YPRuck: Introducing YPTonyaV who contacted YPs via email inquiring about being a contributor to YPBlogSpot given the fact that she has the “Successful mindset” conveyed by the content of YPBlogSpot. Tonya has provided a post that many YPs can relate to coming out of college set to face/embrace the “Real World” as a Young Professional ready or not. With that said, take a read and leave your comments. Enjoy YPs!
Author Bio: Tonya is a senior at the University of Iowa double majoring in journalism and international studies. She frequently blogs at OnlineDatingSites.net and also maintains a persona blog at TonyaVrba.wordpress.com. Her drive and talent will soon propel her from college life to a career.
May 12, 2012 is when my world will be turned upside-down. That is the date of my graduation from the University of Iowa. During my time here I have many accomplishments including two majors (journalism and international studies) and a Certificate in Peace and Conflict Studies from my semester abroad.
Perhaps I should be excited. Compared to many others, I have significantly less college debt and a great amount of experience. Yet the inability for me to adequately predict my future upon graduation unnerves me. All my life I have been an academic. I love reading and learning. That’s part of what attracted me to journalism. For my whole life I can research and learn new things. There’s nothing better in my mind.
There are plenty of facts to back up my choice of major. The world of journalism is alive and well. The industry has always been dynamic and the dawn of internet, blogs and social media is certainly having its effect. As I get off on a challenging and dynamic environment, I am sure I chose the right major. Now it’s just a matter of working my way to the right career.
Businesses are catching on to the benefits of having a journalist on their team. While at a career fair last fall I walked up to a booth labeled on my little map as one looking for journalism majors. The business was computer and IT based – certainly not on my list of fields I would work well in. Come to find out they were interested in hiring journalist as recruiters. Their keen eye for details and ability to get what they wanted from an interview makes them perfect for interviewing potential employees.
Another great asset journalist bring to the table is their knowledge of new communication techniques, specifically, how to create a blog and network your business on the web. They also tend to have vast knowledge of all social networking sites. When I started college, I didn’t have a Twitter account. Most of my friends stick to one form of social media. A young journalist learns how to interact will all forms of social media. I currently use my skills to promote myself. Go ahead and Google ‘Tonya Vrba.’ You don’t even need quotation marks. Less than a year ago you would have found nothing. That’s a skill I can bring to any business. Imagine a business trying to sell a product. Their goal should be to get on the first page of Google. This isn’t hard, but it takes a lot of hard work and an understanding of how networking works on the web. Less than 5 years ago, you wouldn’t have learned about that in school. Those of your seeking journalism majors today will be immersed in the world of online media. Even print media needs to have an online presence these days.
Blogging is also a great source for journalist. Many people work as bloggers full time. While you don’t need to have a degree in journalism to start a blog, the most successful blogs are written by people with experience and degrees in English or journalism. Every aspiring journalist should have a blog, even if they’re not getting paid for it. Journalism majors with an active blog (at least 3 posts a week) are 50% more likely to snag a job than those without. This is because blogs provide an area to advertise your writing skills. To make it even better, try out video editing software and other forms of media. Post your resume and portfolio. Make yourself accessible and let your voice shine in your blog.
Relief is out there for panicked journalism majors. I may not have a job to go to on May 14th, but what I will have is great opportunities. Journalism majors are in for an exciting life. One only needs drive and passion to make it happen.
YPTonyaV, Young Professionals Guest Writer
{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
Twitter: m_rachela
February 16, 2012 at 1:55 pm
So inspiring! Though I’m only a sophomore journalism major, I am trying to get ahead and plan for my post-graduate career. I hated (well, still hate) Twitter, but recently forced myself to get one stay updated on the news and companies through it. I didn’t realize until this year just how important social media is to my career and to my means of entering my career. Thank you for all the tips!
Twitter: tkvrba
February 22, 2012 at 9:36 pm
I completely understand. I didn’t think anything of Twitter before entering journalism school. Social media is amazing! These days, being able to successfully manipulate social media can make you a huge asset to a company.
May I just say, as a journalism student, you must find as many internships as possible. In our line of work, you don’t get anywhere unless you come out of college with experience.
Good luck to your studies. Thanks for reading!