Careers for Graduates with a Degree in Journalism

Not every career opportunity accepted by a graduate with a degree in journalism leads to an anchor spot on national television. Certainly there are some careers for graduates with a degree in journalism that can vault graduates to super stardom. But there are also many careers for graduates with a degree in journalism that simply provide meaningful, well compensated employment minus the glitz and the notoriety. In fact the total number of careers for graduates with a degree in journalism has expanded in the last few decades to accommodate the national and international media explosion.

Local Newspapers Perhaps the most natural place to look for careers for graduates with a degree in journalism is with local newspapers. Whether the local newspaper is a major metropolitan journal or a small town gazette, every word printed must be composed by a staffer and every article must be properly layed out to improve the overall newspaper product.The ordinary, daily business of running a local newspaper of whatever size provides many career opportunities for graduaes with a degree in journalism. There are careers for graduates with a degree in journalism in almost every facet of newspaper writing, editing and management.

Newspaper careers are attractive to many graduates with a degree in journalism because they allow fledgling writers the chance first to gain confidence and newspaper savvy by writing obituaries and reports of local meetings but then to eventually move up to important reporting assignments and op/ed pieces. Newspaper based careers for graduates with a degree in journalism can be very demanding and time devouring, but for the professional journalist in the making, seeing the finished product in print under his or her own name is often more than sufficient reward.

Magazine Work Less frenetic than newspaper work, careers for graduates with a degree in journalism can be found in the wide open world of magazines. Now more than ever, careers for graduates with a degree in journalism are available simply because of the burgeoning number of magazines and periodicals being produced. There are literally thousands of magazines being printed weekly or monthly centering on every imaginable topic area. There are magazines that concentrate on news, sports, travel and television but there are also special interest magazines for computer quizzes, fashion fanatics and civil war reinactors. Industries, organizations and universities also add to the vast array of magazine types.

To get and keep this myriad of magazines on the market requires the efforts of feature writers, contributing editors, copy editors, managing editors and lots of employees to take on all of these varied print related tasks. Magazines to exist and to survive offer careers to many graduates with a degree in journalism. It is likely that new graduates with a degree in journalism will not have attained the degree of writing sophistication or visible experience to qualify for high paying jobs initially, careers in magazine work are competitive and the opportunity for more demanding, exciting and lucrative positions is always on the horizon.

On Line Jobs – As the average number of hours individuals spend logged onto their computer increases, so too do the computer generated careers for graduates with a degree in journalism. With some basic computer know how and a degree in journalism you can qualify to work for on-line magazines, training programs or take on free lance or industry based editing.
On line journalism jobs are the perfect solution for graduates with a degree in journalism who want to control their own work hours or work from home. Graduates may even combine a number of on line part time journalism opportunities to allow time for freelancing in their area of expertise.

Finding on line careers for graduates with a degree in journalism requires the same kind of tenacity as any other on line job search but the opportunities are there for the conscientious and determined graduate..

Government and Non-Profits. Many departments of federal, state and municipal government and many Non-profit organizations have career positions suitable for graduates with a degree in journalism. Periodic reports, program pamphlets, department newsletters, non-profit monthly communications all are improved under the direction of skilled graduates with a degree in journalism . Trained to write meaningful reports, to highlight major points and verbally develop key concepts, graduates with a degree in journalism are well prepared to serve in either the public or private sector of the economy helping to get information into readable and attractive form.

Television and Radio The fact that not everyone can become a nationally know television news journalist does not meant that there are no careers ever available on television or radio for graduates with a degree in journalism. In fact there are television and radio affiliates of major networks located all over the country and smaller local cable outfits as well. All need effective journalists to fill key news preparation and on air positions. Graduates with a degree in journalism may have a networking advantage over other job candidates who lack a comparable degree.

Careers in television or radio journalism may require frequent and unusual relocation , but the chance to do what you love and have been trained to do may make that a sacrifice you are willing to make. Besides, that next new on air journalist has to be someone. Armed with a degree in journalism you increase the chances that it might be you.