Career advice

[The Prototype]

Rather than hijacking David's thread I figured I'd do my own, but look in terms of career options. I've been writing for a few years, have been published in the West Coast Chronicle, wrote a lot for Nicks and other sites but haven't yet found somewhere to get further.

The last year and a half I have been looking for work and and maybe study with Morris Journalism Academy (while also working.) I had found via the Volunteer Tasmania website Edge Radio it was by accident, they have a media course which allows you to (if you pass.) host a radio show on there as well as obtain partial credit for the Uni course. I was going to do it before I started at TAFE Tasmania doing the business course, but I had suffered the flu which impaired my ability t speak which in the radio course that's part of the assessment.

But this business course.... I am not sure what I want to do once I am done, where I want to work. I hate not being able to work, and it's not been without trying. I have many emails with application letters I've done, countless rejection letters. I keep getting told I need experience....yeah that helps. The Commonwealth Bank of Australia were once interested in me, if I had more sales experience, no one was willing to help me get that.

I got a volunteer job at Vinnies, Centrelink came along and told me I had to do work for the dole, and they went and put me in a program that was for computing but didn't offer any help on getting work. I asked them at Job Futures to find me something with sales experience, or let me do Vinnies they let me do neither.

So by January I am going to be ready to do a traineeship I am not sure where, I guess I have the choice to pick what I want to do as far as that goes, but what to do? I've been considering being a law clerk, or office work at some company.

I was offered a chance to maybe work at the West Coast Council when they moved to Queenstown, they've still not moved... but I have. So maybe I can do a trainseeship at the Brighton Council.

So anyway maybe you guys can help me find some ideas, the main thing I am wondering.... do I keep persisting with my dream of being a writer, or ditch that altogether.

[Pied Piper]

If you want to be a writer you always have to persist; it's practically the first rule. However, it's always been hard to make a living, and it's harder than ever now. I'm less help to you on general job seeking, but it probably goes without saying that getting your rent paid/food on the table etc is probably your first problem, so see to that first!

I said in the other thread that no one ever wanted to see my resume; editors are more concerned about publications. That doesn't mean a journalism course can't help in providing you with the skills you need to ply the trade, though (and it's more a trade than a profession IMO). Otherwise my advice to David also applies to you.

It sounds like you have some contacts of your own and that's a good start. If you want to write about footy, check out footyalmanac.com.au - ANYONE can write for them, and indeed a few Nickster's including myself either have or continue to do so (Dr Pie and Mrs Jack Anthony being two others who spring to mind).

Did you go to the academy you mentioned or do the course at Edge Radio? That part of your post was unclear. (I hope a little flu didn't put you off.)

[The Prototype]

I am looking at doing the Edge Radio course, it's a six week course at Edge Radio, which includes partial credits towards the Media Course at Uni Tas. The Morris Journalism Academy as well as another course I've found costs 1k to do, which is why I've not been able to do it. I've looked to get work to put funds towards doing it.

I would have done the Edge Radio thing, which would have given me a radio show as well, had I been healthier. I was told I would be contacted when they hold their next course, I'd assume sometime during summer.

The flu made me lose my voice, which would have made doing the course a bit difficult, mum was also sick at the time so it made it hard to go anywhere as I need a licensed driver in the car to drive until I fully get my license.

I do writing for TBT, My own blog, I did a few football reviews for The Big Tip earlier this year, but stopped around Easter. I contacted the Morris Journalism Academy after putting together a portfolio of work and they said they could help me learn to be a reporter.

You know, once I find course fees.

[Kingswood]

I think Pied Piper is just an all around great bloke.

[Kingswood]

This may not help you proto but when I was closing in on completing high school (i never did end up completing it though); I wanted to be a journo

But one career fair I remember, I guy gave me advice. He told me not to study a specific journalism degree. Journalism is always a career you can break into after becoming trained in a more specialised domain, e.g. science; business; law/ politics/ economics etc etc\. but you cant really do the opposite. so by focusing solely on journalism/ writing you're limiting yourself from the start.

So I ditched plans for a journalism degree and went with something else. I never did go back to journalism though and dont really want to.

anways my advice, don't worry too much about degrees or not being paid to write at the moment. just worry about being paid; i.e. get yourself a job, get experience, move into better positions etc. writing is something you can always maintain on the side and come back to

[The Prototype]

[Nick - Pie Man]

If it doesn't work out for you, there's always work available in my pizza shop. I have a number of musicians, writers and film makers working for me.

[The Prototype]

I know how to make a pizza, and such so maybe I could do that.

Thank god for cash registers, cause my maths skills are terrible.

[Culprit]

What's the difference between a pizza and a musician? Pizza can feed a family of 4.

Set you're goals high. Medicority is a St Kilda thing.