Question for Fellow Journalists

[sportsnut22]

I'm not sure if I'm posting this on the right board but I didn't see another place where it fit. I have a question for my fellow journalists. Your feedback is much appreciated. Say you have two job offers. One is a set $30,000 a year position with benefits. Although, you must relocate your entire family at your own expense and it's basically going to wipe out a large majority of your savings. The other one is a freelance position for around $300. This is the more prestigious position and would look better on a resume. This job is near where you live but obviously doesn't posses the long-term security of the other one. Would you take the safer job or roll the dice with something more exciting that could maybe turn into something bigger down the road? I appreciate you taking the time to respond.

 

[Stitch]

What do you mean you have two offers? A freelance offer is not a job. Do you have a spouse that works and has benefits? I also don't see how being a freelancer is more prestigious. If they are telling you there is a chance you could be hired full time, don't believe it.

 

[sportsnut22]

What do you mean you have two offers? A freelance offer is not a job. Do you have a spouse that works and has benefits? I also don't see how being a freelancer is more prestigious. If they are telling you there is a chance you could be hired full time, don't believe it.

Prestigious may not have been the right word to use. It's for a bigger company and the work would be seen by more people. The major sticking point is the relocation fees, which would be steep. Thanks for the reply.

 

[21]

$300? Can we assume you would have the opportunity to build on that, or is this a one time thing?

 

[Stitch]

It's sad to say $30,000 is better than what many of the jobs posted on this site pay.

 

[sportsnut22]

$300? Can we assume you would have the opportunity to build on that, or is this a one time thing?

Possibly in the next year or two but it will always be contracted out, never full-time.

 

[sportsnut22]

It's sad to say $30,000 is better than what many of the jobs posted on this site pay.

I hear you. This isn't the most lucrative career going. The full-time job is probably the way to go, I just wanted some feedback. Sometimes when you are struggling with a decision your mind turns to mush and you just keep going over the same things over and over.

 

[93Devil]

What does your wife do for a living?

 

[21]

$300? Can we assume you would have the opportunity to build on that, or is this a one time thing?

Possibly in the next year or two but it will always be contracted out, never full-time.

So....you would pass up a $30k salary for a $300 assignment?

What am I missing here?

 

[21]

Can you just knock out the $300 freelance piece and take the other job? Doesn't seem that complicated.

 

[WriteThinking]

Take the regular, $30,000 job.

These days, freelance jobs generally just lead to more freelance jobs, not regular staff positions. Freelancers are used, not hired, in part because they've actually proven they don't need to be hired in order for companies to get work out of them, and, these days, companies figure why should they hire someone if they don't need to.

You must have a track record in this business. and the best way to build one is through staff jobs. Freelancers are persona non grata, and unless a company is offering you a job as a regularly used, officially contracted freelancer -- that is to say, as a really regular freelancer for them that makes you almost a defacto staff member (without any of the benefits other than clips in a bigger paper, though), I would always go for a more regular, staff position, and then move up the ladder to, hopefully, better regular staff positions after that.

The move required by the first job you mentioned does not necessarily have to cost a fortune, and even if it does, it would be a one-time thing. Once you're there, you're there.

 

[sportsnut22]

$300? Can we assume you would have the opportunity to build on that, or is this a one time thing?

Possibly in the next year or two but it will always be contracted out, never full-time.

So....you would pass up a $30k salary for a $300 assignment?

What am I missing here?

It's just the relocation I'm having a problem with. My wife is a teacher, so she would have to find another job and we have a young child. If it was just me, I would be gone already. But when you have others to think about it makes the decision a little tougher. My wife makes more money than me, obviously. That's the big sticking point. It's almost like taking a step back but as I'm sure you all know, full-time writing gigs don't grow on trees these days.

 

[sportsnut22]

Take the regular, $30,000 job.

These days, freelance jobs generally just lead to more freelance jobs, not regular staff positions. Freelancers are used, not hired, in part because they've actually proven they don't need to be hired in order for companies to get work out of them, and, these days, companies figure why should they hire someone if they don't need to.

