First Jobs: Versatility Matters

BiB Contributor | Anonymous News Director

A number of people have asked me if managers are hiring younger because of shrinking budgets. The answer is much deeper than one might believe. The industry has changed exponentially in recent years. Those who refuse to change along with it are being left in the dust.

Case in point: I recently interviewed a candidate with years of experience. As soon as I mentioned she was applying for a backpack journalist position, she balked. She stated she was “over the one man band thing.” I was impressed by her knowledge of the industry and the contacts that she could bring to the table. But I didn’t hire her. Instead, I hired a person who was not only eager to do the job, but understood why he had to tote his own camera. He even detailed what other jobs he could do.

I won’t lie to you. Shrinking dollars have everything to do with the re-emergence of the one-person-band; however, at the same time, the jobs journalists must now do have expanded and then some. 15 years ago, the internet was an afterthought. It is now front and center. 15 years ago, reporters could expect to graduate from the school of the “one man band” once he or she moved on from a small market. Not anymore. 15 years ago, cell phones were big, clunky contraptions very few people had. Now, I-phones and PDAs are the norm.

I’ve often spoken out against the so-called “entitlement” generation. People who feel they deserve to be handed a promotion or a plum assignment just because they do their jobs well are missing the boat. To continue sailing in the choppy waters of this exciting business, one must stand out. One must be versatile. One must be able and willing to do multiple jobs. This is the essence of a Multimedia Journalist. This is the essence of Journalism in 2010. Only those who are willing to adapt will survive.

I’d write more but I’ve got to run. I have a story to post on the web.