Questions to make you think about a career in journalism Part 2
Answer the following questions to have a better idea where a career in journalism stands in your mind right. (There’s no right or wrong answer. It’s only general knowledge for you)
1. Is journalism really your true calling?
2. Is it your passion?
3. If not, could and would you make it into your passion?
4. Or is it possibly a career option phase?
5. Or is it an option as a result of doing well in English at school?
6. Is it because you want to write a book? (If this is the case, then you probably don’t know well what journalism is all about, including how many sub-fields it has. Writing is only one aspect.)
7. Or is it the vain idea of seeing your face on TV?
8. Is it an illusion that you’ve created as a result of too much popular culture, like watching too much MTV or E! Entertainment Televsion?
9. Do you want to be the next weather girl or TV show host?
10. Is it the ‘glam’ status of journalism that draws your attention to become a reporter?
(Don’t feel bad if you gave a YES to questions 7, 8, 9 or 10. It was your inner journalism ego talking and their common ideas of people interested in the career of journalism. Just remember that journalism is much more complex than presenting the news, or being in the spotlight. It’s hard work, most of the times with the lack of ‘glam’.)
After reading the questions above: Do you think you have interest, some love, or passion for journalism? Or do you think that even with an interest in journalism you wouldn’t mind getting a taste of what marketing/advertising have to offer? If so, fair enough. It’s difficult to tell what’s your best path.
Only time and more work experience in the industry will tell if you are really keen on journalism or not. Many people still decide to take the plunge into marketing/advertising due to better pay, comissions and a different working environment. It also happens the other way around, where people in marketing/advertising desperately seek a seachange into journalism.
There are no impossibles, it could happen either way. Only, ‘you’ have the power to pursue your dreams.
