Job Hunting

[Jeffool]

Some of you know what I currently do, produce a weekday newscast for a local tv station, but my contract is ending in couple of months and I'm not sure I want to stay in this biz. Anyone been jobhunting in our current shifty environment and have any tips? My current job entails video and audio editing, small team management, constant judgment calls, and much writing/editing. I know things aren't easy out there, but I'm open to about anything that will pay the bills.

Two things of note:
-Sadly some bills are not flexible, including a student loan payment equal to my rent.
-A reason I'm searching is for more political freedom. In the current job political action is a no-no.

Suggestions for a guy looking to change careers?

[GunnyMo]

Don't do it now. lol That's my best advice. If you can extend your contract then do it. Looking for new work or changing careers in this economy is a bad, bad idea. But that's just me after almost a year of unemployment trying to switch careers.

Then again, maybe I just suck at it. ;)

[OldeWolf]

I echo Gunnymo. Been unemployed since March and got turned down from various jobs despite my 7 years experience working with people with disabilities and having a BA degree. I am either overqualified or underqualified, no happy medium. A load of bullshit if you ask me.

[Jeffool]

Words of warming are definitely appreciated gentlemen, and let me say I'm not discounting them or treating them lightly. I have no plans to become unemployed, and I'll re-sign before that happens, I'm just hesitant to spend two more years in this job after already spent three, is all.

It seems many people in my field end up going into PR after tiring of this, and that's not something I'm eager to dive into do either. I figure the odds of getting hired somewhere for a product you believe in is probably very unlikely.

[violent]

Some of you know what I currently do, produce a weekday newscast for a local tv station, but my contract is ending in couple of months and I'm not sure I want to stay in this biz. Anyone been jobhunting in our current shifty environment and have any tips? My current job entails video and audio editing, small team management, constant judgment calls, and much writing/editing. I know things aren't easy out there, but I'm open to about anything that will pay the bills.

Two things of note:
-Sadly some bills are not flexible, including a student loan payment equal to my rent.
-A reason I'm searching is for more political freedom. In the current job political action is a no-no.

Suggestions for a guy looking to change careers?

Vigilance. The market has gotten slightly better as of late so it might be time to start getting your name out there. Decide where you want to go from here and update your resume to reflect that position. Proper resume layout is critical at this phase. Put everything that is relevant to the position you are trying to fill and nothing that isn't. Make that resume your best friend and get that shit out there.

[Johan]

-A reason I'm searching is for more political freedom. In the current job political action is a no-no.

Interested in political work?

Federal government. (http://www.usajobs.gov/)

DC jobs. (http://dchr.dc.gov/dcop/cwp/view,a,1222,q,530365,dcopNav,|31656|.asp)

Georgia state jobs. (http://www.georgia.gov/00/channel_title/0,2094,4802_5037,00.html)

Also, have you ever done any work with local business or political leaders for your station? Get in touch with them, reminding them of who you are, and put out some "feelers" for opportunities. :)

[Jeffool]

Decide where you want to go from here and update your resume to reflect that position.Therein lies the point of my post gents, and I'm sorry if I've not been clear enough. What I'm torn about is exactly what career I should be pursuing. How can I leverage my experience into a career that would be at worst a side step, rather than a step backwards, if such a thing is possible at this juncture in our economy, y'know?Interested in political work?
...
Also, have you ever done any work with local business or political leaders for your station? Get in touch with them, reminding them of who you are, and put out some "feelers" for opportunities. :)As much as I cherish the thought of having a job that opens me up to political activism on my own free time, I'm torn on the idea of actually working 'for' the government. I'm sure you can understand this to a degree Johan: having to work in a system that you're not... "Entirely in love with" is something that can make you sigh on the good days and grate your testicles like a cheese grater on the bad. Having done that in news (though I feel I should point out that in my case, it's not the news that's the problem, it's me, as I feel the current news system has its place, I just don't have a place in it,) I'm reticent to do it in another place for fear of leaving the frying pan only to enter the fire.

Then again, I suppose at least with a government job, they don't preclude your voicing a political opinion, even if you do have to work against it during the work day...

Regardless, I plan to be at the Department of Labor Monday morning to see if they've any tips. And again, thanks guys.

[violent]

Therein lies the point of my post gents, and I'm sorry if I've not been clear enough. What I'm torn about is exactly what career I should be pursuing. How can I leverage my experience into a career that would be at worst a side step, rather than a step backwards, if such a thing is possible at this juncture in our economy, y'know?

I didn't really respond to that part of your question solely for the fact that I believe the right choice is to do what you love. I figure you to be the most qualified to answer that question.

[Jeffool]

I guess I'm just not sure if I want to conflate the two, my employment and my passions. It seems like a good way to get burned out on both. Then again, I suppose if I were offered a designer job at a game company or an editorship at a publisher, there's really no way I'd turn it down... But in theory, y'know? ;)

Ah well. I suppose I'll just have to do more thinking.

