Have you given up?

One of my best friends left the business about a year ago, took a job closer to his hometown to start a family, and he's just short of miserable at his 9-to-5.

I love this job almost every day. From the time I realized I wasn't going to play baseball for a living, I have wanted to do this. I have been VERY fortunate to get where I am at 25, and I still want to see how far I can go. If I have to leave for family reasons, I will. But until then, this is what I want to do.

 

I think I'm going to be making this decision in about three months. It's about 60-40 to look into something new. It's hard to get onto here sometimes and see all the horrible stories linked to about layoffs, cuts and all that good stuff.

Then again, three months from now, there may not be many new jobs to be had. coughrecessioncough.

 

Piotr, I honestly don't think we are butting heads on this. We aren't seeing eye-to-eye, but we aren't diametrically opposite either.

I freely admit I'm doing a poor job of explaining how I feel. For that, I apologize.

I love newspapering. I didn't get into it until years after college. And I took a five-figure salary decrease to get my first newspaper gig. I knew I'd never get rich in this business, but I'm happier doing it than I ever was in the corporate world. You couldn't pay me enough to go back into it.

My standard of living isn't as high as it would have been if I'd stayed in corporate America. But my standard of happiness wouldn't be as high as it currently is.

 

Inky, we agree. Sorry I got snarky in my last one.

I love this business myself. Hours and salary dictate that I can't do certain things, but I don't care. I married someone understanding, and that's all that matters to me. If I were in another profession, I would do different things, and not having nearly the feeling of making an impact on people.

My current feelings, though, are tempered by the fact that there are three layoff threads today, all dealing with my home state. Hell, this thread too. I can't help but worry about a world where we can go from one day being fine with the minimal pay and long hours because our passion for this business is unbridled . . and then next we can be whacked because a bottom-feeding sonofabitch like Dean Singleton is pulling the strings from his ivory fucking tower.

 

I've been out of the newspaper biz for almost two years, but I'm still in journalism. I work for a financial trade publication in Chicago.

I too, like many others on here, had huge dreams when I got into the newspaper biz over six years ago. I started off at a 30K paper and did every major beat in the sports department. Unfortunately, I was let go and definitely didn't leave the biz on my earn terms. I tried to get back in, but with newsrooms shrinking, there was no where for me to go, so I took a stab at what I'm doing now and it's working out well so far.

There are a few of us at the publication who daydream about going back, but who are we kidding? We work 9 to 5, have weekends off, have all federal holidays off, get three weeks vacation and good benefits. And our publication is adding positions instead of cutting them. Sure I miss sportswriting and I still freelance to get my fix, but it would have to be the right position to call back.

I hope some how, some way, things work out for everyone. I've come across some very talented people in this industry who deserve a lot better than their current situations.

 

I am sick of dreaming. I am doing what I wanted and am at a mid sized daily who travels with the DI football team everywhere. Yeah, it's a nice job as are going to NCAA tournaments, world title fights, bowl games and other big events.

Our ego is our downfall. We love being that sports guy who everyone looks at with envy. We crave being on the inside and love the fact that we are treated with a degree of fandom. Yeah, I love going on the radio and doing the occasional TV spot.

But, you know what? Give me six figures any day. The rest is just window dressing. I don't want a simple 9-5 $40k job, but I'll take an $80k plus job that has growth potential.

Dreams are for suckers. If I could get a $100k a year job I would buy season tickets to the team and be a crazy message board poster. That would be a lot more fun.

On a more serious note, I would like a better house and be able to actually buy a nice Christmas gift once in awhile.

I a sense, I live a lie. I look like a big shot, hang with the big shots, am treated like gospel, but yet I wouldn't be able to afford a script to my paper.

I am done. I just can't seem to find a good enough job to leave to.

 

So jfs, what are you doing to get a $100,000 gig?

 

Your post speaks a lot of truth to me.

I am new into the business, a year out of college, but I set goals that are attainable for myself. By age 25, I wanted to work for a daily, cover a Division I beat, cover some professional sports and have a chance for upward mobility. Just one year out of college, I put myself in a situation where I have achieved every single one of those goals.

To me, it's all about setting realistic goals and knowing your talent level. Then most of it is believing in yourself.

To the OP, can't say I have given up.

 

A good friend of mine just got chewed up and spit out of a family owned community newspaper company I worked for once upon a time. Single mom – one kid in college, two more at home – a dozen or so good years with a company that's making plenty of cash in a growing area. They trusted her enough to tackle a big project, then riffed her when it was completed.

She had just enough time for a weekend of shock and worry ... then got snapped up in a related field, just like that. Doesn't even have to move.

She can use her skills and make a living and stay out of the sturm und drang of the newspaper biz. I say good for her.

Me? I have tumbled into a situation where, rather than giving up, we are bullish on the business is our region and hope to take great advantage of the fact that others are devaluing their newspaper properties.

Give up? Nuts.

 

I haven't given up. And I don't plan on it any time soon. But my goals might change due to personal circumstances -- family, location, etc. If I leave the business, per se, it'll be to teach it. I can't imagine doing anything outside of journalism. I'm lucky. I found what I love early. Covering the "big teams" aren't at the forefront of my mind anymore. Being a beat reporter for a major-league team is still something I'd love to do. But, as opposed to when I was 22 -- three years ago -- it's not the be-all, end-all of my career.

 

I've spent 13-plus years in this business making countless sacrifices, and never once have I thought I made a difference in anyone's life. I just keep grinding away, and all I have to show for it is a lifetime of blood pressure medicine, a failed marriage and a social life that is likely fucked up beyond repair.

 

Haven't lost hope yet, but getting there. I've worked 180 hours in the last three weeks and 20 days of the last 21. I do everything at the paper and all my EIC can say is "Oh, can you cover x and x as well?" Yeah I know, "Brush up the resume and start looking for a new job." Well unless I want to move thousands of miles away or make a lateral move, there are no jobs to found. After getting out of college I pictured myself rapidly climbing the ladder to bigger and better things. I just didn't realize the ladder is busted after the first rung.