I’ve been in this business for over ten years. I’ve applied for many jobs and have gotten hired. There’ve also been numerous times when I was turned down for gigs and laid of from work. It’s a tough industry with no guarantees. That’s why I never keep all my eggs in one basket.
I remember my professor/news director saying, “Every reporter should know how to write.” Back then my goal was becoming an entertainment correspondent.
Even though I was an English major, writing papers was nothing like writing news stories. I was so used to writing more lengthy essays, as opposed to quick snappy conversational packages. If you’re also looking to create beautiful essays, I highly suggest getting help from this essay writing service reddit.
I knew that if I was going to find success in journalism, I needed to hone my writing skills. My news director also advised to first become a general assignment reporter before diving into entertainment, which meant covering everything.
“You should also know how to shoot and edit video,” he said.
I learned early on that in order to succeed in this business, it’s important to be multi-dimensional.
Fast forward years later and I’ve seen my career come full circle. I’ve covered traffic, general assignment, features, and weather. Everything I’ve ever learned as a journalist I’m able to apply it to this day. Whether it’s writing a blog post or story boarding my YouTube videos.
When I attended Blogher15 this past weekend, the same sentiment was shared by speakers. Oscar, Emmy award winner and mom, Gwyneth Paltrow was there to promote her new site called Goop.
At Goop, Paltrow introduces experts who have mentored her throughout her life to a wider audience. It’s also a place where readers can find suggestions about where to shop, eat, and get advice.
I’m sure she has no trouble scoring her next role on the big screen. But, she’s playing it smart and she’s giving back to those who made an impact on her life. Plus, with the rise in social media, Gwyneth Paltrow is making her presence known on the web.
But, she’s certainly not the only one looking to diversify her brand. Selma Director, Ava DuVernay delivered a poignant message in regards to Hollywood. She said that “it’s okay to do more than one thing.” DuVernay talked briefly about the varies projects she has going on. She also talked about being a woman of color in the movie industry and how difficult it is to stand out among a sea of white males who are dominating the business.
Let’s face it; when you diversify, you’ll likely to have more staying power. I’ve seen my career turn in different directions. I can recall getting laid off from my weather gig at NBC during the height of the economic crisis and feeling like a failure. Luckily, I was able to do some fill-in traffic work. I would take a two and half hour drive to Philly to cover the split shift. It was brutal, but I was happy to be employed.
I was hired soon after as the evening weather anchor with News 12, which has been an amazing experience. Like DuVernay, I am a black woman working in an industry that’s white male dominated. It’s been rough, but I never let that stop me.
With my daughter starting kindergarten in the fall, I’ve had to make the shift from full time weather anchor to freelancer. I’ve managed to score some writing gigs which has worked out pretty okay in the meantime. Reading the tips from this msn article helped me in my freelancing career.
My experiences have taught me the importance of having something to fall back on. The world we live in is constantly changing. I remember a time when we’d wait to get our information from the evening news. Now all you have to do is look at your smart phone to get the latest happenings.
Some have said that we may see a big change in the amount of news jobs being offered in the future. While there’s no way of knowing for sure, it’s best to prepare yourself in case you get a phone call that the station is shutting down or making cutbacks. It’s happened to me and it’s no fun.
That’s why I tell my kids, “the more you know the better.” Most importantly, “never keep all your eggs in one basket.”
