Should I at least suggest a newly hired colleague consider a different profession?

Fixed.

 

And I haven’t contributed to it… well, until now.

 

Telling somebody who just got a job to get out of the business? That seems extreme and intrusive. Telling him or her to make sure to always have an updated resume, and constantly be networking for a different opportunity? That's more realistic, certainly in journalism -- and probably most industries.

I've been asked to talk to students, both formally and informally, about being a sports journalist. I confess I've tried to talk them out of the business, or at least into majoring in something other than journalism. "Major in what you want to write about" is my usual advice, to learn the history/background and gain perspective. (How that applies to a sportswriter, I'm not sure, but I didn't go to J-school so there's my obvious bias.)

I've also tried a mentor type role with colleagues, walking through story ideas, and discussing their individual strengths and weaknesses. Often that makes me feel like a fraud. I've somehow survived awhile, but it's not like I'm some boss at the top of a big-city masthead. But maybe the local, small-time perspective can be helpful too.

 

Got out of the business 3 years ago and transitioned into marketing full-time for a sports tech company. I still speak to journalism classes and talk about my career pivot. When I ask to raise your hand if you'd consider going into marketing or PR, about half the classroom typically raises their hands.

What I tell everyone is while the outlook on journalism isn't Pollyannish, media is still one of the best ways for young professionals to hone their storytelling skills and build their personal brand. The world needs storytellers more than ever today, in any field you choose. It's arguably the most important skill you can have in your career. It will bail your ass out more often than you think. Use the media platform to get what's yours.

But that's just me. I've found that changing the context of your problem leads you to new (and often better) solutions that you wouldn't have thought of otherwise. Life is short but if you believe negativity is baggage that's a hell of a long time to be carrying a heavy load.

 

So true. When I was (I think) a sophomore in college back in the ‘90s, the high school editor at the paper I grew up reading told me to stay away from the profession. About two years later, right after I graduated, he interviewed me for a part-time job there. We laughed about that moment. He hired me. It was a huge step in launching my career.

 

I got into the biz at 18 in 1989 and not once did older co-workers tell, advise, suggest, nudge me to find a new profession.

I was in the biz till 2012. Not once did I tell, advise, suggest, nudge younger co-workers to find a new profession.

 

Occasionally people would send teens with dreams of being a sportswriter my way.

My first question was always “Are you OK with never making much money?” I figured if someone truly had fire in the belly they would take my warning in stride and still press the issue. None did.

 

Things were a lot different in 1989.

Were you hired by a daily in 1989? If so I'm 99.9% certain it was better than the weekly I am at. If it was a weekly, I am 90% certain it is better than the weekly I am at. The No. 1 problem at the weekly is the publisher. When people quit quickly, like after one week or a few weeks that is not a good sign.

There is not much of a road to advancement there.

 

In the middle of an afternoon walk right now, stopping for lunch at a Cambodian joint, saw this a few minutes ago and thought of this thread. Who said newspapers are dead?

 

Given your series of posts about your experiences at this weekly, perhaps it's time to take your own advice and leave.

 

“Gossipy old hens” is quite honestly top 5 best insults I’ve heard on this site

 

A year or so before I got out of the business, I was covering the HS Track Championships in Pennsylvania, and a veteran, about 50-55ish, for a slightly bigger paper, told me he wished he'd got out sooner but that he felt sort of stuck. I was thinking of getting out, even then, but his words stuck with me. I didn't want to 40 or 50 and feeling stuck.

I appreciated his words then, and now more than ever.