"Getting out of the business" resource thread

Dunno if you made the jump, but I would avoid the ARC program. I was looking to get into teaching and looked into Central CT State, University of Bridgeport and University of New Haven, in addition to ARC. The thing with the state program is that you basically get thrown as a 1st year teacher into a struggling city classroom. That is a double whammy right there.

The best program I found was at New Haven, where you get hired by a school system and sub, do lunch duty, whatever 5 days a week and take 3 night classes a week. You do that for a year full-time and then do 6 mos student teaching. All along you have a mentor and in 18 months, you not only have your CT teaching Cert, but your Masters as well (which means more money......You would still need to get a Masters even if you went into the ARC program).

My 2c.

 

It greatly depends on your personal beliefs, of course, but I'd try looking into the military and its officer programs if you're in that 21-30 age range or so. If you're in shape (or can get there) and can reconcile dealing with the authoritarian atmosphere along with, you know, the whole possibility of deployment and whatnot, do a little research and see if any of the services or career fields strike your fancy. The biggest plus I figured out is that, just in case you're like me an regretting majoring in journalism over something more practical and useful, it gives you a chance to move into a radically different field that could prove way more useful once you get out.

Same old story for me. I got sick and tired of the rampant bullshit and had a difficult time envisioning myself at 20 years down the line plugging away trying to reach the $40,000 a year mark one day while working 60 hours a week and struggling to move up the career ladder. That, and I just lost the will to do this crap. I enjoy Friday nights and writing and covering games and all of that good stuff but, frankly, I just don't see how I'm making a difference or how I'm bring any tangible worth to the world around me. I know with hard work that I could, but with the environment the way it is I can't reconcile putting in the countless hours to make it happen and produce quality stuff on a regular basis (which, by the way, nobody in management is going to give a rats ass about). I still do my job and I do it well, I believe, but that's the kind of attitude that's poison to the profession and does a disservice to everyone involved. Time to jump ship before I get to be too bitter about it.

Rant aside, I applied for Officer Training School with the Air Force and got picked up as a Combat Systems Officer (read: Goose in Top Gun). Personally, I think it'll be more a more fulfilling career for me, I'll get to fly and, yeah, the perks aren't too bad either. After everything adds up, its about ~$50,000 a year to start and hits the six figure mark at about 10-12 years. Free health insurance, retirement, plus the fact that I'll be jumping into a career field with a more technical slant (aircraft systems, avionics, etc.) that'll put me in better shape once I get out. I'm out of here in February to go get my commission and, if the urge strikes me, dabble in sports writing on the side on my own terms without all the extra nonsense.

PM me if you've got any questions and I'll pass on what I know.

 

"Getting Out" job opportunity posted:

http://www.sportsjournalists.com/forum/threads/86844/

 

After a buyout from my paper in Atlanta, I have found work as a writer for a large university. It's not in sports but sometimes involves reporting on the athletics department. This website can give you some ideas of the type of writing/editing needed in universities: http://www.case.org/.

Journalists can step into higher education and get up to speed pretty quickly. Your skills will be appreciated.

There is a sense of public service in this type of work because the product is education-- something that's not hard to support (imo). PM me if I can help.

 

Last Saturday, I received my Career Switcher license. There are still steps to complete before I get all the way through, but as of now, I'm employable. Maybe I should change my handle.

 

Halfway through my master's program. Next fall, I'll be prepping my applications for PhD programs.

 

Can't believe I haven't actually posted on this thread that I can recall, though I did see Cadet's mention of a thread I once created.

I'm not sure if anyone else on here has call center experience, but for anyone who may be wondering why I mention it, I work at the call center for a bank. The bank I'm working for seems to be expanding frequently and always seems to be hiring new people for teller, call center and back office positions.

I had zero banking experience when I started there, and my prior call center experience was probably one of the biggest selling points that got me the job. Another one was when I took my stepfather's advice and asked about "opportunities to work overtime." To this day, I remember seeing my now-manager's eyes light up when I used that phrase.

