Quick question: I just noticed today that of all the applications I’ve sent to Mediabistro ads I get about 1/50 responses. For journalismjobs.com I get more like 1/6. Has anyone noticed this? Does anyone apply on journalismjobs? Am I crazy??
Longer question..
I’m also beginning to give up on my dream of working in magazines.. newspapers seem to like me better. I graduated in 07, but I haven’t had one magazine interiew, and I’m assuming I won’t be getting any, being I have no mag experience at this point. I have however interviewed at numerous newspapers, and I worked at one and interned at another. What does the magazine industry think of the newspaper industry? I’m assuming they’re not too fond of one another. I just had an interview for an Editorial Assistant position at a prestigious Greenwich Conn. daily newspaper (with a GREAT salary for an EA!) and I really want the job. I feel like I’m at a crossroads.. if I start down the newspaper route (don’t get me wrong I love both newspapers and mags, I just like to write in general) can I never go to the magazine side? I’m just really confused and at this point (after a year in retail) I’m going to take whatever I am offered in the journalism world.
But does anyone else out there sit on the newspaper/magazine fence too? I have zero magazine experience but plenty of newspaper, freelancing and writing experience. In fact, I’m getting kind of turned off by the mag industry after reading these boards. It all seems like a big game, a big puzzle that you have to figure out and it seems exhausting and kinda full of itself and not anything I could get into anyway. Maybe I’m better off with newspapers, I don’t know. Any thoughts? My apologies for rambling, this is just what I’m thinking at the moment and I wanted to know if anyone else ever feels the same.
Thanks guys! :)
Mags vs. Newspaper
Hello!
I graduated in 07 too, and have since spent 6 months interning at a newspaper and then the next 6 interning at a magazine. The verdict?
You can jump from newspapers to magazines, but transiting from a magazine to a newspaper is difficult.
IMO, you will gain more experience working at a newspaper. Like someone stated, you will write on tight deadlines, learn to self-edit and contribute countless ideas- all things that impress mag editors.
I could not have gotten my mag internship without my newspaper internship. After working in both, I feel like newspapers or that type of journalism is what’s right for me right now. Magazines are very much about hierarchy. You could work you ass off, research and research, and at the end of the day you will have a 50 word sidebar to show for it.
In newspapers, you will work you ass off and will have something with your name actually attached to it/ a clip that actually shows what you are really capable of as a writer.
They are different industries. Good luck making a choice!
I did it.
I spent almost two years in newspapers before switching back to magazines. Your experience may be different if you’re looking at national mags (someone else can speak to that—I honestly don’t know), but the transition was easy for me. Newspaper writing means you are good on tight deadlines, you almost HAVE to learn to self-edit and you’re pitching ideas CONSTANTLY. All of those are assets to a mag career.
Plus, news jobs are more plentiful. I started in news for about the same reason as you (and newspapers are WAY more plentiful than mags in the South, where I live).
Of course, if you can find a features beat, that could be helpful for making the switch. A portfolio full of city council stories may not impress an editor. (But I also have worked jobs where I got a little bit of everything—yay for GA reporters—so I had city council, plus food, plus health, plus religion, plus crime…)
Newspapers are a struggling
Newspapers are a struggling breed and I’ve heard too many horror stories about emptying newsrooms. I just hear the environment is very thwarting on one’s psyche which is why I’m steering clear.