My Life as a… Job-hunting Journalist?
If I were graduating in December, ideally I would have had two internships already. I’d have gotten one at a small, local publication like the Long Island Press, and then something bigger like The Washington Post (hey, aim for the stars, right?). Now I think I’d be begging any and every news organization to hire me as a freelancer. But where exactly? And what would I do?
Patch.com actually caught my attention, and I was secretly praying for them open up a Stony Brook patch. The idea of reporting for an online, hyperlocal site intrigued me because it was something new, something different. But then I thought about it… did I really want to restrict myself to a coverage area of maybe 5 sq. miles? And didn’t I want to savor a nice print copy of my work?
It quickly dawned on me that I wanted the kind of job that would allow me to work across platforms. If I could craft web presentations but also report for print, I’d be happy. I wouldn’t mind photography or videography either. All forms seem enticing. Though I’m more of a print man, I realized that broadening my options would increase my chances of finding a job and give me the flexibility I assume employers nowadays are looking for. I think I’d be one of those journalists who can do it all, a multimedia journalist in the broadest sense.
On that note I’d most likely look for a job for a news organization that has a strong online presence, with a good focus on deeper stories. It’s hard to say which one exactly, but publications that give reporters more freedom to package their story seem like the place to go. In that sense, Patch looks interesting. But if push came to shove, I’d start my own news website and post my stories. It would build clips and traffic, and I could make money on the side.
After that I’d just sit by my laptop, typing away at the latest piece, waiting for the New York Times to come knocking at my door to hire me.
