Is journalism a satisfying career?

It didn't make the Top 10 of this survey...
The most satisfying jobs are:
Clergy: 87 percent report being very satisfied
Firefighters: 80 percent
Physical therapists: 78 percent
Authors: 74 percent
Special education teachers: 70 percent
Teachers: 69 percent
Education administrators: 68 percent
Painters and sculptors: 67 percent
Psychologists: 67 percent
Security and financial services salespersons: 65 percent

The 10 least satisfying...
The least satisfying jobs are:
Laborers, except construction: 21 percent report being very satisfied
Apparel clothing salespersons: 24 percent
Handpackers and packagers: 24 percent
Food preparers: 24 percent
Roofers: 25 percent
Cashiers: 25 percent
Furniture and home-furnishing salespersons: 25 percent
Bartenders: 26 percent
Freight, stock and material handlers: 26 percent
Waiters and servers: 27 percent

Here's the link...
http://channels.isp.netscape.com/whatsnew/default.jsp?story=20070610-0500

 

It certainly can be, if you're not working for management personnel who go astonishingly far out of their way to demonstrate what utter unmitigated contempt they hold for you and your professional abilities, how utterly worthless they believe you to be to the success of the company, and revel in their power to terminate your professional career and your family's economic existence at a snap of their fingers.

Other than that, it can be pretty rewarding.

 

"Recycling year-old posts" didn't make the list either.

 

Honestly, I could definitely see some of those bottom 10 being pretty satisfying. Maybe it's just me, but working outside as a laborer (I guess depending on what you're doing) can be a decent gig if you like going outside and working hard for a day's hours. Some of the best summer work I had was working for the buildings and grounds crew at a local college.

It's all subjective.

 

IMO, no.

 

I should have seen that coming.. instead there is water on my screen -- DICK

 

Tough world out there? I have come to know how tough it is from some people I know in the business and I personally feel bad for anyone in such a tough position. I hope you someday are in empowered to change this attitude of superiority that is so forceful from upper management.

 

What he said.

Exactly what he said.

We veterans, of course are dismayed and disgusted. Nothing we can do at this point.

So we have to count on the young talent to score a few touchdowns, win a few games, and then ask -- demand -- a better playing field.

It's no fun if you're not allowed to win. And it's even worse when you don't have a team that can score.

Archie Manning was a great quarterback, college and pro. Never got to play on a winner. That's the analogy I make these days with newspapers.

Jim Plunkett struggled at times but always worked his ass off, and then he finally got to win. Twice.

God, how I would love a chance to score a few touchdowns, win a lotta games, and then do it three-five-eight years in a row.

That's what's wrong with newspapers today. They don't let a good team win the big games. My team can't even score anymore...........What's wrong with that picture?

Anyway, that's my analogy.

Discuss at will. I'm not bitching here. I want the pro-and-con debate.

Then again, yeah, I'm bitching here. It used to be so great to work for a newspaper.

 

It is... sometimes. I'm a freelancer right now, and I kind of like how I don't work for Blockbuster or some retail store like a lot of kids my age are doing. I can truly say that I love my job. I love writing. The buzz I get from writing the hell out of a feature or getting some praise from my editors... that's the satisfying part.

Wondering if there will be any jobs left in a few years... not such a satisfying part.

 

My advice: Go to a mid-sized newspaper. Anywhere from 75,000 or so to 150,000 or so, maybe not that big. At a small paper, you have to do it all, to the point of exhaustion. At a huge place, the corporate bullshit will drive you crazy, and they're all dumping staff anyway for dumb-ass reasons.

Find youself a nice mid-sized town, a place you like, and work for the paper there. They can't really afford to dump too many people, and the traffic is fine, and the town is probably so much better than the big cities.

Make sure it's a good town, though, and a good paper. Check it out hard.

 

Journalism is a satisfying career. The question is whether newspapers are still in the business of journalism or rather putting it on the back burner to satisfy Wall Street. I can honestly say the last few years were a lot less satisfying than the years before. You don't get into the business for money, but for the opportunity to do something you enjoy and write stories that you feel are meaningful. Without the opportunity for money or the chance to do something you enjoy or meaningfull, I'd have to say no.

 

The career itself can be very satisfying. What isn't satisfying are the hurdles the suits throw in the way of your ability to do it, and then rake you over the coals for not doing a better job despite the sabotage.