thinking about getting into the business...

He's 18 freakin' years old. The best thing I ever did was not go to college for a few years after high school. No need for all the pressure right now. Let the kid figure out his own way. Yes, going into journalism is not anywhere near a sure thing. But if that's what he wants to do RIGHT NOW, it won't be the end of the world.

 

Fair enough.
But the kid is smart to seek our some opinions.

 

And if he is that smart -- and I've no doubt he is -- he will take those opinions as counsel, not gospel. Eighteen is precisely the time in one's life to go out, make mistakes and see if one can make a living doing something enjoyable.

JP: I highly recommend you do as IJAG suggests. This is a turbulent time for our business, and anyone who wants to get into it should do so with their eyes wide open. Go 10 to 15 pages deep into JTO and take note of all the threads on layoffs, frozen jobs and cutbacks. You'll see people of all shapes, sizes and pay grades being cast aside -- even Pulitzer Prize winners, and that alone should give you pause.

You say you believe you're a good writer, but you should know there is a vast difference between writing for your English class and writing for a newspaper. If you're serious about getting into journalism -- and you'd better be serious, because doing this half-assed won't do you any favors -- then you need to start gaining experience now and learn that difference. Find a newspaper near you that needs help answering phones, doing grunt work, etc. and see if they'll take you on and help you learn the ropes. If not (and said paper might not need help, these spots are usually shored up in the fall), see if your college has a student publication or if you can work out an unpaid internship.

As you can see, this is not a pleasant time to do what we do. Learn from the people here, learn first-hand for yourself and make your own decision. If you're going to have regrets, best to regret what you did and not what you didn't do.

 

solid post, trooper.

 

I agree with you, but the kid -- or anybody else considering taking the plunge -- needs to go into this with eyes wide open. He needs to know that the profession he's considering is dying, at least as it is currently being practiced. He needs to know that nobody -- I mean, almost literally nobody -- is hiring right now. He needs to know that there is a very real chance he goes through four years of college, spends all that time and money, and there is no job waiting for him on the other end.

If he knows all of this, and still wants to give it a shot ... hey, go for it, I guess.

 

Because you may work on the news side and that love of sports will only get you so far then.

 

Dear whoever you are,

If you want to have a "cool" job that pays you shit, by all means do journalism. If you want to have a good job that pays you well and can support your future paternal desires, by all means get a business degree and fuck over lots of people on the way up. Just remember, it's morning in America!

 

1) I wanted to go to events, travel, meet interesting people (this was before half the sports world became A-holes).

2) No, my first experience was working with my university paper and stringing prep games for a local metro.

3) Like all jobs, it CAN be stressful at times. You're always on deadline. There's no such thing as "normal" hours. You're in the public eye, which can be a blessing as well as a curse.

If you want a "normal" life, with a real paycheck, a wife, kids, house and a dog, I'd look into other options. If covering sports are your passion and you want to pursue that, then go for it. Even in this economy, there are plenty of events. Newspapers may be dying, but there are other forms of journalism.

 

My answer to the thread title: don't bother.

The industry many of us used to work in is dead. The suits are killing it.

Find something else that allows you to be creative, be paid decent, actually see family and friends and take time off during the year.