Tag Archives | journalism

Image by Jan Krömer, Flickr

Image by Jan Krömer, Flickr

If you’ve earned a degree in journalism, you must have a love of print and spreading the written word. You’ve done the coursework, and now it’s time to apply it and get out in the field. Take a look at all of the opportunities waiting for you, and take your journalism degree and experience to the next level. Think outside the box. You can go beyond the local paper, snippets for a radio station, or behind the scenes in television. Find out how far your degree can take you with five different areas related to journalism.

Write Content
Surf the Internet and you’ll find there are plenty of companies asking for content writers. If you like writing short pieces on anything under the sun, this is your cup of tea. You can set your price, choose your areas of interest, and produce as much as you want. This is a career that can work around a busy lifestyle, family, and other work. When you’re plugging away at the great American novel, you can choose to be a content producer on the side and get a lot of experience out in the writing field of freelance work.

Become a Book Editor
You can combine your love of writing and reading by becoming an editor. Use your journalism degree with a library science degree and you’ll definitely have an edge on the competition. Have a keen eye for what readers want as you assess books and prepare them for publication.

Write Grants
Your journalism skills can be truly rewarding when you assist nonprofit organizations in obtaining grants. You can put your talents to work and know you are promoting a good cause.

Write Technical Manuals
People need instructions for so many products they buy. You can be the person working behind the scenes, creating a manual that is easy to understand. Think of it as a great way to help others when they make a new purchase. There’s nothing more frustrating than inadequate instructions or a lack of good vocabulary. Give people the help they need, making lives easier everywhere.

Write Newsletters
From major corporations to small businesses, many are choosing to use newsletters to keep people informed. You can write for a number of clients, work independently, and choose organizations that excite you. Bring passion to your writing and you will be rewarded.

If you have the gift of gab and can transfer it into writing, you can go the distance with your journalism degree. Don’t be afraid to get your feet wet by trying a variety of fields.

This article was contributed by guest author Brooke Chaplan.

Image via pixabay.com

Image via pixabay.com

Just a couple of months ago, I had the pleasure of attending the Career Conversations Panel: Discovering Careers in Communications, Journalism and Writing. The event was hosted by York University and featured people in the field of writing advising people on how to find jobs in said field.

The panel consisted of a journalist with experience writing for many periodicals, the director of Communications at York University, an editor for Maclean’s and FASHION magazine, a novelist with Join In Press and a former Editor in Chief for The Atkinsonian.

I found the presentation extremely useful. The panel all managed to give helpful tips on how to find a job in writing; here are a few of my favourites:

  • Be persistent when applying for jobs: apply and reapply until you get in
  • Self-publish
  • Start out as an intern: this often leads to a full-time job as good workers may be kept on board

After the seminar, there was a chance to mingle with the panelists. I took this opportunity to talk to one of the speakers about an internship with FASHION magazine. He gave me information on how to apply and gave me his business card. Though I wasn’t able to use it for the internship I applied for, I was impressed he gave me his contact details without me asking.

I would give the Career Conversations Panel a 9/10. Not only was it informative, but it was also a great way to network. I learned about new strategies to apply for jobs I had never heard of, for example, if you apply and reapply for a job, the chances of getting it are higher. The panelists were eager to discuss their claims to success and talk to the guests. Overall, I was pleased with the Career Conversations Panel.