Seeking Career Advice

[djsquid06]

Hello all. I rarely post on here but am a frequent reader and search for jobs here often. I am a recent college graduate who seeks wise advice from those much wiser and more experienced than me.

I worked at my school newspaper for a few years and ended as an ME. I spent most of my time on the sports desk. Sports remains my speciality and I'm hoping to eventually land a job in sports journalism.

I have applied to five graduate schools (one in sports journalism) and have planned on going to get a Master's for a while now. I also applied to many jobs after graduation in hopes of getting a bite at a job where I think I can grow.

Much to my surprise, I got a couple job interviews, including one recently in which I really impressed. It's to be an ME at a news corp. The pay is solid for entry level journalism, I'd hold an editing position (something I didn't think was possible coming out of undergrad).

But I do hold idealistic dreams. I have always longed to get a sports reporter/editor position at a big daily or online operation. Sports will always be my passion and the area I can cover the best. Will taking this position lead me to strictly being a news reporter, or could it springboard me to my goal? I also want to take advantage of the rest of my youthful years, and the thought of getting my master's at CUNY, USF or Missouri and then going directly to ESPN, CBS Sports etc. greatly entices me. Is that me just dreaming, or is that a possibility?

In the back of my mind, I know that taking this job would be the smart decision. It'd provide me with some financial stability, and I'd hold a journalism job, something that I should covet. But both my parents have complained about their jobs for years and seem to be unhappy with their work, and I don't want to be in that position.

Hope to receive some feedback. I know this is a long rant, but thanks a lot for reading.

 

[Dick Whitman]

The first thing you might want to do is remove every single scrap of information on the post giving yourself away as the person who just interviewed at that paper.

Helpful hint 1: It is likely they at least peruse this board.

Helpful hint 2: I am quite sure they would love to read that you "xxxxxxxxxxxxx"

Not to be an asshole here, but use your damned head. That's my first piece of career advice. Christ almighty.

 

[Turtle Wexler]

I also want to take advantage of the rest of my youthful years, and the thought of getting my master's at CUNY, USF or Missouri and then going directly to ESPN, CBS Sports etc. greatly entices me. Is that me just dreaming, or is that a possibility?

You're dreaming. I've known people whose first jobs after journalism graduate school were at Target or waiting tables.

And ditto what Whitman said.

 

[Stitch]

The first thing you might want to do is remove every single scrap of information on the post giving yourself away as the person who just interviewed at that paper.

Helpful hint 1: It is likely they at least peruse this board.

Helpful hint 2: I am quite sure they would love to read that you "hold idealistic dreams that I'm not sure I'd reach if I took this position."

Not to be an asshole here, but use your damned head. That's my first piece of career advice. Christ almighty.

What would spnited say? Just remember that. Threads like this show why he'll be missed so much.

If you want to hit the big time, you have to start somewhere. If you were a stud, you wouldn't be here telling us about some glamorous job in Podunk, you'd already have a good-paying gig.

 

[djsquid06]

I guess this is a good example of me receiving advice from those wiser and more experienced than me.

 

[Dick Whitman]

I guess this is a good example of me receiving advice from those wiser and more experienced than me.

 

[Turtle Wexler]

Also, is your e-mail address (which is visible when someone clicks through your profile) supposed to read squiddy-nasty or squid-dynasty? Either way, I really hope that's not the address you use on your resume. I know you think it's cute, but as a hiring employer, it's an unprofessional turn-off.

 

[djsquid06]

That's not the e-mail I use anymore.

 

[sgreenwell]

I think the general advice in pretty much every thread is that the Master's in journalism isn't worth the debt you'd queue up. You're more likely to impress a potential employee with two to four more years of excellent clips, as opposed to a degree. Having a graduate degree from Columbia might get you an interview at a semi-large employer, but so would some experience, and you'd at least stem the tide of your college debt as opposed to adding to it.

 

[shockey]

i give you credit for the bravery (um, naivete'?) to ask for advice here. and my intention is certainly not to be cruel or mistaken as an attempt to quash your hopes and dreams. i certainly appreciate your gung-ho attitude but...

put the brakes on, buddy. you've set your sights on operations it usually takes many years and several job to reach. unless you've got a big-time connection somewhere at one of these places, you're almost certain to begin at a 'poduck-level' outlet and close to an entry-level position at that once you land there -- which is likely to be a while after you've concluded your educational climb.

and please don't be discouraged. just try to be a tad more realistic. that will also help you in the battle to remain encouraged....

 

[Stitch]

We need more threads like "I just graduated college and didn't do anything but write for my school paper and have no useful skills besides playing on my iPhone."

 

[Dick Whitman]

i give you credit for the bravery (um, naivete'?) to ask for advice here. and my intention is certainly not to be cruel or mistaken as an attempt to quash your hopes and dreams. i certainly appreciate your gung-ho attitude but...

put the brakes on, buddy. you've set your sights on operations it usually takes many years and several job to reach. unless you've got a big-time connection somewhere at one of these places, you're almost certain to begin at a 'poduck-level' outlet and close to an entry-level position at that once you land there -- which is likely to be a while after you've concluded your educational climb.

and please don't be discouraged. just try to be a tad more realistic. that will also help you in the battle to remain encouraged....

I tend to disagree. I think nowadays you pretty much have to start big or go home if you have big-time aspirations. People don't make the climb from Podunk to ESPN.com very frequently. I'm sure someone could point out to me a dozen big-timers who started by covering preps at their local weekly right out of community college, but it seems to me that most people who end up at SI, The New York Times, the Washington Post, etc., etc., were on that track pretty much when they stepped off campus or before.

