New career ideas for journalist

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Another journalist here. PI (private investigator) I get, but thought leadership? What in the world is that?

It's ghost writing pieces about specialty subject matters. Like, writing your thoughts on the importance of emerging markets to municipal bond holders, or how RFID will affect surgery times, etc.

That sounds deathly dull and not distinctively different from PR.

Well, pick an area you like. Financial journalists may enjoy the former example while health journalists may enjoy the latter.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Another journalist here. PI (private investigator) I get, but thought leadership? What in the world is that?

It's ghost writing pieces about specialty subject matters. Like, writing your thoughts on the importance of emerging markets to municipal bond holders, or how RFID will affect surgery times, etc.

That sounds deathly dull and not distinctively different from PR.

It is dull. But it is a career that pays well. I'm guessing OP has recently been laid off from a dying industry. I'm a former journalist who's been there, done that. Thought leadership pays very well, at least. I assumed OP wants to eat.

Teaching is also a good option, provided you get the necessary credentials.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Another journalist here. PI (private investigator) I get, but thought leadership? What in the world is that?

Communications/marketing - helping the CEO get speaking gigs and ghostwriting the company blog. Part of a nonprofit comm job, in my experience.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I imagine you are good at research, and wonder what kinda of jobs need researchers?

Also, wonder about communications, maybe for a foundation or nonprofit in social justice?

It's trite but you should start conducting information interviews

+1
DH is a former journalist and now does communications for a non-profit.

[Anonymous]

Thanks, everyone. But does anyone have any suggestions that aren't PR/communications? (AKA "the dark side")

"Thought leadership" is clearly just jargon-y way to say PR.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Thanks, everyone. But does anyone have any suggestions that aren't PR/communications? (AKA "the dark side")

"Thought leadership" is clearly just jargon-y way to say PR.

Sure! What about you launching a nonprofit that helps solve whatever social problem you care most about?

You won't be one of those that bitches about everything and does nothing, correct? THAT is the dark side.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Thanks, everyone. But does anyone have any suggestions that aren't PR/communications? (AKA "the dark side")

"Thought leadership" is clearly just jargon-y way to say PR.

Sure! What about you launching a nonprofit that helps solve whatever social problem you care most about?

You won't be one of those that bitches about everything and does nothing, correct? THAT is the dark side.

That would be fantastic but would require funds and there are also many existing non-profits in that space.

The journalist in question is not me, BTW. (I am OP).

[Anonymous]

Could you write a mystery novel? A thriller? Surely one must be percolating.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Thanks, everyone. But does anyone have any suggestions that aren't PR/communications? (AKA "the dark side")

"Thought leadership" is clearly just jargon-y way to say PR.

I get where you're coming from OP but there's a reason this is the most common answer. It is going to be the closest fit to your skills by far. I'm a journalist-turned-communications person myself. For me the key was to find an issue I was passionate about and do communications work for a non-profit working in that area. Think about if there are any organizations or people doing work you really admire.

[Anonymous]

Teach in the ghetto.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Thanks, everyone. But does anyone have any suggestions that aren't PR/communications? (AKA "the dark side")

"Thought leadership" is clearly just jargon-y way to say PR.

I get where you're coming from OP but there's a reason this is the most common answer. It is going to be the closest fit to your skills by far. I'm a journalist-turned-communications person myself. For me the key was to find an issue I was passionate about and do communications work for a non-profit working in that area. Think about if there are any organizations or people doing work you really admire.

Yep, I know this, but I posted here specifically to see if there were any other careers that we hadn't thought of. I did say in my OP I was looking for suggestions that WEREN'T public relations.

I guess other than teaching and private investigator work there aren't any other obvious ideas.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Teach in the ghetto.

+1.

And, later, write a book about the experience.

[Anonymous]

Teaching and much more lucrative go into corporate training.

[Anonymous]

How about learning how to write grant proposals. I work for a non-profit that specializes in providing training to journalist in conflict areas. We use consultants for our proposals.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Thanks, everyone. But does anyone have any suggestions that aren't PR/communications? (AKA "the dark side")

"Thought leadership" is clearly just jargon-y way to say PR.

No, it's not PR. It's marketing. It's white papers, reports, speechwriting, etc.

Similarly, PR is a lot more than media relations. A lot of journalists think that's what PR is, but it's not. Especially in this day and age.