13
Getting a Job in the Mass Media
Almost every student who shows up in our classes does so without specific job prospects. Some
show a great deal of concern about this fact. Others act as though they could care less. But, except
for a few rare cases, the question of “How do I get a job?” is likely to come up at some point.
Sadly, that is no longer the case.
But maybe not so sadly. There are many new
and varied opportunities for young people with
potential. The Web has created jobs that we did
not conceive of just a few years ago, and there
will be more to come.
Key terms and concepts
Here are a few ideas and concepts students should glean from this chapter and from your
counseling:
Becoming a professional journalist takes preparation and planning.
Journalism or any mass media profession requires from its practitioners a wide range of
knowledge and interests.
Potential journalists can begin their preparation by paying a attention to news events and
to the way they are reported in various media.
Internship — short-term jobs that college student get working for media organizations;
traditionally, internships last for one semester, often in the summer.
Chapter notes
New types of jobs. So just what are the new kinds of jobs that the Web is creating for journalists
Keeping up. Whether in high school or college, the student who wants to enter the field of
journalism should start keeping up with the field. One of the best ways to do that is to look at the
Resumes. A well-designed, accurate and up-to-date resume is vital for getting a job. As part of
the work with this chapter, all students should develop or update their resumes and turn them in
for inspection and critiquing. A sample resume can be found at the end of this section.