You must have a track record in this business. and the best way to build one is through staff jobs. Freelancers are persona non grata, and unless a company is offering you a job as a regularly used, officially contracted freelancer -- that is to say, as a really regular freelancer for them that makes you almost a defacto staff member (without any of the benefits other than clips in a bigger paper, though), I would always go for a more regular, staff position, and then move up the ladder to, hopefully, better regular staff positions after that.

The move required by the first job you mentioned does not necessarily have to cost a fortune, and even if it does, it would be a one-time thing. Once you're there, you're there.

That's a great response and you are 100% right about the freelance stuff. It's like a never-ending maze and you hit it right on the head, they don't have to pay people good money because there are so many of us out there willing to do it. I appreciate you taking the time to respond. This is why I posted the question. It may seem cut and dry but I've seen others get good advice on here, so I figured it wouldn't hurt to throw it out there and get feedback. Thanks again.

 

[93Devil]

Your wife is a teacher?

Stay where you are. She is not finding another job.

My division educates 24,000 students and has 3,000 employees, do you know now many general teaching poistion we have advertised right now as open? None.

Unless she is a speech therapist or special edication (and that is not a slam dunk anymore) certified, you are making a huge roll of the dice by moving.

 

[sportsnut22]

Your wife is a teacher?

Stay where you are. She is not finding another job.

My division educates 24,000 students and has 3,000 employees, do you know now many general teaching poistion we have advertised right now as open? None.

Unless she is a speech therapist or special edication (and that is not a slam dunk anymore) certified, you are making a huge roll of the dice by moving.

All fair points. The only profession that may be hurting more than journalism is teaching. We joke all the time that we should get divorced and each marry someone with a profession that isn't dying a slow death every day. lol

 

[TwoGloves]

Being at a more "prestigious" paper where more people will see your work shouldn't matter. A good story is a good story no matter where it appears and if you go looking for a job down the road, people will realize that when they see your clips. We've had a helluva time filling some open positions because so many bloggers applied and they not only can't write worth a lick, they all want to start out covering big-league stuff rather than getting their feet wet with preps and the like. Given your wife has a job, that's a tough call. Good luck.

 

[Stitch]

Can your wife find a job there? If she can't, can you afford to live there? If you move to Dickinson, N.D., for example, crappy apartments are going for $1,500 for a one bedroom and $2,500 for three bedrooms.

Have you asked about relocation help or just didn't get offered any?

 

[93Devil]

Your wife is a teacher?

Stay where you are. She is not finding another job.

My division educates 24,000 students and has 3,000 employees, do you know now many general teaching position we have advertised right now as open? None.

Unless she is a speech therapist or special education (and that is not a slam dunk anymore) certified, you are making a huge roll of the dice by moving.

All fair points. The only profession that may be hurting more than journalism is teaching. We joke all the time that we should get divorced and each marry someone with a profession that isn't dying a slow death every day. lol

Education is not going away. It just contracted from 2008 until now. It will get back, but you need for people to retire.

Six years ago, a school division I know ran out of people to hire. They exhausted the applicant pool. Now, the line is five deep for a position. The supply of jobs is not meeting the demand. It will even out in a year or two.

Her career right now is stronger than yours. How many years has she been teaching?

 

[sportsnut22]

Can your wife find a job there? If she can't, can you afford to live there? If you move to Dickinson, N.D., for example, crappy apartments are going for $1,500 for a one bedroom and $2,500 for three bedrooms.

Have you asked about relocation help or just didn't get offered any?

They don't offer any. I asked about it.

 

[sportsnut22]

Your wife is a teacher?

Stay where you are. She is not finding another job.

My division educates 24,000 students and has 3,000 employees, do you know now many general teaching position we have advertised right now as open? None.

Unless she is a speech therapist or special education (and that is not a slam dunk anymore) certified, you are making a huge roll of the dice by moving.

All fair points. The only profession that may be hurting more than journalism is teaching. We joke all the time that we should get divorced and each marry someone with a profession that isn't dying a slow death every day. lol

Education is not going away. It just contracted from 2008 until now. It will get back, but you need for people to retire.

Six years ago, a school division I know ran out of people to hire. They exhausted the applicant pool. Now, the line is five deep for a position. The supply of jobs is not meeting the demand. It will even out in a year or two.

Her career right now is stronger than yours. How many years has she been teaching?

She has been teaching for a while but has been at her most recent position for only one year, which makes her a candidate to be laid off.