You mentioned that you interned at some point at a 100K circulation paper. That's good. You might actually be someone who could benefit from a masters - but only at a select few places: Columbia, NU, maybe Berkeley, maybe NYU. Other than that - and I'm inclined to say Columbia or bust where that's concerned - don't screw with it. I definitely think Columbia is worth way more than years of experience at clips in the bushes, if you're serious about this.

Also: Be open to opportunities outside of sports. Some people start in sports, stay in sports, loves sports. Others get tired of sports. A lot of people actually. It may seem like that would never happen to you, but if you're talking about graduate school and big aspirations, then I would recommend at least considering a career off the sports track, if only that you open up that many more opportunities for yourself.

If I had it to do over again, I would probably go into news instead of sports. I love sports, don't get me wrong, but as a vocation, I love journalism more. And too much of sports is a cattle call.

 

[Hank_Scorpio]

We need more threads like "I just graduated college and didn't do anything but write for my school paper and have no useful skills besides playing on my iPhone."

For his next thread, "How am I supposed to keep stats at a high school game. They did all this for me in college."

 

[djsquid06]

I actually kept stats myself during games in addition to receiving box scores.

Thanks for the help.

 

[Raiders]

Get an MBA. Or a business degree.
Or something else that is more fun, with nights off.
Your hopes are not what this path will deliver.
It's a hard life, and there ain't any rewards anymore.

 

[Point of Order]

nursing

 

[Journalist21]

i give you credit for the bravery (um, naivete'?) to ask for advice here. and my intention is certainly not to be cruel or mistaken as an attempt to quash your hopes and dreams. i certainly appreciate your gung-ho attitude but...

put the brakes on, buddy. you've set your sights on operations it usually takes many years and several job to reach. unless you've got a big-time connection somewhere at one of these places, you're almost certain to begin at a 'poduck-level' outlet and close to an entry-level position at that once you land there -- which is likely to be a while after you've concluded your educational climb.

and please don't be discouraged. just try to be a tad more realistic. that will also help you in the battle to remain encouraged....

I tend to disagree. I think nowadays you pretty much have to start big or go home if you have big-time aspirations. People don't make the climb from Podunk to ESPN.com very frequently. I'm sure someone could point out to me a dozen big-timers who started by covering preps at their local weekly right out of community college, but it seems to me that most people who end up at SI, The New York Times, the Washington Post, etc., etc., were on that track pretty much when they stepped off campus or before.

You mentioned that you interned at some point at a 100K circulation paper. That's good. You might actually be someone who could benefit from a masters - but only at a select few places: Columbia, NU, maybe Berkeley, maybe NYU. Other than that - and I'm inclined to say Columbia or bust where that's concerned - don't screw with it. I definitely think Columbia is worth way more than years of experience at clips in the bushes, if you're serious about this.

Also: Be open to opportunities outside of sports. Some people start in sports, stay in sports, loves sports. Others get tired of sports. A lot of people actually. It may seem like that would never happen to you, but if you're talking about graduate school and big aspirations, then I would recommend at least considering a career off the sports track, if only that you open up that many more opportunities for yourself.

If I had it to do over again, I would probably go into news instead of sports. I love sports, don't get me wrong, but as a vocation, I love journalism more. And too much of sports is a cattle call.

Unfortunately, that is what you need to do. We have a sports writer at the local paper. She went to Northwestern, got an internship at the Boston Globe, and now she's a sports feature writer. That is what writers are going to have to do if they want any chance of making it big-time.

If you're dead-set on becoming a sportswriter and are willing to take the conditions, go for it. But if you have doubts, I'd look elsewhere. Good luck.

 

[TigerVols]

Seriously, if I was 23 and had a print journalism degree, and wanted to go work at ESPN, I would go to TV/Film grad school and learn two things: (1) How to read a prompter and (2) how to edit on Final Cut Pro. Get yourself an on-camera reel, and add the "can produce, edit and shoot" (aka "preditor" skills) to your resume, and you'll have a leg up on the competition over the next decade.

 

[Dick Whitman]

It's too late for this now, but the communications degree probably wasn't a great decision. You should have majored in something like economics, international relations, or a hard science or mathematics (which could be very useful for a sports writer in the salary cap and sabermetric age).

Whatever you decide to do, don't lose the forest for the trees. I've seen a lot of people - and I've been in this boat myself - become so obsessed with just moving onward and upward that they never stop to learn how to kick ass at reporting. They think that they can get to the top because they want it so bad, then maybe learn the tricks of the trade when they're there.

There's an old Bob Knight quote that I love, even though it's kind of trite for cynics like us, but I think it's applicable across all fields: "Everyone has the will to win. Not that many have the will to prepare to win."

 

[YankeeFan]

It's too late for this now, but the communications degree probably wasn't a great decision. You should have majored in something like economics, international relations, or a hard science or mathematics (which could be very useful for a sports writer in the salary cap and sabermetric age).

I basically agree, but there are still paths he could follow.

He could go to law school, learn about and focus on labor law. Labor negotiations are a huge part sports now. or maybe you try to get a job with a sports agent.

He could get a job in sports marketing with an eye on reporting on the business of sports. Darren Rovell (a Northwestern grad) has carved out a nice career.

He could try to work for a team to learn the ins and outs of how they operate.

It's basically the same point I've made on other threads.

Ok, you can write and have some experience. Great. So do lots of of other people.

You need to be an expert in something. A Doctor covering medical issues. A lawyer covering legal issues. A Wall St. trader/analyst covering the markets.

What expertise do you bring to the table? If you don't have any, go get some.

A generalist is a tough place to be, and, you'll have a back up plan if you don't make it as a journalist.