How Non-Media Skills Complement Journalism Careers
While working to break into the media industry, journalists become privy to the issues within this nexus that need to be addressed. Among the most notable issues is that of class: those making hiring decisions within news organizations should be mindful that certain socioeconomic groups lack representation. With journalism education being so expensive in many countries, it becomes a class issue when the result of this is an exceptionally low percentage of journalists that come from a working-class background.
It does not help that these media jobs tend to be in the largest, most expensive cities, putting even more strain on a journalist’s life if they are trying to become successful in the field. When a journalist cannot make ends meet and cannot receive help from their family, they must turn to jobs in industries such as hospitality and retail among a myriad of other options. They are likely building experience in unpaid or underpaid newsroom gigs, so this is the best place for them to turn. These non-media jobs may feel irrelevant to the journalists, but they bring much more value to their future career than they would initially think.
There are more routes into journalism than working your way up in a newsroom. For instance, a woman named Jenna Farmer spent eight years working in a secondary school—an experience that actually led to launching her freelance writing career. With her background in education, she was able to translate her work experience into pieces about parenting and health, eventually running a motherhood magazine called mumernity.co.uk, which also has bylines at Happiful, The Telegraph, The Independent, and Mother and Baby.
Building Strength and Confidence with Experience
Working in retail and hospitality inevitably builds a thick skin, the result of working with people in various capacities daily. A hospitality worker might be in a position where a customer yells at them for taking down an order incorrectly. Dealing with difficult customers like this can make it easier to deal with rejection, which is an exceedingly useful skill to have when getting the many inevitable rejections that come with interviewing for jobs in journalism. Other applicable skills these jobs give you includes the ability to be able to diffuse stressful situations, establishing connections with diverse types of people, and knowing how to get people to open up to the journalist (as well as knowing when to leave well enough alone).
Understanding Different Realities
Journalists can have an edge if they’ve had experience struggling, such as when working minimum-wage jobs. This kind of work experience offers insight into people of various backgrounds and from different communities; many of these people, being so low on the economic ladder, are among society’s most marginalized. People notice when a journalist truly understands where people are coming from and views things with a healthy amount of empathy. This sensitivity allows journalists to report more accurately and clearly.
Overall, the unconventional paths and diverse experiences gained outside the newsroom contribute not only to personal growth but also to the enrichment of journalism as a whole. The improvement of interpersonal skills in these other jobs open up unexpected opportunities and help a journalist become less afraid to seize them. Recognizing and valuing non-media skills acquired along the way becomes truly integral to turning out a successful and impactful career in journalism.
