Brent Morrison ⋅ Hendersonville, TN U.S. Army, Specialist ⋅ 3 years served

. . . I've also seen where GPA matters and people are putting that on their resume. I'm thinking a good strategy would be to pick the major that i would perform the strongest in and the result would be a higher GPA. In my case that would be the major that would require me to write a lot. Would that be Journalism or would it still be smarter to pursue something tailored closer to Public Relations. Or does Journalism cover all the bases?

Brent Morrison ⋅ Hendersonville, TN U.S. Army, Specialist ⋅ 3 years served

Thank you to everyone who has responded. It has helped immensely! I've researched this thing to the hills and back. One thing that has grabbed my interest in this field is Public Relations. Hopefully someone can asnwer this question: If my interest is to pursue Public Relations, will it matter what school I attend? In class or online? Should I major in Communications? Journalism? English? Marketing?
One thing to keep in mind is that I'm 37 with a wife and 4 kids so that would be a factor.
Which would lead me to another question: Am I too late to enter this field? A Bachelor degree on a part time schedule would land me around 43ish? Not saying I'm ancient but keepin' it real!!

Jennifer Whitlow ⋅ Potomac, MD Lockheed Martin ⋅ 20 years experience

Brent, as indicated already, journalism is a fast changing industry with fewer opportunities in the traditional fields available. One alternative you should consider is a career in corporate communications. I've been in corp comms for 20 years and I write every day... about people, products, concepts, our customers and our values. It helps that I'm really passionate about what we do as a company, but it started with a love and talent for writing - just like you. If there's an industry, subject or company you're passionate about, I would encourage you to consider the corporate communications opportunities. All the best, Jenn

Lin Stin ⋅ Herndon, VA ⋅ 1 years experience

Hi there. I majored in Communications but then switched to English Literature because I wanted to be a fiction writer. I find that writing, as the person said above, is really a good way to hone in on your craft. It really depends on what genre you want to write and who you audience will be. I woudl advise that you stay flexible within the writing field. You could choose to be a blogger, or manage a company's marketing digital site. The sky is really the limit.

Try reviewing a couple of writing and communications related websites to see what sort of jobs are posted and what requirements they seek. Also, join a local writers or journalism club. There's a website called Meetup.com where you can find people with similar interest such as yours. Lastly, subscribe to new outlets that you really respect. Look at their writing styles. See what you like and don't like. You can write for a publisher (magazine, newspapers) or write for a company's website. It really depends. Some companies have entire communications teams that write for both internal and external audiences. My company has a team deidcated to writing newsletters for the employees. Try looking at a site like http://www.pw.org/ which has a magazine called Poets & Writers.

Good luck.

Linda

Christopher Ahlberg ⋅ Holtsville, NY Recorded Future, Inc. ⋅ 15 years experience

I'm not a journalist but deal a lot with journalist. I would start writing. Pick something you're passionate about. Put together a blog on that. Make it stunning. Write. Stay on a narrow subject. Go deep, keep at it. People with notice. Build a portfolio. Agree with above points on learning HTML, etc. Goes well together.

Suzanne Coffman ⋅ Pasadena, CA Music Rightz ⋅ 20 years experience

Hello. Granted, there are definitely fewer opportunities for journalists in traditional media outlets (print, radio, television); however, that shouldn't deter you from pursuing a degree in journalism. My undergraduate degree is in Journalism and I had a couple of great internships my last year in college, working for ABC7 (I'm in Los Angeles, CA). I chose to not pursue a formal career in journalism because I was already working in the music industry, in music publishing. I still work in the music industry where I own a music clearance and licensing company.

Though I didn't follow through with a career in journalism, the experiences I obtained in pursuing the degree (daily regimented writing drills, learning how to write fluidly and well under extreme deadlines, proper grammar, etc.) has proven invaluable to me in my current career. About 95% of my interactions with colleagues and clients are via email. I am able to quickly, clearly and concisely write formal and informal emails, business letters, proposals, license agreements, etc. I have never regretted nor questioned my decision to get a degree in journalism. Again, while I didn't pursue a career in "journalism", the skills I learned have helped me to be a very good communicator via email and other written correspondence.

I hear often from colleagues and business associates that so many recent college grads are very poor writers, that they've spent far too much time texting and using language shortcuts instead of thoughtfully expressing themselves via a written message. If anything, the skills you obtain in pursuing a degree in journalism will help you in any career you ultimately pursue. Your writing and communication skills will definitely set you apart from others with lesser developed writing skills. And, remember, if you are sure you wish to pursue the field of journalism, your degree can be an avenue to other careers aside from the "traditional" journalist jobs -- marketing, public relations, the entertainment industry, marketing for a law firm, grant writing, community affairs, website content, etc.

If there's a need for written correspondence, a person with excellent writing skills will always shine! Lastly, if you have a chance, I encourage you to pursue internship opportunities. Internships, especially in journalism, are key to getting your foot in the door. At the very least, an internship will expose you to the ins-and-outs of the industry so that you are able to decide which door you wish to further pursue. Good luck!

Josh Tayloe ⋅ New York, NY ⋅ 8 years experience

Brent,

Consider writing freelance blog articles for companies. Very low risk to get started (you could write on evenings/weekends).

Quick background... many companies with websites want to make sure they come up at the top of search results (generally referred to as SEO). One of the more important aspects of SEO is relevant and fresh content. Many companies accomplish this by posting blog articles. The problem is, it is not easy to post a lot and still run a business. To help with this, there are freelance blog writers and even companies who ghost write articles. You could get a pretty easy start by picking some local companies that interest you and offer to write blog articles. If you develop a good base, you can grow through referrals, etc.

Diana Pike ⋅ Phoenix, AZ 21st Century Fox ⋅ 25 years experience

Hello Brent, I am an HR Dir for TV (and a 13 year Army veteran). So here is the good and the bad news. The broadcast TV news industry is shrinking because there are so many news choices for consumers. Also, many TV stations are "automated" so less people are needed to operate a television station. That being said, being an on-air reporter isn't a good move depending on your age; it is extremely competitive and on-air reporters do not have control over their contracts/jobs. All that being said, the jobs of the future for journalism are individuals who can write, shoot, edit and post their own stories to the web. All TV stations have web news departments and it is difficult to find a good writer/journalist who has the requiste computer skills. These jobs pay well. Pursue journalism but put just as much effort into your computer, wed design/use/HTML, etc. skills. Heavy computer with journalism - so that you can write a story, edit and stream your own video, and put it on a website - you'll get a job. If you have other questions, you may call me at 602-262-5150. Good luck. Diana