{"id":1934,"date":"2023-03-09T16:22:00","date_gmt":"2023-03-10T00:22:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/xyzcreativeworks.com\/?p=1934"},"modified":"2023-03-09T16:22:01","modified_gmt":"2023-03-10T00:22:01","slug":"i-hated-my-journalism-job-how-i-left-for-the-better","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/xyzcreativeworks.com\/i-hated-my-journalism-job-how-i-left-for-the-better\/","title":{"rendered":"I hated my journalism job. How I left for the better."},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>I am in a much better position right now that gives me happiness, stability and freedom.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>That wasn&#8217;t the case when I left the University of Toronto as a journalism grad and went on to write the news.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I did very well as a newspaper editor, running the whole show of a weekly newspaper that had around 16 pages. I managed one freelancer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I won a <a href=\"https:\/\/xyzcreativeworks.com\/index.php\/written\/newspapers\/\">few awards including one for Best Business Writing.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"to-illustrate-the-point-heres-a-journalism-taboo\">To illustrate the point, here&#8217;s a journalism taboo<\/h2>\n\n\n<p>I&#8217;m going to do what my chief editor told me not to do: quote from social media.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Take a look at some of the things I see on social media from all corners of the world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\"><p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">less than two years ago when the company launched. less than half the journalists pictured are still there <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/OH9pL7D5lP\">pic.twitter.com\/OH9pL7D5lP<\/a><\/p>&mdash; dustin godfrey. (@dustbobgod) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/dustbobgod\/status\/1620121902382747649?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">January 30, 2023<\/a><\/blockquote> <script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\"><p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">welp, I\u2019ve been let go from my job out of the blue and am back in the big bad world of freelancing again \ud83d\ude43 If you\u2019re looking for a consultant, copywriter and journalist lmk I cover food, travel, lifestyle or anything weird! hmu on: angela.huiii@gmail.com (that\u2019s three i\u2019s)<\/p>&mdash; Angela Hui \u8a31\u7d2b\u6069 (@angela_hui) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/angela_hui\/status\/1630548705320267779?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">February 28, 2023<\/a><\/blockquote> <script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"686\" height=\"276\" src=\"https:\/\/xyzcreativeworks.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/journalism-lay-offs.jpg\" alt=\"journalism layoffs jobs in photojournalism\" class=\"wp-image-1956\" srcset=\"https:\/\/xyzcreativeworks.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/journalism-lay-offs.jpg 686w, https:\/\/xyzcreativeworks.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/journalism-lay-offs-650x262.jpg 650w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 686px) 100vw, 686px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\"><p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">I have some news&#8230; <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/lTe3Rs0kOA\">pic.twitter.com\/lTe3Rs0kOA<\/a><\/p>&mdash; Lisa LaFlamme (@LisaLaFlamme_) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/LisaLaFlamme_\/status\/1559238644317167618?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">August 15, 2022<\/a><\/blockquote> <script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"do-more-with-less\">&#8220;Do more with less&#8221;<\/h2>\n\n\n<p>Sounds familiar?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Every year, I saw people getting laid off.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Granted, I was probably working in the most embattled segment of the news industry &#8212; newspapers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Yes, the newspaper industry has been in decline for a long time. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The rise of digital media and the internet has led to a decline in print newspaper readership and advertising revenue, which has affected the financial sustainability of many newspapers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A three-person newsroom could potentially become a one-person newsroom over the course of a few years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Because of financial constraints, I could no longer attend city council meetings. Instead, I was instructed to call the city hall and ask them what happened.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I ended up doing the newspaper&#8217;s layout, photography, web, videos and stories. In fact, as time wore on, a bigger part of my job ended up being the web metrics.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As far as I was concerned, it was quite difficult to achieve the ideals of journalism that I was taught at journalism school.<\/p>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"finding-the-strength-to-leave-journalism\">Finding the strength to leave journalism<\/h2>\n\n\n<p>I saw the writing on the wall and decided to leave my job as a newspaper editor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It wasn&#8217;t easy. I have built relationships with people in the place where I reported. I was paid an OK amount of money. I ran a newspaper that saw major improvements in quality under my watch.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But five years after leaving journalism, I can say that I have more freedom, better financial stability and my future is much brighter than if I stayed in that industry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It wasn&#8217;t easy. When I left my job, I didn&#8217;t have another job lined up. I did some freelancing, tried a few jobs and the ended up working in communications. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It took nine months to get to this comms job. I&#8217;d say the comms job was a fantastic experience that taught me about corporate communications.<\/p>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"why-was-my-comms-job-fantastic\">Why was my comms job fantastic?<\/h2>\n\n\n<p>I loved it because I was treated with respect and everything was predictable. Granted, I didn&#8217;t do media relations, so your experience might vary if you still have links to the media.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The low pay in journalism also meant I was getting paid more than what I made. It made accepting the job much easier.<\/p>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"what-you-can-do-to-prepare-yourself\">What you can do to prepare yourself<\/h2>\n\n\n<p>The good thing about being a journalist these days is that you will have a bunch of digital skills. I left journalism and found my niche outside journalism using my technological skills.<\/p>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"forget-about-your-apcp-style-the-only-acronym-you-need-is-seo\">Forget about your AP\/CP style. The only acronym you need is SEO.<\/h2>\n\n\n<p>If you intend to do any writing as your next job, you can forget about your AP\/CP style and instead focus in on SEO.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>SEO has become a key skill for me. I recommend people to read a guide on the different aspects of SEO, especially keyword research.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A very good guide to SEO is<a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/seo\"> Ahrefs&#8217; beginner guide.