9 to 5
Dear Community,

Our tech team has launched updates to The Nest today. As a result of these updates, members of the Nest Community will need to change their password in order to continue participating in the community. In addition, The Nest community member's avatars will be replaced with generic default avatars. If you wish to revert to your original avatar, you will need to re-upload it via The Nest.

If you have questions about this, please email help@theknot.com.

Thank you.

Note: This only affects The Nest's community members and will not affect members on The Bump or The Knot.

Journalism majors?

Anyone in here major in Journalism? I love writing and have been published in local papers (small and major). I have spoken with some editors, and it has definitely been suggested that Journalismis the way to go.

 

Any thoughts?

Re: Journalism majors?

  • I have a Journalism degree.

    I teach Kindergarten.

    However, yes a Journalism degreee can open you up to a world of opportunities. I worked for a Market Research firm doing database management and editing reports -- it was actually fascinating. My program required a lot of practical experienence and several internships. This made sure I had a feel for the carerr path -- which obviously wasn't for me.

    Stroller Pushing,Doctor Respecting, Full Time Daycare Paying, Alone Time Appreciating,Boundary Setting Momma
    Jenny McCarthy = Former Playmate and MTV host
    Pediatrician = Doctor with extensive experience and education on children.
    Bumpies = Don't get me started!
    I know who I get my health advice from!
    What are you looking at?
    Image and video hosting by TinyPicBaby Birthday Ticker Ticker Anniversary
  • I have a journalism degree and worked in newspapers for about seven years until the last paper I work at closed. It's a good degree but with so many papers shutting down or laying people off, I would definitely look at the other avenues it can be used in.
  • If you want to be poor and overworked, journalism is the way to go. That's if you can find a job at all 

    I have a journalism degree and have always worked in pharmaceutical research and love it.   When I graduated in 2003 for a top 20 j-school, all jobs had 100 applicants for every position. If not more. And that was when the economy was good.

    Now people in magazine and newspaper especially face layoffs, stagnant salaries and low salaries.  

    Quite honestly, I can't believe any currently employed journalists encouraged you to pursue this field.

    There are still lots of opportunities to use writing skills, but often those skills should be matched with another technical skill to find a good job.  

  • I was a journalism major and went into public relations. It pays better and has better hours typically.
    KrysteeKess

    My weight loss blog

  • imagekcpokergal:

    If you want to be poor and overworked, journalism is the way to go. That's if you can find a job at all 

    . . . 

    Now people in magazine and newspaper especially face layoffs, stagnant salaries and low salaries.  

    Quite honestly, I can't believe any currently employed journalists encouraged you to pursue this field.

    There are still lots of opportunities to use writing skills, but often those skills should be matched with another technical skill to find a good job.  

    THIS.  My DH has a degree in journalism.  When we first started dating he was one year out of school and making $25,000 with no benefits.  Ouch.  He changed jobs and was making $25,000 and had health insurance.  It took a few years just to get to $35k.  It's an incredibly competitive and also low paying field because there are few jobs and tons of people with journalism degrees.

    Five years out of school he started making over $50k, but that was due to some very unusual circumstances and a stroke of luck.  He also has a crazy schedule, working mostly evenings and weekends, and having to do a bit of travel to cover events.  Honestly, it's pretty hard on me having a child and a husband who is gone almost every weekend about six months out of the year.

    My DH is always able to find cheap help to cover events and write stories for the website he runs.  As in, paying minimum wage to people with college degrees.  He's had college grads offer to work for free because they are so desperate to get some experience on their resume to try to get a paying job.  

    DH says he would strongly discourage our son from getting a journalism degree if he wanted to pursue that.  I would as well, as it was a real struggle for a while. 

  • Would another degree (English?) be better for a writer?
  • How do you plan on making a living being a writer?  What type of writer?   

  • Newspapers (which I know are going out) or magazines. I really enjoy article writing. I would probably look into online publications.
  • Well journalism is the correct major but I don't think you understand that those jobs are not readily available and if you get one, would likely only be earning $12 an hour.  

    Unless you have a trust fund or wealthy spouse, it is not an easy life living on $12 an hour.

    Also a terrible return on investment when you are looking to spend $40-80k (at least) on college to earn the same $12 an hour you could easily earn without a degree.

    There are a lot of ways one can write without being a journalist.  

  • So, basically if I have had articles published locally, I don't need to go to J school for 2 years to get another Bachelor degree? Thanks for the advice. I know any job is hard to come by, and am not going to spend $$$$$ if I don't have to.
  • Sigh. No. Do what you want--you clearly don't understand reason. 
  • imagekcpokergal:
    Sigh. No. Do what you want--you clearly don't understand reason. 

    What? I was agreeing with you!!!!!

  • I have a journalism degree. I work as an editor for a pharmaceutical company. Thank god for pharma because straight up journalism at a publishing house is NOT a good way to make a living. I understand you like to write, but do you have any other interests? Pursue those. Adulthood is arriving at the realization that what you *like* to do is not what you *should* do. LOL.
Sign In or Register to comment.
Choose Another Board
Search Boards