"Getting out of the business" resource thread

Thanks for the much-needed pat on the back.

 

When the other person flames out in three months...

Good luck. You're taking it better than I would.

 

I was nearly in tears yesterday.

I give them credit though, for at least letting me know. There are places out there that just never tell you anything.

 

Job-hunting really is hard -- much more difficult than people who haven't done it in a while might think.

The burden is almost entirely on the job-seeker these days, with even simple courtesies not guaranteed by employers, and actual help or encouragement is generally too much to hope for or expect. I'm sorry you didn't get this position, Baron. It sounds like it would have been a good fit, and as if you really wanted it.

 

Reading recent posts in this thread; damn, I wish I could just send everyone a six pack or their favorite scotch and soon after go Al-Queda on corporates from sea to shining sea. Makes me want to vomit when I see what is happening every day to good people. Hang in there peeps.

 

I'm mortified that some people in this business or any business can't bother enough to lift a finger and email or make a phone call and tell a candidate that they didn't get a job. That's one thing I've always done and will always do when it's my responsibility. Treating people like actual human beings is the very least anyone can do. Yeah, at least they kept you informed. You'll find something Baron. Hang in there.

 

Every time I apply for a job -- craft a just-right cover letter, tweak the resume so it fits the job's requirements, find some writing samples that make me look like a competent professional -- I'm mentally drained afterward. No, I'm not expecting pity or sympathy. I do 100 percent identify with what you wrote, though.

 

Thanks for the kind words.

I did actually get a phone call from the HR lady, and her words were kind, although I think scripted. Then they sent a form email.

So at least they let me know.

This one sucks because I literally was in the final two. Thiiiiissse close. ...

 

I'm past my breaking point. I want and need out of journalism after almost 15 years in the industry.

I stayed, despite my frustrations with the industry, because it was stable income for someone who had lacked it for years growing up. But the longtime girlfriend recently said she's noticed a change in my mood, and after a long talk, we've come to the realization that the work environment was affecting me more than I thought.

My problem is the majority of my contacts are still in the business. My network is limited and her field - she's a nurse in a small hospital group - doesn't have a lot of crossover, though she's keeping an eye open for any communications positions that pop up in her group.

So how does one transition out of journalism with a limited network? Almost every job I've been hired for in this business came via networking. Now my network isn't much help.

Thoughts? Advice?

 

Are you on LinkedIn? If so, do you post, comment, or otherwise interact with people there regularly? Is there a second-level connection (friend of a friend) who might be willing to talk with you about his/her job/company/field?

Are there any organizations in your future field based near you? (Meetup counts!) Go to a meeting and/or event, then interact with people you meet there. (Forward relevant articles, take someone out to coffee to pick his/her brain, ask for informational interviews, etc.)

Could you take a class oriented toward the future field?

Does your college/university offer career counseling for alumni? Is there any alumni network into which you can tap? Does your city/state/region offer anything along those lines?

 

I'm on LinkedIn, but I'm not very active. My profile is mostly up-to-date, though it could use some more work. But that's about the extent that I've used it in the past few years.

As far as a future field, I'm not even sure about specifics. So far my general mindset has been broad - too broad. Corporate communications, public relations, writing for a university, digital content, etc. I feel like I need to narrow that down somehow, get a better idea of what skills translate to which areas and how to go about developing a network within that area.

I'll have to look into career counseling for alumni. It's a fairly small university, but it's possible they have something set up.

 

If there is anything outside of writing/communications that you think might like to pursue, or ever have, now might be the time to look into it.

I get the desire for crossover and the thinking that your skill set is, well, set, but sometimes a complete change is good if you can pull it off. And a time like this is the time to go for it -- when you're wanting out of what you're doing. I get surprised by all the people who sound like they're miserable with journalism, but yet, only look at related fields that seem like you might end up in practically the same circumstances, thinking things are likely to be any different or better.

I know that, sometimes, they will be, but I'll just plant the seed that may point you toward at least considering something else entirely if you've ever given thought to that -- a new season in life as it were.