"Getting out of the business" resource thread

That's called "newspaper PTSD." It took me a couple years to break some old, unhealthy work habits that get ingrained in you (and I still have relapses now and again.)

 

I just celebrated six months since leaving the business to become a 911 Police Dispatcher. It was easily the best decision of my life.

This dispatching job was a pay bump of about $13k/yr from my last writing job and the benefits and everything are unparalleled. Fully covered health insurance, life insurance, disability insurance, pension, etc.

I had no law enforcement experience prior to applying at age 30. I played up my communication skills, the fact that I worked closely with the community and my ability to take down accurate information. They took a chance on me and I just finished my training. Once I get through my first year, I'm off "probation" and am entrenched in the system (Technically, I'm an "at will" employee until my first year ends, but I still get paid the same and the same benefits).

I would really encourage anyone confused about how to get out of the business or where to turn, to look into a job like this. For those of us who spent years doing prep phones, you get to put some of those skills to use, but get paid a hell of a lot more for doing it. I love what I do now and every day is new and interesting.

 

I was wondering the best way to get a job as a "social media director" not for a newspaper but a company/organization/nonprofit/whatever, anything but a newspaper. I'm thinking this would be one of the easiest jobs imaginable and I could still use my newspaper skills. Can somebody tell me the best way to pursue this? There aren't a lot of ads for this but I'm thinking you could easily talk a company chief into creating this position since one of the great buzz words today in business is ... SOCIAL MEDIA. Please help.

 

No raises in five years is just reprehensible. To all newsroom editors on here who read these threads ... get some fucking stones, man up or woman up, and get your good people some fucking money. My gosh.

 

We've been in self-preservation mode for the last seven years or so. There are a few editors who take the buyouts to save their staff, but mostly people are worried about keeping their own jobs. These days if you lose your job and you're not willing to move across the country, your career could be done. It's all about self-preservation, and sadly, I understand that.

 

After 15 years, I'm done in less than 3 weeks. I've passed along most of my beat writer duties and will finish out the year with a few features before using up my remaining two weeks of vacation. Still don't know what's ahead, but I'm way more excited than worried.

 

Whaaaaaaa?

 

Wrote my last article yesterday and today was my last day on the job. I'll be on vacation the rest of the month. It's hard to describe how happy I was yesterday after filing my last story — excitement, relief, some nervousness and maybe just flat-out joy.

I still haven't a clue what's next — I may not be done writing, but I know I'm done with newspapers — and I'm OK with that. I've been at this 15 years, during which I've done probably 20 years worth of work, so I'm fine with a bit of a break while I figure things out.

 

Best wishes to you as you begin a new chapter in your life.

 

Good for you, man. Best of luck.

 

I appreciate it. I leave with my head up, proud of the work I've done, and I look forward to a bright future doing ... something. I'm on Twitter if you want to follow what's happening and BS about random nonsense.

 

I have been working for three years as a web editor, but mostly been doing just copy editing for the site, so I haven't had really any experience in design or anything fancy. I took the job in hopes that it would help my resume for a sports media relations gig, along with some writing I do on the side (that does not pay), but because I don't have media relations internships, I have watched several other people get breaks while I remain stuck. And yes, I did try applying for internships but the fact of trying to balance one with my full-time gig is kind of scary to me.

The thing is, I don't know what else I can picture myself doing. It seems like every other job I have considered wants previous experience in that field. If you want to be in sports information, you have to have experience in that. If you want to work at a PR agency, they expect agency experience. For copywriting, copywriting experience. And so on. I have even considered human resources, since it seems like a stable career and requires the solid communications skills and research I know I have. But even the assistant jobs ask for HR experience. I could keep listing examples, but you get it.

Has anyone gotten around the whole "experience preferred" or "experience required" thing to get their job away from sports? I find that the employers are still very much in control of the market and picky.