Getting back in the biz

No, because, by and large, we don't want to be working on an Alaskan fishing boat. People here want to be journalists, or once were journalists, and/or can relate to journalists.

The choices available may not be the best, most ideal ones that we could dream up. But they're what's available, and if you want to continue, or re-start, a journalism career, well, then this is one option to be considered. People are just encouraging Rhody to consider it.

That's really all he can do right now, anyway. He hasn't been offered anything, so there's no harm, no foul either way. The extent to which he really would consider such a move won't be shown or known until if/when he gets an offer.

All of us who have left journalism can relate to this. I left the business, probably for good, four years ago. But even now, I still check the jobs board regularly, I still consider trying to freelance again, and I still sometimes wonder if I could/should actively pursue some positions that I think might interest me.

I invariably give it some thought and realize that yes, by the time I'd left, I really was kind of tired of living by everyone else's schedule; I really was sick of making, taking, or waiting for, phone calls to and from people at any and all days, hours and times of the day and night; and then, finally actually being able to start writing and churning out my stories and blog posts; I really was not wanting to blog and/or tweet about any and everything, as quickly as possible, all the time; I didn't feel like always being in at least subtly adversarial positions/relations with people, where you are not, and cannot be, truly friends, even with good sources you might be friendly with; I was sick of people talking a lot but not really saying anything; I realize that I really don't feel like constantly having to generate my whole job myself if I'm to freelance again; and I realize that I'm not that into video, podcasts and tweeting; and I don't really feel like driving all over creation for assignments anymore, often in traffic that makes you have to leave hours early and makes you get home hours late all the time.

And so I decide that, no, I probably really wouldn't take another job in journalism at this point, other than maybe some occasional local freelance work. But that's me, and not Rhody, or anyone else.

And did you notice, none of those points even had anything at all to do with pay, making a living, or what it might lead to in the future?

This is all just for consideration. And YF, even if Rhody is tied to a certain area now, who's to say what the future will hold? Things change -- even the places you feel tied to, or where you would consider living at any particular point in time, and all of that probably always would depend on the circumstances and opportunities, etc., and so, also could change.

 

I had this same dilemma come up a year ago (almost to the date.)
Desperately needing to leave the same toxic place Rhody was cut from a few months later, I took the first job that was offered to me and it was the most depressing 10-week period of my life. I left on medical leave for depression and swore I'd never go back into journalism once my medical leave ran out. I even started applying to local grocery stores as I'd rather be happy and making minimum wage than chase a job for money.
Then a job opened up at a local weekly paper that I didn't know much about. I was curious but not really eager to apply so I contacted the person making the hire, sat down with him for an hour and decided it just wasn't something I wanted to do.
I left that quasi-interview deciding there were only three journalism companies in Rhode Island that I would have applied to (and two of them were in the same company.)
Two weeks later, I heard about a pagination gig at one of the three. Again, I was interested only because journalism is what I know and, to an extent, it's where I feel comfortable. The job was listed as just pagination and it was a part-time gig.
The pros were that it would allow me to focus on my photography work, which is what I really want to do with my career, and it would provide most of the income I needed to pay bills. The cons were that it was part-time work so I couldn't just take this gig and coast on the money.
I went to the interview just to hear the people out and, in the interview, they said everything I wanted them to say. They told me I would be able to work on my terms, supplement my income around the gig and would be able to take it at my pace.
It was a great interview and I left feeling like I would take the gig if it was offered to me. They called and offered it to me 11 minutes after I left. I accepted on the spot.
I've been with this company for a year and I am totally, 100 percent completely happy. In the year I've been there, I've completely redesigned the paper, have spearheaded a number of important special sections and been asked to fill in for a number of people during vacations, etc. I've also been able to shoot a ton of great assignments for the paper, which I was not expecting to do before, and it completely scratches my journalism itch.
The point of this long-ass post is this: You never lose out on interviewing for something. A lot can be said about trusting your gut and in a situation like Rhody's above, I say go to the interview, see what those making the hiring decision have to say and then make a decision.
I wish Rhody the best and I know that he would kill it if he got this gig. I also know he would be completely, totally, 100 percent happy if he got back in the business, despite his misgivings right now.
The only wildcard is spending time with his kids and, honestly, I do think that would be an issue. Rhody is one of the best dads I've ever seen but I know that, deep down, he's going to remain incomplete until he gets back on that horse. It's in his blood and whether or not he gets this gig, Rhody's journalism days are not over and never will be until he dies some day. It's just what he does.

 

Of course it does. It puts him one step closer to taking the job.

