Two things people seem to dread the most are speaking to a group of people and going to a job interview. Even after some experience with both it's difficult not to be unnerved by the prospect. Selena Dehne of the Job Journal offers tips on bringing confidence to the job interview by writing things down. Good advice!

We've mentioned blogging as a good way to start on a career track. This article from Boston.com delves further into the secrets of blogging. The article mentions a young woman who wanted to be a food writer and started a blog to circumnavigate the normal path.

Then again, you might be middle-aged and looking for that career change at mid-life. There are a lot of resources for the over-50 group.

If you want a competitive advantage in pursuit of that special job make a great digital portfolio.

If you are a computer geek with journalism aspirations or, at least, curious about the profession you might be interested in this interview from Poynter.org.

Everytime a student writes and asks a question about "what classes to take to be a writer," I always tell them to make sure and do two things:

1. Study the marketplace.
2. Learn as much computer stuff as you can; hardware and software.

It's tough being an Iraqi journalist.

If you are contemplating going into journalism or curious about the state it is in, I recommend this review of three current books on journalism by Todd Oppenheimer.

My favorite quote in the piece is this: "The real unfilled need in new media is for editors."

We've only been saying that from late 1996 to the present-time!

If you want to read a wonderful tribute to the art of journalism and writing, check this column by Jon Carroll of the S.F. Chronicle.

The firing or "lay-offs" and "buy-outs" have been hot and heavy in the media world. A columnist looks at this from a working person's point of view.

Anyone, such as myself, who has been fired or laid off from a corporation develops a special relation to the beast.

Greatreporter.com has some useful anecdotes from recent grads going into the magazine industry. Let's just say it isn't an easy gig. One of the writers mentions that she had a specialty that helped her land a job as a staff writer on a magazine.

Of course you can "work" at many magazines as a freelance writer. And with all their staff cuts magazines are using more and more freelance material.

According to this report from Marketing VOX, online media employment is up 15% over the past year. During the same period newspapers have cut 9,800 jobs. "Online media is classified as having no traditional media component."

Often the line is fuzzy between a journalist and a blogger. Who will get protection in new shield law proposals? "I would define a journalist as someone who brings news to the public...It's a definition that might cause journalists some discomfort because it opens up the gates."

There is very healthy skepticism on the part of those who decry the loss of professionalism in the field of journalism. The good professor has his say.

Blogging is becoming a new form of public resume and it seems to be working. This seems to be a natural form for writers to connect with hiring managers or editors. The above article has "do's and do not's" for this new enterprise.

Go to This Month's Joblog!

Go to May 2007 Joblog!

Go to April 2007 Joblog!

Go to March 2007 Joblog!

Go to February 2007 Joblog!

Go to January 2007 Joblog!

Go to December 2006 Joblog!

Go to November 2006 Joblog!

Go to October 2006 Joblog!

Go to September 2006 Joblog!

Go to August 2006 Joblog!

Go to July 2006 Joblog!

Back to the Jobs Page

David

Back to top of page