Words of WisdomSometimes the strangest situations turn out to be miracles in disguise. That iswhat happened to me. Who thought that someone who did not like English thatmuch would pick a career that deals with it every day? I sure did not.
It must havebeen something in the air at Kossuth High School, maybe the teachers, it could havebeen my friends, or it could just be a young boy maturing in to a man trying todecide his future. Journalism consists of many types of jobs build into one. Some people do notknow this but a journalist has to be an editor, a writer, a public relations officer, anexpert in English, a proofreader, and many more jobs. No, a person who majors injournalism does not have to be perfect in every way. Reference books are at thedisposal of journalist and writers at all times.
The main reference book is called TheAssociated Press Writing Manual, and it contains all the writing lay-outs that awriter/journalist needs to know. There are many jobs available to journalist. The top job a journalist canachieve is to be an editor. This means more responsibility, more time put in at theoffice, and being able to proofread other peoples work.
A news reporter can coverany news event at any time of the day. A news reporting job is a 24-hour job. Afree-lance reporter can work for many newspapers, magazines, or just work for oneof them. A free-lance reporter covers anything and everything that is happening. Asa free-lance reporter, the salary is either on a contract or is based on a price-per-wordbasis. The most interesting job, in my opinion, is the job of sports reporter.
A sportsreporter must love the outdoors and the sports that he/she covers to be successful athis/her job. The hours of a sports reporter are sporadic, and it can range any wherefrom coming to cover someones lunch break to pulling an 18-hour shift just to makethe deadline. Daily Corinthian sports writer Steve Beavers said in an interview on March16, 2001:Journalism is a deadline driven job. If it is not in by the deadline, it does notmake it to print. Also, if you plan on a 9-5 job, sports writing is not a job foryou. Often, you are out on a story when another story comes in.
That iswhen you need to have more than one reporter handy. I have seen many timewhen I am on the phone with a person calling a score in when we are pagedto answer another line. I am very thankful I have someone like Lee (H. LeeSmith III, Sports editor for the Daily Corinthian)around. The education requirements for a journalist vary on what field of journalist aperson is persueing(Careers in Focus 133). All a person needs to have is a degree inEnglish(Online Journalist).
Someone looking to go into the field of journalism needsto prepare themselves to get ready to write like crazy(Smith interview). The basic salary for someone going into a journalism career is anywherebetween $15,000 to $30,000. Reporters can earn more money by working for apaper with a larger circulation. As experience is gained in the job, the money forthe salary is also gained. Reporters for nationally recognized magazines andnewspapers can earn upwards of $100,000 + per year(Enhanced OccupationalOutlook Handbook 344).
The average salary for someone in journalism for 5 years issomewhere in the range of $ 30,000 and $ 50,000 per year(Online Journalist). A reporter must know that when he/she enters this job, they are not in for themoney. They have to love their job. A person who is in for the money has chosenthe wrong profession(Smith interview). Also, a person who does not enjoy whatthey do, does not need to be in the business.
They only give the good ones badraps. As the saying goes, it only takes one bad apple to spoil the whole batch. Aperson who enters journalism is a person who is willing to dedicate their life tosomething that they love( Beavers interview). The scenario for the ideal job really depends on the person. Some may wantthe job to be quiet and uneventful day.
Others may want the thrill and abzillerenceof the action. My ideal job would just be a regular day. A regular day would consistof covering
