to changing operations. I’m sorry, but CEOs need to take a pay-cut too – and a big one at that. Continuing to earn $3 million plus is NOT okay when the average joe is getting his measly salary cut in half. It seems like the economy needs a hero of epic proportions.
But I am also pleasantly surprised that I have been able to apply for several print media positions across the state of Michigan. I wasn’t expected to see the number of open positions as I have seen, albeit not many. My field seems to be just as bad if not worse than the automotive industry in terms of the job market and funding. I haven’t gotten any good news on that front yet, but hopefully someone will see my talent and give me a shot. Lord knows I DO NOT want to keep working at a smoke-filled bar for long. At least I’m able to freelance.
Well, this post has been a huge jumble of thoughts and probably none of it too interesting. But it’s past my bedtime and I’m tired. At least I stayed up to update. Aren’t you glad you have a dedicated blogger to read?
Growing pains
I’ve been working on my senior thesis project over the last few days which involves researching ways to increase newspaper readership in the age of electronic media. Then it hit me today while writing about the introduction of the World Wide Web.
I’m GRADUATING.
In a little over a month I’m going to be set free upon the world and left to my own devices. I won’t lie – that thought honestly scares me.
When did the world get so big? That kid song lied. This so totally isn’t a small world. It’s huge and open and intimidating. My place has always been at home with my family and friends or at school studying. And now I have to step out of that world and into a career. But before I’m able to start that career, I have to tread that shaky bridge between the small world I’ve known my whole life and the next world that I’ve never been introduced to. I don’t know what I’m doing. I’m only 22 for crying out loud.
But I know my journalism field. I know how to work within it quite effectively. I know that I really do know my stuff. I’m graduating with high honors for heaven’s sake. So why wouldn’t I be able to fit into the workforce? There’s really no reason why I shouldn’t. It’s just a lot unfamiliar territory and anyone could be scared of that, right?
The current economy is also creating chaos with my ability to cope with the upcoming freedom. Journalism is already one of the lowest paying fields right out of the starting gates. And because of electronic media, employers are cutting back right and left. Will I be able to get a job? If so, will I be able to keep that job? Am I going to be able to get married, get a dog and eventually have kids? What the hell am I going to do if I can’t? There’s all these unanswered questions circling around my brain and no one seems to be able to provide even half-assed answers.
I miss the days when it was simpler. I never realized how good I had it coming home from only a half day of kindergarten to a peanut butter and jelly lunch waiting for me made with love from mom. We would watch Little House on the Prairie together before my sisters got home and I’d have mom all to myself. I didn’t have to worry about money or having a roof over my head and clothes on my back. I didn’t have to worry about what’s for dinner or when I had to go to work. All I concerned myself with was being sure to ask everyone in my morning class if they would be my friend and making sure that the afternoon student who sat at my desk didn’t touch my stuff.
I don’t want to move out of Michigan and away from my family, but that’s a very real possibility. My parents have been my rock through everything and it’s downright petrifying to think that I might not have them easily accessible face-to-face. They were there when I got my first B+ and calmed me down when I was shocked and upset. They were there when I was being threatened by a crazy ex-boyfriend in the seventh grade. They were there for all the miseries and frustrations of high school and my first job. They got me to college and let me abuse their washing machine and raid the pantry at home. And my mom still turned on my heated mattress pad this winter when she knew I was coming home late from work to a freezing-cold house.
I guess the whole idea and everything that goes into it is overwhelming. Let’s face it – I’m overwhelmed by reality.
Julie Andrews = political genius?
I was watching Princess Diaries on television today (I know, I know… but when you’re sick you sink to new levels) and I was caught by one of Julie Andrews’ lines. She said, “Ah, a diplomatic answer. Polite but vague.” It shocked me how dead on that was, especially in a teenage chick flick.
Politics are such a tricky business nowadays. As a journalist, the whole business presents new challenges around every corner. Politicians are never at ease around journalists… ever. So we don’t ever get what could be deemed a straight answer. They are generally polite but always vague. And sometimes they’re downright rude.
Isn’t the government supposed to be transparent to its people? I understand that there are some aspects dealing with national security that require closed doors. But as far as everything else goes, why is it hidden behind office doors and surrounded by red tape for the media that are working to get important information to the politicians’ own constituents?
The Freedom of Information Act did change some of that. But there still remains an incredible number of problems with that. Officials can black out parts of a document that they deem too sensitive to be place in the public eye. FOIAs are a great thing, don’t get me wrong, but they can be quite a pain in the butt. The FOIA requests so often go to court because someone high up doesn’t want their dirty laundry spread out in front of the public. From what I’ve heard in many of my journalism classes, the office from where you are requesting a FOIA can charge you for the cost of the paper, shipping and labor it took to process your request. Personally, I think that’s ridiculous – especially when sometimes half or more of the information is blacked out.
If a public office isn’t open to its public, what’s the point? Politics behind closed doors always gives me the willies. I don’t like not knowing what decisions they may be making or talking about and how those decisions may affect my life. As a journalist, I do know that I will have to be “polite but vague” at times as well. But I can say I absolutely hope that I don’t have to be all the time. A little attitude in a journalist isn’t always a bad thing – it can get you pretty far if you can push the appropriate buttons. And my family will tell you I’m good at pushing buttons.
Pondering the job-related future
With the economy the way it is, I can’t help but worry what will become of me after I graduate college in April. I know people that have been searching for jobs for months, years even and still haven’t had any luck besides the occasional temporary job. And my field is yet another one of those that has been consistently cutting back.
I want to find a place as a staff writer at a local newspaper that prints anywhere from one to three times a week. I had an internship at my small-town newspaper and I loved it. Because it was small, I got to do a variety of things and cover all kinds of stories. I know it won’t pay much. Journalism is one of the lowest paying fields just out of school.
Since I’ve kept in touch with my internship editor, the chain that paper is affiliated with has cut back two or three times now. Everything is going digital in this day and age, but even those jobs are cutting back because of the economy. It’s beginning to get me quite worried about what I’ll be able to do with myself to even get into the field.
I know that it’s been all about networking and finding someone who can get you a place in the field for quite some time. But that weight seems to be getting heavier and heavier lately. Without a network, I think I may be pretty much completely out of luck.
I’m hoping that the MPA conference I’m headed to tomorrow will provide me with some more networking opportunities. Lord knows that at this rate, I’m going to need to know everyone I can get the least bit acquainted with.
