beginnings
how I got started | I started contributing stories as the teen
reporter to my weekly newspaper while in high school, edited my college
newspaper, and accepted every low- or no-paying journalism internship I
was offered.
inspiration
why this job?| When I was a high-school senior, the
administration banned our student newspaper, which I edited, because we
wrote a story that was semi-critical of the guidance department. I think
adversity can make you realize how strongly you feel about following a
particular path.
love
why I love this job!| Getting to meet interesting people and
having an excuse to ask them about their lives. Telling those stories.
Learning new things, always.
work
my typical day| It's pretty variable, because - unlike most my
career -- I work for a publication that has weekly print and daily
online versions, rather than for a daily newspaper. Sometimes I need to
put out calls for a daily story or write up a blog. I spend a lot of
time on the phone and on email, reporting. If I'm lucky, I might travel
to a campus or in a community to do on-the-ground interviews. And in the
thick of a long feature or enterprise piece, I'm writing and rewriting
and rewriting again.
challenges
what they are | You'll need to develop a thick skin. You'll get told no a lot, by sources and by editors.
upside
all about growth | Finding a job in the current economic
environment can be difficult. And the profession is fairly horizontal,
particularly if you want to stay in one region or stick to a particular
beat.
More Info
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