<\/a> Pay particular attention to their <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/keyword-research\/\">keyword research chapter<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Since you were a former journalist, you can probably write. Just remember that when you write for SEO, you aren&#8217;t really writing to journalism standards, which is something like:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li>Write a balanced article<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Include multiple sources<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Get some quotes from sources<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Instead, your goal is to get your readers&#8217; attention and try to keep them on page, all the while encouraging them to do what you want them to do. For example, sign up to a mailing list.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you can already write an interesting article, you&#8217;re already halfway there. With effective keyword research and a nose for what your site will rank for, you will have the skills necessary to find your after-journalism job.<\/p>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"strengthen-your-graphical-skills\">Strengthen your graphical skills<\/h2>\n\n\n<p>When I left journalism, I made a big effort to strengthen my graphical skills. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As I stated in the beginning, my niche involved being technologically savvy, so knowing how to do photo manipulation, banners, business cards, posters, etc. really helps.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Knowing how to use the Adobe Creative Cloud suite really helps. To this day, I pay $800 a year for the software because it really represents a cornerstone of my toolkit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Here&#8217;s where I think you should put your time into, in descending order of importance:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li>Photoshop<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>InDesign<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Illustrator<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Premiere Pro<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>After Effects<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Audition<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Knowing how to use these software, even if only at a basic level can really help you out when your boss suddenly wants you to do something.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For example, one day my company wanted to produce a podcast. They looked at me to go hunt for the gear and stuff. Then I was tasked to edit them too. Luckily, I knew how to edit audio with Audition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I actually am struggling with specific recommendations to learn specific Adobe programs. I believe any beginner&#8217;s course on LinkedIn Learning would help. <strong>Your library might have a subscription<\/strong> with them so you don&#8217;t have to pay. I believe most big-city Canadian libraries do.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I&#8217;d also recommend attending Adobe MAX every year to see what kind of new techniques are out there. <\/p>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"ai-tools\">AI tools<\/h2>\n\n\n<p>AI evolves very quickly. I wrote this guide about how you can use <a href=\"https:\/\/xyzcreativeworks.com\/index.php\/2023\/03\/02\/stable-diffusion-marketing\/\">Photoshop and Stable Diffusion to generate graphical assets<\/a>, but I expect there to be an even better method in a few months post-publication.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>AI&#8217;s march forth can&#8217;t be stopped. You might as well know how to use it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Some tools that have really helped include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/stable-diffusion-art.com\/beginners-guide\/\">Stable Diffusion beginner&#8217;s guide<\/a> &#8212; if you don&#8217;t know where to start with AI image generation, start there.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/podcast.adobe.com\/enhance\">Adobe Podcast Speech Enhancer<\/a> &#8212; this helps you clean up noisy recordings<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The following video was also quite inspiring in finding uses for ChatGPT that will supercharge your ideation and work efficiency.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"ChatGPT for SEO: Best (and Worst) Use Cases\" width=\"580\" height=\"326\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/59hsPSrYvmk?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"web-design-and-development\">Web design and development<\/h2>\n\n\n<p>By far the most important skill that will boost your career prospects involves web design, development and other programming-related tasks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>There&#8217;s a bit of a <a href=\"https:\/\/xyzcreativeworks.com\/index.php\/2023\/02\/28\/web-developer-vs-web-designer\/\">difference between web design and web dev<\/a>, so make sure to understand the difference if you like design but can&#8217;t code or vice versa.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>However, both aspects pay very well, has great prospects and affords you a dynamism which no other skill listed will come close.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In 2018, I started learning how to program simple HTML and CSS website. Today, I <a href=\"https:\/\/xyzcreativeworks.com\/index.php\/web\/sled-style-app\/\">have created an app<\/a> for a client and have built many labour-saving tools that automate away simple, repetitive tasks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Here&#8217;s what I used to learn:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.internetingishard.com\/\">Learn HTML and CSS with Interneting is Hard<\/a> &#8212; this website is not the most up-to-date but it provides a decent way to start learning how to use timeless and fundamental elements that make up a website.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I believe once you are done with that course, you can do Googling to augment your knowledge for things that you don&#8217;t know and don&#8217;t understand. <a href=\"mailto: xyzcreativeworks@gmail.com\">You can also email me.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The next step is to learn JavaScript and I would recommend <a href=\"https:\/\/javascript.info\/\">javascript.info<\/a>. This is a pretty boring site, but if you can get through it, you will feel like you have superpowers in the tech world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>JavaScript can not only be used to modify websites, it can also be used to create desktop programs and automation tool. I also recommend watching <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/@TraversyMedia\/videos\">Brad Traversy on YouTube<\/a>, where you can learn new programming tech to do different things.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>By the time you learned HTML, CSS and JavaScript, you will know what you&#8217;d like to do and what you need to learn. The exciting thing about programming is that it gave me the biggest boost in income and work prospects.<\/p>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"more-freedom-more-happiness\">More freedom. More happiness.<\/h2>\n\n\n<p>You will be happier, more financially secure and feeling like you&#8217;re making a difference to your own life once you take the leap of faith.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>With the skills that I have built post-journalism, I am able to do freelance work. I don&#8217;t believe the market for freelance journalists is as abundant.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>I am in a much better position right now that gives me happiness, stability and freedom.","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1961,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_uag_custom_page_level_css":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[12],"tags":[],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v22.5 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>I hated my journalism job. 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