[violent]

The thinking is the hardest part dude. Everything else is routine. Sometimes people make the mistake of finding a career that sounds cool or makes a lot of money only to get burned down the road. Find something you love and the aforementioned two are close behind. Unfortunately, figuring out that one thing is the most difficult.

[Scull]

As some one who just spent the last 4 months unemployed, I can tell you the market is really tough, and switching gears even tougher. The first thing you really need to do is decide what you want to do. With video production experience, there are editing and production houses (particularly in SoCal and NY if you are open to relocating), PR firms, advertising agencies, etc. I personally went from video production and directing newscasts into developing safety and educational videos and then into safety and educational software.

After you know what you want to be when you grow up, you need to market yourself. Put together an introduction telling people who you are and what you are interested in, and if possible, where you are interested in doing it (research companies and drop those names in your speech). Make the intro short and to the point, no more than 30 seconds. Then use it everywhere you can. Also get some business cards made that reflect your new goals, and hand those out to people.

After you learn to market yourself, you need to meet the right people to market to. Talk to everyone you know and let them know your are looking to meet people in your new industry, or at a company you are interested in. Get names and contact info for these people, get introduced to them, take them out for coffee, talk about their business and learn from them. They probably don't have a job for you, so don't ask for one. Eventually you'll meet someone who does have a job for you, and if you make the right impression, they'll do what they can to help you get it.

All this takes time, and the sooner you start on and the more you dedicate yourself to it, the sooner you'll see results. Remember, you are selling a product, but you are the only one who really cares about that product. Get out there and Billy Mays it up, because no one else will do it for you.

[Bandango]

Stick with your job and start a blog/webcast and put it on the internet. Total freedom + paycheck.

[Stmfuller]

There are parts of every job we dislike, it's up to you to find something where what you like far outweighs what you dislike. for example, if you like producing but hate the content can you find another job where you're producing content you actually care about?
Also, has the job taken you as far as it can or is there more you can learn from the people and situations in your surrounding?

Once you know this things (what do you like about what you're doing and can you learn more from the position you're already in), then you can apply it where needed. If there is more you can learn from your position, I may suggest a little longer time "paying your dues" before you look. If not, look away. If you only hate part of your job but you know you can find another position where the part you hate is minimized, then get with that. By ditching or working on the parts that make you weak, you present a stronger package to a potential employer.
The last part would be a total change in careers. This is harder because you're basically saying "fuck you" to all of your experience, sort of. In a position like that, you have to say "what did it teach me, and how can I apply it to another field"? That's when you get creative. Once identifying your new vocation, you now have to show them how your other experience applies to what you really want to do and cater your resume that way.
Sadly, it's not your market right now. Nor is it mine :) So patience is the key. If you can take a shorter contract or something while you look that'd be your best bet. Quitting in this market is unwise at the very least.

[Narradisall]

I skimmed through and didn't see you answer this, but I may have missed it....

What's the terms of your 2 year contract? I'm thinking mainly along the lines of are you able to renew it and still work there while actively hunting for another job? As my main advice would be to definately make sure you have another job before you jump ship.

Also you say you want more political freedom, what are the current restrictions and what are you looking to do with that freedom (you may not want to answer but as its a aim I'm just wondering what the restrictions and ideals are)?

If your worried about burning out on something you like (such as becoming a editor on a gaming mag or something) perhaps you might want to head down the journalistic route (writing, editing, etc) expand on your current skillset and it would open up a large pool of various subjects that you could look into. Every bloody thing under the sun seems to have its own publication. I have a friend whos a fashion journalist, and she loves it.

All of what I just mentioned may not be up your street though. Alas as others have said the market sucks balls right now, most are just happy to have a job. As long as time is on your side though you can sit back and mull it over for a few months, even if you have to continue on with a new contract for a bit.

[Jeffool]

A contract would require I finish the terms unless I pay thousands to end it early. This sometimes is done in the news industry by someone else who wants to hire you. It's definitely possible, but not probable, inside the industry given my market (the size of the area in which I work.) But for leaving this industry, well, getting an employer to help pay that would be quite a feat, and likely not possible. If I sign, I'll very likely have to finish the term. Though, no worries to anyone, I'm definitely going to have a job before I consider leaving.

As to political freedom, stipulations in the news division are that we cannot work with any political campaign, or canvas for a political cause, as it could cause the appearance of impropriety and bias in our news coverage. I would very much like to donate time to causes I care for, and possibly candidates, not to mention be able to talk about them other than people in the office, who are also held by similar bond. (Even spouting a random line as I've possibly done on these forums would be against the rules, though, they'd have to be read dicks to enforce that. ... I don't think they're anywhere near that level, to be honest.)

And I do worry about burning out, to varying degrees on different days depending on how I feel about my current job given the day. But honestly, I'd be fine working in gaming journalism or politics, it's just unlikely, given those jobs and this market.

But yeah, if I sign a contract, that's probably it. There's no "few months" after that. I'm just hoping my boss will let me slide for a month or two without a contract while I look around. He's done it for folks before. Fingers crossed.