ALT-3 How to Survive in Journalism
Hopefully you have passion, because you'll need it. This is true for any career field, but arguments have been made that Journalism is one of the most cut-throat, nitty-gritty businesses out there.
In the words of a famous NBC anchor, "If you don't have a passion for this business, then please get out of the way of those who'd be willing to crawl over broken glass to get here."
Another essential characteristic for survival is determination. The job market might not be the best for jobs in the media, but there are positions out there. One must be willing to start at the bottom and work up the ladder as new positions open up. If possible, look for a job that has the potential of promoting employees to management positions.
Finally, perspective is a key to survival. Improvement is probably a goal of someone who wants to do well in this field. To accomplish this, one must be able to take criticism from many people on many levels. Between editors, colleagues and the audience (who can often serve as critics), it is essential to have the ability to decipher between constructive criticism, and unproductive comments about the work. Perspective will be needed to step out of the situation and decide how to handle opinions and situations.
In sum, passion, determination and perspective are all keys to surviving in the field of journalism. Not just survival, but success can be obtained through these characteristics. To a point, they may be learned, to a point. The most successful journalists in print, radio, television and the web are able to perfect their skills to make up for lacking in these areas. But, when one has a gift for something, they are often able to rise to the top.