Yes. Of course. And, it clouds the advice given. If we were talking about any other career choice, people would be telling him to run away. Instead people are telling him to "go for it" out of some romantic notion that journalism is so noble, that you should pursue it, and remain in poverty, rather than give it up.

And, it's not unique to journalists either.

Most athletes, musicians, actors, etc. are faced with the same choices at some point. It's their true love, but they can't make a (stable) living at it, or live a stable life.

How long do you keep going?

Do you toil in Single A for years? Do you quit your job to go on tour with a band that may never make it?

And, the longer you put off the career change, the harder it is, and the further behind you are in your new/next/other career. And, making less money early in your career changes your entire career earnings trajectory. It can add up to tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars over a career. It can mean the difference between owning a home or not. It can be the difference between a comfortable retirement and working until you die.

And, trust me, I do not mean to pick on Rhody, and caddying is tough, honest work. But, it's also a young man's game, is seasonal, and is weather dependent. Caddying and collecting unemployment over the winter doesn't sound like the best long-term/back-up plan.

But, hey, encourage him to take the $10 an hour newspaper job, that will pay him for 40 hours when he works 60. Encourage him to take the job with the schedule that will prevent him from seeing his kid.

And, hey, the next time you're playing the media round of your favorite golf tournament, throw the 50-year-old caddy an extra $20 on behalf of Rhody.

 

Who's encouraging him to take the bad job? I thought people were encouraging him to apply and see what happens.

Here's the thing: Rhody is a big boy. If he sees the job sucks, then he doesn't need to take it - if he even gets the offer.

 

If anything, with the caddying, he has some leverage if they make him an offer. He can tell them $10 an hour ain't going to cut it.

 

Go for it, Rhody.

Good luck.

 

What's the end goal? Is it to work at a certain paper, or have certain responsibilities that can be had at a number of papers across tbe country? The latter is more likely than the former.

Back in college, I remember one woman whose dream it was to work in PR for a certain snowboarding company. Nothing else would suffice. Last I heard, she's hopping among dead-end jobs after 15 or so years.

 

With all due respect for Baron...

Board Member 1: Hey guys, as you all know, I'm an alcoholic. I haven't had a drink in a year, but I still miss it. Alcohol was my best friend, and I don't feel like I got closure. I'm think if I went on one final bender, I might be able to walk away from it without looking back.

I haven't made up my mind yet, but I think I might pick up a bottle of vodka on my way home tonight. What do you think?

Board Member 2: Go for it! if one final bender will give you closure, then I say do it!

Board Member 3: No harm in buying the bottle and bringing it home. You can still decide not to drink it. But, if you do decide to have a drink, you'll have it.

Board Member 4: I don't have an opinion either way, I just want to wish you the best of luck, no matter what your decision is.

Board Member 5: I would buy the bottle and take it home with me. Then I would weigh the pros and cons of each potential decision. Maybe then you'll decide that it's just not worth it to drink the bottle.

 

Because alcoholism and addictions are equal to applying for a job in journalism.

 

Hey, I said with respect to Baron...

But, in some cases, doesn't it? Seriously?

If journalism has taken your youth, and kicked you out when it no longer needed you is it good for you?

If you were broke when journalism decided to dump you, should you expect anything different the second time around?

If you feel a pull to return to journalism, knowing it will never love you back, is it similar to an addiction?

But, hey, even if you don't agree with this, it has to do with giving bad advice, not the underlying situation. It doesn't matter if journalism and addiction are "equal".

If someone's girlfriend kept dicking him over, would you tell him to give her another chance -- that it might be different this time -- or would you tell him to move on?

If a guy's been in Single A ball for 6 years, would you tell him to hang up the cleats and move on with his life, or would you tell him to try and catch on with an independent league tam when he gets dropped from Single A?

 

The fact that you are equating a career that most people here are passionate about and alcoholism is offensive. There's absolutely nothing to be lost by applying for the job and exploring the possibilities, if Rhody is lucky enough to get a callback.

 

I don't know. Maybe it is an addiction of sorts.

I don't know the thrill of fixing an espresso machine, either. Perhaps there is none. Perhaps there's no thrill in some jobs.

And I know there is something to be said to not prioritizing your job. I did once. I'd rather hold my granddaughter and smell baby hair now.

But we're talking about jobs.

I design pages for a three-day-a-week newspaper. The only job I would rather have is designing pages for a seven-day-a-week newspaper.

Some are not going to understand starting out with a blank slate every day, building toward a deadline, taking something concrete home and looking at what you have done.

Some are not going to understand writing that game story, seeing it run off the press, picking it apart in hopes of improving the next time.

Some are not going to understand. But those who do are going to understand why you might want to say the hell with the state of the profession, it's what I grew up wanting to do, and it's what I want to do until Social Security kicks in.