The minimum starting salary at the position I got hired for wasn't great, but my starting salary when I was hired was actually a little bit more than what I made in my last year in newspapers as a managing editor for a weekly newspaper. If nothing else, it was important psychologically. What I found was that if you display anything resembling the work ethic journalists do, they will treat you well and reward you. I got promoted to my current job just barely nine months in and got a sizable bump in salary.

If you want more information, send me a PM.

 

Yeah I've heard varying things about ARC...The UConn Hartford branch offers masters and teaching certificate in a year for a reasonable price, so I think that's the route I'll be going.

 

Thanks for the resources here, guys. This is a thread I haven't really concentrated on because I was generally happy with the business, though now I'm in a position where I may be getting out and it's a little scary at the moment.

Basically, a municipal communications job opened up in the town where I work with a starting salary that was like a $20k boost from what I have. Partially to get my family off my back about my low wages, partially because I was curious about the position and the interview experience, etc. I applied, not really expecting to get it.

I interviewed, knew the people from our coverage, and surprisingly had answers to most of what they had to say and most of my assessment for my pre-interview assignments seemed to fit what they were suggesting. They've asked me back for a second interview with my would-be direct supervisor next week and this is starting to get really real, really fast. It's also the first organization I've talked to in a while that has really given me this kind of interest.

Aside from the deadline crunch and the awful pay, I really love where I am. I love to write stories and layout the paper, I have an incredible amount of freedom and control over the product, and it's something I've wanted to do for a while. On the other hand, the new gig seems to be a fit for me, though I don't know people's expectations, what I can realistically walk in and do with my knowledge, what budget constraints may mean, etc.

Is this conflicted nature normal? Any advice?

 

I'm really struggling with this. I'm young, but I've been working my butt off in journalism since I was in high school. I feel my career has kind of plateaued at preps. I've applied over the past few years at papers to cover college and haven't been able to make the leap. I stupidly sacrificed my social and academic lives to work at the student newspaper while interning and freelancing for the hometown daily. I've got a job now as a sports editor of a small paper, but I feel like I've done all I can do there.

I've also been applying for out of journalism writing jobs... not even a sniff. I know I've got the skills (I've worked in features, news, sports, I've done photo and layout and damn near everything short of selling ads) and I've definitely got the work ethic places are looking for, but I feel like my lack of work history out of journalism is hurting me. I really want to just tell myself, "fuck it, stop applying to newspapers," but then it kind of feels like all this time I've put forth has been a wasted effort. Every day, I go back and forth. One day, thinking "Well, I've put in all this time, why stop now?" and then the next day, I'm ready to leave it all behind for anyone who will pay me a decent wage.

I've been reading through this thread and it really has been inspiring. I know it's not too late for me, but it's just extremely frustrating right now.

 

I was recently in a similar position, CA. I worked my butt off through college, small weeklies and small dailies to get a job as the main preps guy at a pretty respectable paper that also covered an SEC school. I did good work there for several years, won some awards and got to expand to some college coverage. But it felt like I hit a ceiling. I could never take that next step, at my paper or another. Eventually, I was just spinning my tires. With the industry in as poor shape as it is, I started applying to anything that involved writing. After a long search, I landed a job in marketing and PR for one of the biggest children's hospital systems in the southeast. I'm working regular hours, making the kind of pay I'm supposed to be making at my age and I have incredible benefits and job security.

I struggled with same things you did. Was my prior work just a waste? Was I giving up on my dream? I can say with absolute certainty that the answer to the first question is NO. There is no way I would have the skills or work ethic to do what I do now if it weren't for my time in newspapers. And meeting deadlines in this job is so insanely easy in comparison that it is funny. But the second question is harder to answer. Part of me feels like I did give up. But another part feels like that dream gave up on me. The dream job I wanted when I left college just isn't around anymore, at least not in the same capacity. Plus, I just got tired of the bullshit, which we all have to put up with.

Whatever you decide-stay or go-stick with that decision and don't look back. That is the key. Sure, there are plenty of things I miss about my old gig. But I think you'll find there is a lot out there that can be just as fulfilling.

Just keep up that same work ethic and drive and you'll be fine. Good luck.

 

Long-time lurker on this thread, first-time poster. That describes the exact spot I'm in. Everything in me wants out, but I just can't make the plunge. And I have no idea where to go.