Beating the Competition - Setting Yourself Apart as a Journalist

Regardless of whether a person is currently working hard at obtaining their Journalism degree or has recently graduated from college with a Journalism degree, there are many things that can be done to prepare for the competitive job market. As a new journalist, the resume has to be impressive in order to compete with veteran journalists, as well as the floods of aspiring journalists every Spring. The bright side: there is a lot you can be doing now that will benefit you in the future.

One of these is blogging. By creating and maintaining a blog, with at least two blog posts a week, it will show prospective employers that you have the ability to write and produce articles on a regular basis. In the writing world, the words "Writer's Block" may be an acceptable excuse, but deadlines have to be met in the journalism world. And unless you plan on being only an editorial journalist, blogs consisting of pure opinion are probably not the putting your best foot forward.

Another is networking with professionals. Put of all of your available resources to good use, whether that means digitally or the old-fashioned way. An article on 10000 Words suggests using any business cards you have collected so far from guest lecturers or professionals. By contacting these people, you may be able to get some post-graduation advice and could even stand to make a beneficial connection.

Potential job leads can come from these professionals. This also includes your professors. Even if they can't direct you on where to land your first big job, they might be willing to be used as a reference.

The third thing you can do is to establish yourself everywhere online. People everywhere are connected to the internet. The best way to get yourself, and those blogs mentioned above, noticed is to have a strong online presence. Simply having a Twitter account and a Facebook account does not qualify. Revamp your existing profiles to make them more professional. Network with others in the journalism profession, as well as other related fields where you could potentially beneficial contacts.

Use these accounts. Among a large list of 30 things that a Journalism Grad should do are posting 100 pictures to Flickr and maintaining a Delicious account with at least 50 links you find interesting. Using these sources often, and keeping them current, will keep your name out there for prospective employers to find.

Perhaps the most important piece of advice comes from the words of a professional, who was speaking at an International Symposium on Online Journalism.

school is just the beginning of learning. At the core is good writing and reporting, regardless of the medium. But to stand out from the crowd, journalism graduates should follow their passions, develop an area of specialization and master that area.

It seems logical that a journalist should follow their passions. If your heart is in your writing, it will be reflected by the quality that is produced. And those are the articles that you'll want prospective employers to see, because those are the ones that might lead to hearing, "You're hired!"

Photo courtesy of deanmeyersnet's Flickr via Creative Commons.

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Growing Scrutiny of For-profit Colleges

The New York Times released an investigation on Nov. 9 reporting alleged fraudulent and deceptive practices in for-profit institutions.

Specifically, Tamar Lewin, reporter for the New York Times, took Kaplan University as one example for the growing scrutiny in for-profit higher-education schools.

According to Lewin, "investigators from the Government Accountability Office found deception or fraud at 15 for-profit colleges, including two Kaplan campuses."

To support her argument, Lewin highlights two undercover videos of Kaplan recruiters in Florida and California making dishonest statements and using deceptive practices to get students to enroll.

Lewin also reports interviews with current and former Kaplan employees who reveal that "this is the regular mind-set of Kaplan recruiters: Do whatever it takes to get the sale, to keep your job.”

Furthermore, other worrisome aspects of for-profit institutions is their source of revenue and the ultimate benefit of such education. Considering that students' financial aid mostly comes from federal government, Lewin explains that Congress has taken action into the matter:

"Kaplan and other for-profit education companies have come under
investigation from Congress, amid growing concerns that the industry leaves too many students mired in debt and with credentials that provide little help in finding jobs."

Apparently, only few students are able to pay their student-loan debt, money from the federal government which is also the main source of revenue for schools like Kaplan, the University of Phoenix and other for-profit institutions.

While it is true that for-profit colleges offer an alternative choice to traditional colleges by the use of accessible schedules and online classes, the New York Times has added a reason to held for-profit institutions questionable.

Although some think of Lewin's article as an attack to for-profit colleges, I believe awareness is the driving force behind the article. The reality is that these things happen and people should be informed with the facts.

(The complete four-page article can be found at the New York Times)

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Gates Foundation Plans to Boost Education with $20 Million Fund

Aiming to improve America's education system, The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation announced on Monday, Oct. 11 an initiative to help college students succeed with technology.

As reported by the New York Times,
the $20 million fund is being targeted to community colleges in order to boost college graduation rates among low-income and minority students.

“We’re living in a tremendous age of innovation. We should harness new technologies and innovation to help all students get the education they need to succeed,” Bill Gates, Co-Chair of the Gates Foundation, said.

The initiative is called the 'Next Generation Learning Challenges' and it will provide financial grants for organizations and entrepreneurs to develop efficient online learning tools.

With a total fund of $20 million, grants will range from $250,000 to $750,000 for those applicants with top-rated proposals. Furthermore, the program will also allow current successful educational programs to expand and affect much larger groups of students.

The 'Next Generation Learning Challenges' program aims to incite the use of interactive applications like virtual simulations, interactive video and social media, thus, reinforcing students’ learning.

This program would also support the availability of OpenCourseWare, free and open digital publications of university-level educational material that can benefit students and professors as well.

Organizations supporting the initiative include: the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, EDUCASE, and other three nonprofit organizations; all with expertise in educational leadership and management.

As current and coming generations of college students experience constant technological changes, I believe initiatives like these are the best approach not only to improve education but also enhance society with more high-skilled individuals.

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