Off-the-cuff career advice for the college journalism major

My son Trevor recently asked me for career advice to pass along to a friend who is a journalism major at the Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts (MCLA). She was wondering "how she gets recognized in the newspaper biz".

So here it is ....

There is a quotation by Thomas Jefferson that is often cited by people such as me who pretend to be career strategists for others, but it is sage advice worth repeating: "I'm a great believer in luck, and I find the harder I work the more I have of it."

I found that to be true in both my career and in the careers of others inside and outside of journalism. What Trevor's friend needs to do between now and graduation - and beyond - is to work diligently to cast as wide a net of meaningful contacts and relevant professional experiences as possible. It just may put her in position to enjoy some luck in landing a gig in a very competitive job environment. If I were a college journalism student with a year or two or more of school left, here would be my strategy:

• First and foremost, I would decide what my "personal brand" was going to be. What is the "elevator pitch" that is going to separate me from all of the other journalism candidates out there? (Tom Peters does a great job of coaching on this topic; see Fast Company for a sample of his philosophy.) While having the ability to be a generalist serves some people very well, there are a lot of niches within journalism and if you can, say, combine some expertise in medicine or business with your storytelling skills, you may rise to the top of the resume pile for news organizations with very specific needs.

• Next, I would create a strategy for broadcasting my personal brand across as many social platforms as possible - especially LinkedIn, Twitter and a blog. I would make sure that my insights go both deep and broad on professional topics of interest and I would link, link, link to the writings of others.

• I would also start polishing my production skills for organizations looking for someone who can be part journalist, part technician. I would want to be able to demonstrate knowledge of Dreamweaver, Final Cut Pro, InDesign, digital photography and digital videography to ensure I am on solid footing against other job candidates. I would "demonstrate" these skills by putting together an attractive portfolio of compelling journalism using these multi-media tools.

• I would expand my list of mentors outside of academia. This isn't an easy thing for many college students to do. But if I was serious about begin a journalist I would follow up with visiting lectors on their LinkedIn sites and find a reason to connect. I would look for local and state press association meetings and conventions I might attend (usually fees are reduced or waived for students) and then I would work the room, collecting business cards and making good first impressions. I would apply for fellowships to student training by journalism institutions such as the Poynter Institute of Media Studies and do the same there if admitted. I would ask my college's carer office for names of alumni working in the field and might insist they make an introduction.

• I would want to build a body of professional clips by approaching my hometown newspaper or one near the school, i.e. the North Adams Transcript and The Record in Troy are two of many possibilities within 45 minutes of MCLA. Not every newspaper needs or wants student stringers or interns (more on that later) but prod them to converse about coverage areas with which they are struggling. For instance, many papers are under corporate mandates to publish more videos and / or develop more blogs and sometimes smaller newspapers fall short fulfilling the print + digital requirements of each news cycle with fewer resources than they had a few years ago. If you can find a need you may find your foot in the door. Don't be discouraged if the first thing they offer you resembles clerical duties; do them well and more responsibility will come.

• Expand your horizons academically online as well. The Poynter Institute has some wonderful Webinars and self-directed courses at newsu.org - including some specifically designed for college students - as do many other journalism organizations. Again, also look to local and state press clubs for student opportunities such as contests and seminars. These experiences will round out your resume nicely and demonstrate you have an insatiable appetite to learn your vocation.

I mentioned briefly internships. Understand that many news organizations have dropped unpaid internships based on how their corporate legal teams have interpreted state and federal labor laws. And some have also reduce or eliminated paid internships due to financial constraints. In many instances you may have to find ways to work around these obstacles to develop the clips - and professional coaching - you need to land your first job. As I also stated, freelance and unpaid blogs can be relativity easy entrées into many small and mid-size newspapers. (Newspaper attorneys seem o.k. with unpaid blogs as long as you sign legal forms releasing them from liability for anything you might say or want to get paid for later.)

There is much more you can do such as comb professional message boards and ask the question Trevor passed along to me of every journalist you meet. The harder you work, the sooner luck will find you. And with that, I wish you the best of "luck".