Is it worth it?

Especially when you're on the road.

 

It all comes down to one's individual situation and what is best for them. I worked at one newspaper for 14-plus years and loved my situation. But as I've mentioned, I'm a bachelor so I can afford to live on a lower salary, particularly when the cost of living is far less. Somebody with a wife and two kids might not be able to live on that salary I made, particularly if their cost of living is higher.

That's why, if somebody really wants to start out in the newspaper business and see if it's right for them, I recommend going to the papers in smaller communities, whether they are dailies or weeklies, because then you at least have a lower cost of living. In a smaller community, you have a good chance of finding a two-bedroom apartment or house for $500/month, which you can manage on a $25,000/year salary.

The problem is the larger publications seem content to offer $25,000/year or less to entry-level folks, when the chances of finding a two-bedroom apartment for $500/month is slim to none (or maybe "slum to none" since "slim" is likely in a slum). So, at least in a smaller community, you'll be able to find housing you can afford on that lower salary.

Plus, then you find out if you really are cut out to handle writing, photography, page layout and web uploading, all as part of your job duties, because those who have worked at smaller publications often took on multiple duties.

So, better to find out at a smaller gig if it's really what you want to do for a living, than do it at a larger paper at which it seems some higher-ups are hell bent on making low wages for a lot of work the norm.

 

If you're happy, by all means keep doing what you're doing...

I was never motivated by money during my journalism career. I made $34K my first year out of school. I realize that placed me in a rare and lucky class of journalists.

If I was making $25K at age 40 and had a wife and kids to help support, I can't imagine being happy in that situation unless my wife had a great job and money wasn't an issue.

 

$25K at age 40 would indeed make me think twice. The people I know in that situation who have stuck with it, like mizzou said, have a significant income on the other side of the family.

 

Don't misunderstand. I'd love a job in another line of work that pays better. The next step I guess is figuring out what fields are likely to hire former journalists and how to go about a full-fledged job search centered around a career change.

 

The million-dollar question, so to speak.

 

Plenty of fields hire journalists. A LinkedIn profile helps, as does letting confidants know you are looking to change careers.

 

As long you can distinguish between curating and reporting. A trained monkey can do one but not the other.

 

I stopped moping around, thought outside the box, and found a few jobs that aren't journalism yet can build on my experience. I've already had one interview and I have another tomorrow.

Got a heads up about a third job and will be applying in the morning.

Plus, one of the folks I asked for a reference also gave me a heads up about another job that while is in journalism, it at least is in a bigger market, is a different responsibility with day-shift hours and doubles my pay so if things go south, at least I'll be in a better spot to start looking (this job, admittedly, would be my last resort.)

Moral of the story is even if an emo bastard like me can actually get an interview in another field, there's no reason you can't to. Of course, I hope I didn't just jinx myself...

 

I don't know of anyone who left newspapers - and this goes back to pre downturn - that didn't vastly improve their quality of life.

 

Interesting.

 

My circumstances have dramatically changed since I originally started this thread. It all happened pretty quickly, but I landed a mid-major college football and basketball beat for my first job out of college. It's at a small daily paper with miserable pay, but it's definitely not a step backward for me. The only way I was going to give journalism a shot was if a job opened up that I was genuinely excited about, and covering a relatively successful Div. 1 athletic program will do the trick.

After reading this thread, I honestly think I've over thought my situation. Just because I take this job doesn't mean I have to dedicate my life to newspapers. Worst case scenario, I do this for 2-3 years and if I can't find a better job in a bigger market by then, I can switch gears and work in finance. At least I'd know I gave it a shot. I know there's a high probability that I'm not going to work in sports journalism my entire life, but I'm 22. I don't need to make that decision right now. For now, I'm just going to try and have some fun while I still can.

Thanks to everyone who threw their two cents in. It was extremely helpful to me.