graphic of journalist talking to politician

Alternative Careers for Journalists: Start Looking Now

It’s been difficult reading about journalists around the country being displaced over the past several months. For those who still have jobs, it’s past time to start looking for alternative careers for journalists.

As a former GateHouse Media journalist, it seems every time I turn around someone at my old newspaper was furloughed or laid off. I recently heard another eight or so will be laid off. I was fortunate to leave on my own terms. As has been said, it’s easier to look for a job when you have a job.

I did not leave for another job, per se. I started my own business, Wooster Media Group LLC, a search engine optimization, content creation, and social media management company. I have often wondered why more journalists have not gone the same route, either starting their own businesses or becoming freelance writers, photographers, or videographers.

Journalists have a unique set of skills

photo of Liam Neeson on the phone from the movie Taken to go with a story about alternative careers for journalists.

Like Liam Neeson’s character in Taken, journalists possess a very particular set of skills they have acquired over a very long career. Here’s a non-exhaustive list:

  • Ability to speak with anyone. On any given day, a journalist might speak with someone who is homeless and trying to improve his lot in life; a teen trying to make a difference in the community; a business owner; a community leader; or a governor.
  • Problem-solving skills. Journalists have to juggle so many things on a daily basis, and it is probably even more hectic now with fewer co-workers to share the burden. They have to shift gears at a moment’s notice when breaking news hits.
  • Quick learners. Each day, journalists learn something new. They have to be able to digest the new concept, process it, and write about it. Sometimes this must be done in hours.
  • Critical thinkers. Sources share information with varying levels of veracity. Sometimes, they want to shape a story in a particular way. Other times, they simply do not fully grasp the facts, though they believe they have command of them. Journalists have to be able to weigh everything and decipher what is true and what’s important for the readers to know.
  • Ability to write with focus … on deadline. Journalists have a way with words. They will, at times, write a simple news brief about a business opening. They will write about a fatal crash. They will write about politicians’ proceedings, good and bad. They do all of this under deadline.
  • Writers are learning about photography. When I entered journalism, photographers rolled their own film and developed it in the newspaper’s darkroom. There was no such thing as autofocus. With the advent of very powerful cameras in smartphones, newspapers have been shedding photographer positions and telling reporters to shoot photos on their phones.
  • They are learning about videography, too. Those smartphones shoot video, so journalists might as well capture some while they are in the field. So, they are learning about framing a shot and editing video.

Journalists possess many more skills, including the ability to research really, really fast. With these skills, the sum is greater than the parts.

Looking for alternative careers for journalists? Create your own

For years, the primary mindset among Americans appeared to be find a good company to work for, stay there for years, and then retire. While that might have been the perception, EdSurge reported people between the ages of 18 and 48 changed jobs an average of 11.7 times.

Why not control your own future by embarking on a freelance career or starting your own business?

GateHouse Media and Gannett have shown security no longer exists for journalists. When the new Gannett announced the recent furloughs, the message was the staff needed to make a “collective sacrifice” to keep the company afloat. About one in five newspapers have been shuttered, according to a study by the Hussman School of Journalism and Media at the University of North Carolina. Many that remain are mere shadows of their former selves with newsroom staffs decimated to bare-bone levels.

So, ask yourself: What do you have to lose striking out on your own? Probably less than you think. Instead of making a “collective sacrifice” for a billion-dollar company, consider making a personal risk to improve the quality of your life and the amount of your livelihood.

Job Security in News: A Web Story

Can you really create your own alternative job to journalism?

Yes, you can. I am living proof.

I know money is a concern. I was able to leverage connections made from my journalism career and networking at blogging conferences to provide a little cushion when I launched Wooster Media Group LLC.

I didn’t immediately replace my journalism income. However, I made enough to get by. A business mentor told me to set aside about $5,000 to make sure I had access to money in case I didn’t receive any revenue for a month or two. (You can read my story here.)

Consider these alternative careers to journalism

As for my life after journalism, here is what I have done:

  • Search engine optimization audits of websites
  • Keyword research
  • Competitor research and analysis
  • Written blog posts for clients
  • Built websites / website design
  • Photography
  • Videography
  • Grant writing
  • Blog editing
  • Created graphics for social media and blog posts
  • Created social media videos
  • Social media manager
  • Written press releases
  • Pitched story ideas to newspapers and magazines on behalf of clients
  • Consulted on creating media positions
  • Consulted on alternative media
  • Created landing pages
  • Optimized existing content on websites to rank higher in Google search

Jobs similar to journalism

However, there is so much more someone with reporting skills can do after journalism. Over at the One More Cup of Coffee blog, there are these suggestions:

  • Editor
  • Marketing manager
  • Public relations specialist / manager
  • Market research analyst
  • Writer/author
  • Blogger

Add to that list, these jobs for former journalists:

  • Communications specialist
  • Multimedia producer
  • Digital marketing
  • Technical writer
  • Content marketer

You have many paths forward if you want to explore alternative careers for journalists, but it comes down to whether you have the courage. You certainly have the talent. You will need to have a resolve to see this through, even when times get challenging.

When I started out, a successful builder told me to set aside money during the good times to get me through the bad times. This was good advice, especially when the pandemic hit. At the start, Wooster Media Group continued to grow and pick up new clients. In July, things slowed down a little. But, here’s the thing: The business had grown sufficiently in the first 2.5 years that even with the dip, I am making more than I did as a journalist.

Want to be a freelancer, but have concerns? Try this

It can be scary stepping out on your own. About half of new businesses fail within the first five years. So, why on earth would anybody do it? For me, the lure of helping businesses, earning more money, and having more freedom of my time was attractive. Since starting Wooster Media Group (along with AfterJournalism.com), I have experienced all three — though at times, especially at the end of the month, I put in some long hours. Still, it’s a better lifestyle than a journalist.

After I left journalism, I have been able to network with a number of freelancers, like Laura Gariepy. In addition to a successful freelance career, she coaches other freelancers.

When Laura left the corporate world to become a freelancer, she was deep in debt — $300k deep, mostly between a mortgage and student loans.

Laura knew if the freelance git didn’t work, then she could go back to the corporate world.

Instead, her business has expanded into coaching. When you work with Laura, you will learn about:

  • Managing your money
  • Landing your first clients
  • Developing the right mindset
  • Coordinating your new life
  • Establishing outcomes

If you want to jumpstart your freelance career, then consider working with Laura. She has special pricing on her coaching now, so act now. And, the best part is you can “try before you buy,” so to speak. She is offering a free mini-coaching session: Get connected with coaching today.

Are You Asking, “How do I switch careers in journalism?”

Here is how I did it:

  • I found out what I wanted to do (search engine optimization)
  • Took an online course
  • Did some SEO audits for friends at no cost
  • Started putting out feelers
  • Made the leap

The reality is you just have to do it. When I worked as a cook in a steak restaurant, the manager always threatened to fire my friend. He replied, “I was looking for a two-bit job when I found this one.”

Journalism, by no means, is a two-bit job, but it is just a job. It is easy to romance the position and build it up into something mythical. As my friend Dan said, after you leave, the things you thought were so important are not really.

Either look into starting your own business or searching for jobs similar to journalism because there are plenty of alternative careers for journalists.

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