In the final entry of my summarization of my interview with Jake Kurtz, networking and other helpful tips upon entering the professional world will be discussed.
The Power of Networking
The media industry is all about communication. Members of the media try to get their messages across to an audience in a fair and objective way…sometimes.
For an industry that is so wide-ranging in possible job opportunities, it is important for job-seekers to put themselves in a position where all they need to do is pick up a phone and call a colleague for a job opportunity once school ends. This is where who you know means a great deal.
“Networking is everything in the media industry and the best way to get a start somewhere,” Kurtz said.
According to Kurtz, one of the best ways to network is to do a good amount of freelance work for minimal cost. While low pay never sounds real appealing, the work that is done the right way will help attract employers who are looking to hire someone full-time.
Maintaining a relationship with decision-makers at companies gets your foot in the door, and could potentially lead to something down the road.
“Make it so when they hear about an opening, they think to toss your name out or tell someone to give you a call,” Kurtz said.
Kurtz is a real-life example of what good networking techniques can accomplish. Upon graduating in 2006, the editor at the hometown newspaper he had kept in contact with already had helped him set up three interviews in three different states. In the media industry, everyone talks to everyone, meaning that relationships established can help guide an ideal career path.
Take that Odd Job-Experience is Crucial
Any opportunity that presents itself that can give valuable experiences is worth considering. No matter how uninteresting or strange the beat may be.
One of the only ways to get to a better job in this business is to start near the bottom and work on up.
“Whether it's catching papers in a print shop, covering a car crash at 1 a.m. or having to talk to the wife of a homicide victim,” Kurtz said. “It's all stuff you can put on your resume and use to get better as a reporter.”
These jobs will not pay well. It is important to keep realistic expectations of what type of salary you will take on early in your career.
“You're not going to make $60,000 a year immediately out of college and be prepared to work some terrible hours with some bizarre people and places mixed in,” Kurtz said.
Once locked into a job in the early going, it is important to keep it for at least a year according to Kurtz. Journalists want to do their best to not get a reputation of someone who is always looking to leave for other opportunities.
No Normal Days for Journalists
If interested in a 9-5 job that requires the same exact type of work every single day, then journalism is not the profession for you.
The news never stops. Neither do the weird and wacky events that occur on a daily basis. Each day offers a new opportunity to do something you did not do the day before.
Kurtz estimates that he could leave the office anywhere from 5 p.m. on some nights to 3 a.m. some mornings. If a story has an urgent aspect to it, the necessary time needs to be put in to get the story right and timely.
While every day is not typical in terms of the stories being covered, Kurtz provided an example of what a typical day is in terms of the responsibilities he has:
“Get to work in the morning. Check e-mails and make calls looking for potential stories. Catch up with the local police chief, City Hall folks, local county sheriff. I read a few newspapers every day, including the Wall Street Journal. If I'm working on human-interest or feature stories, I'll set up interviews and meet up with these people to talk or get photographs. In the evenings I attend a lot of meetings. City councils, school boards, different commissions or operation groups.”
No comments:
Post a Comment