A knack for entering the market at the worst possible time
When I graduated from Louisiana Tech University in 2008, the economy was crumbling and the job market, as far as journalism was concerned, was dwindling to say the least. When my father graduated in the 80s, he went to work at the newspaper the very next day. I wasn’t so lucky.
It took a decade before I ever found full-time, salaried work as a professional journalist. Perhaps a major in journalism was ill-advised, but nobody really advised me. I was a teenager taking on massive debt and just doing whatever I could.
Now, on the eve of my graduation from Flatiron, I see similarities as I enter a new job market. The deeper I delve into the career prep section of my post-graduation curriculum, the more each of these lessons fall flat. Most of these points are moot in a year with a global pandemic that shows no signs of slowing down any time soon.
I should be making coffee dates, banging on doors, showing off my personality and knowledge to anyone within an earshot. Obviously, I can’t do that right now.
So, how to stick out from hundreds of applicants online?
While there are similarities between 2008 and now with regard to my entrance into a new job market, 2020 has a few advantages.
For one, most jobs are moving to remote work. This is a massive advantage to me, as it broadens my map for applications. As much as I want to be around people and work in a company and in offices, my partner is a doctor in residency here in Shreveport. It makes sense for us to be here together, and for me to find remote work.
The other advantage is that I am entering a market with real value, as opposed to 2008 when my brand of journalism was dying before my eyes.
I’ve said a few times that programmers are the new architects. We’re everywhere. I’m a proven communicator, an educator, linguist and savant. Poor timing aside, I’m more excited than ever to get out there and get to work.
