Jobs for the Major
How this major affects a job search
You probably picture life as a journalist with all the glitz and glamor of Devil Wears Prada, minus the ruthless boss. We've got news for you. It comes with the whole package—demanding Miranda Priestly included.
At least, that's how it is when you first start out. It's full of internships and "paying your dues," a.k.a. getting other people's coffee while you sit in on meetings. There's a lot of grunt work that has to be done at publishing houses and newspaper offices, which often gets delegated to the rookies.
Yet, after a while, if you stick with it, you can start to make a name for yourself by researching for writers and writing smaller pieces. Before long, you'll be hitting the big leagues. Don't get us wrong. Journalism majors can have wildly successful careers, breaking news stories or becoming the next Diane Sawyer.
It's just towards the end of a road that involves a lot of Starbucks runs.
Common Career Fields
Archivist or Librarian. An archivist takes care of old records for a company, university, or library. They are in charge of cataloging new materials and making sure visitors to the archives (like pesky students) don't ruin the materials. These record-keepers often hold a degree in journalism before heading off to get specialized training about catalogs and archival materials. Why? Journalism majors know how to research and keep up with current events like nobody's business. Those things come in handy when you're figuring out how to, say, organize thousands of books for a library with new ones coming in each and every day.
Broadcasting. Riddle us this: How annoying would it be if journalists didn't use amazing rhetorical skills when writing an article or reporting the news? Personally, we'd just stop watching. The long and short of it is: You need to know how to write and convey stories properly to be on the news. Usually. That's why so many journalism majors head over to the world of broadcasting in one way or another. Whether that's working as a reporter, a host of a snazzy game show, or a radio personality, a degree in journalism is your first step in landing an interview.
Copyediting and Publishing. Think of copyeditors as real-life spell-checkers who make sure all your i's are dotted and your t's are crossed. (Where can we get one of those?) Copywriters make sure writers' grammar is perfect and ready for publication, so naturally, a journalism degree is very helpful. In the publishing world, workers read at the speed of light to decide which books get trashed and which fly off the shelves. Journalism majors feel right at home with all the reading and analyzing that takes place in publishing houses because let's face it, who else loves to read and write as much as they do?
Journalism. Duh. After studying all the tricks of the trade in college, it's the most obvious choice. Working at a newspaper or for a magazine is the most typical career path for journalism majors. You'll get to employ those superb language skills that you got from writing all those research papers in college. Plus, you won't just think about what's going on around the world—you'll get paid to write about it, too. Wee commoners have very little influence on social and political matters. Working in journalism gives the teeny tiny voice of the people a megaphone.
Paralegal. Let's go through our lawyer checklist and see how it compares to being a journalism major. Writing briefs? Check. Wearing briefs? Double-check. Presenting well-organized arguments? Check. Offering professional and clear advice? Check. The more we think about it, the more we can see why journalism majors head off to the world of law. They both use a lot of similar skills, so it's a natural fit. Like lush white cotton.
Photojournalism. Everywhere we look, there are pictures. At the bus station, on the freeway, in magazines. Where do those pictures come from? Why, photojournalists, of course. These freelance workers are a cross between photographers and journalists since they tell stories through their lens instead of their pens. Journalism majors already have half of the equation right out of the gate. They know about storytelling, perception, and angles—things that are needed to take compelling photographs as well. Besides, they know the number one rule of any type of journalism: Keep the reader interested.
Writer. If you dream of an Emmy or an Oscar but you can't act to save your skin, check out a career as a writer. Sure, you can pen famous novels and get on Oprah's all-powerful Book Club list. Or, you can use your Call of Duty skills to write for a video game. Maybe you'd even like to take your love of Breaking Bad and parley that into writing for a hit TV show. Writers have a tough time of it out of college, but every once in a while, some outstanding writer not only makes it work, but hits it big.
Current unemployment of the major
6%Percentage of majors who get a higher degree after college
22%Stats obtained from this source.