Need your help guys...please...

Hey guys,

I'm at what can only be called a "career crossroads." I've dreamed of being a journalist for my entire life, and I'm pretty good (*pretty good, no need to get flamed*). I graduate college in May with a solid-to-decent resume, was just a finalst for the NY Times internship and still waiting to hear back on others (which means I probably did not get them).

I had a primary interview for a company in marketing/market research/PR/Product development recently, and it is something to consider. The field is something I've been interested in for years, I expect to get offered the job, and I expect the offer to be substantially more than I'd make out of college at a small-town paper.

After eight years of journalism, 4 1/2 at my college paper and numerous internships / stringing assignments, I feel like I'm no closer to my dreams.

Sorry if this seems like a rant, but I'm just so broken right now. Not asking for a pity party, but some solid advice. Has anyone gotten out of journalism for a couple years and gone back. And when you went back, was it the same?

Man oh man, this sucks...why do I have to graduate??!?

 

Take the marketing gig and run. And don't look back.

 

Super,

No. 1, if you were a finalist for a NY Times internship, you must be pretty good and not close to a failure of any sort.

No. 2, if the pr/marketing job intests you, take it.

The newspaper landscape is kinda crazy right now.

 

Da_man, trust me, that path looks very alluring.

Ace, first of all, thanks for the response. You've responded to many of mine, and I always appreciate the feedback. I don't feel like a failure, but I always had these grandiose dreams of working for a major magazine or newspaper, and with the crazy landscape, I just don't think that will ever happen...

 

a) This is no "career crossroads"; this is a college graduation. Let's have some perspective here. b) Take a deep breath. Your whole life isn't going to end if you make the "wrong" decision. There is no "wrong" decision.

You'll make substantially more with the other job, while you'll almost assuredly be scrapping for peanuts in your first "real" journalism gig. Something to consider seriously.

And take a minute (or a month) to consider what your "dreams" are. Not everyone can make it to to the NY Times, and not everybody wants to. Just because you've put in "eight years of journalism" doesn't mean you've started paying your dues, especially if you're just now graduating college. It doesn't work that way.

Consider all your options. You've got your whole life ahead of you.

And yes, Thomas Wolfe, you can go home again.

 

I wouldn't feel that way. I think things need to sort out in the next few years.

If writing for a big paper or magazine is what you really want to do, go for it.

But if the other job really does interest you, maybe you should consider it.

 

Buck -

Again, thanks for the reply. Ditto to what wrote about Ace, you've helped a lot.

Money means very little to me. Sure, I enjoy eating at nice joints, but I'm just as happy with take-out Chinese. I'll have to learn to live with Top Ramen, I'm sure.

I'm more than willing to pay my dues. I completely understand that. But it just seems more and more that the dues won't lead to much before I'm 40 years old. I don't know if I can live with that right now...

 

You're graduating from college and advertising yourself as having eight years of journalism experience? Sounds like you'd be perfect fit in the PR biz.

 

Some of use take longer to navigate college than others, banana breath.

 

Ouch. That cuts deep.

 

That's a career crossroads? I feel old.

 

i am old.