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Jan 2 Let’s Hope It Doesn’t Happen, But You Gotta Be Prepared If You Get A Paper Cut

Keeping tabs on the downsizing of newspaper jobs

Normally we think a paper cut is when you slice your finger on the sharp end of a piece of paper. For journalists, specifically newspaper journalists, 2008 redefined the meaning of a “paper cut.” No doubt, both versions hurt like heck.

According to the aptly named blog. “Paper Cuts,” more than 15,500 journalists in America were either laid off or took “voluntary ” buyouts in 2008. Wow!

The economic news for the news business, at least during the first half of 2009, isn’t looking much better and more layoffs and buyouts are likely. Double wow!!

To a lesser extent, media layoffs have hit broadcast journalism and yes, even journalist working at online news sites have gotten pink slips. Triple wow!

Look, we can sit back and point fingers on who is to blame for the job losses — the economy, the Internet, corporate-owned media and even short-sighted journalists . But why waste time looking for scapegoats? You gotta eat, right? You have bills to pay, right? When you are out of work or facing the prospect of losing your job, don’t you think it’s better if you have some kind of idea on what to do if you lose your job?

Rick's RSS Career Center. Your New Home For the Best Journalism and Communications Jobs and Career Resources!

Rick's RSS Career Center. Your New Home For the Best Journalism/Communications Jobs and Career Development Resources!

The new and improved Rick’s RSS is here to help! I encourage all job seekers to check out my new career resource center. The career center isn’t just a job board, even though I already have over 1000 media-related job listings from all over the country live on the site. My career center is one of the most powerful and advanced job boards on the net. If you are in the market for a new job and even if you’re not, you’ll want to check out the career center for all the resources you’ll need to get your job search underway.

For the next several weeks I’ll be highlighting the vast — and FREE — resources available at the Rick’s RSS Career Center. Sign up today, that’s also FREE!

For immediate career advice, Jennifer Bobrow Burns, a friend and former collegue at Quinnipiac University was kind enough to pass along some great tips you can use if you find yourself among the growing list of journalists out of work.

Jennifer is the Assistant Dean for Career Services in the School of Communications at Quinnipiac. She’s also the author of several books, including ”Career Opportunities in Journalism.”

Jennifer Burns, Assistant Dean for Career Services, Quinnipiac University

Dean Burns writes:

In today’s job market, communications professionals need to be more flexible than ever. Finding out that your position was eliminated may feel like the end of the world, but it can also be an opportunity for a new beginning to retool your skills and rethink your goals. Here are some points to consider as you approach a job search:

Assess Yourself. When was the last time you thought about your skills, interests, and values. What are you good at, what do you enjoy, what is most important to you? Get back to basics and get reacquainted with yourself and your dreams. Have you been following a path you want to continue or is this a good time to switch gears?
Analyze Your Experience. Throughout your career, you have gained a core set of transferable skills. Think about your greatest accomplishments and your biggest successes. Which skills can you apply in new and related areas of communications? Also, consider the skills you need to develop to make yourself more marketable. Would taking a class be a worthwhile investment to provide training you need?
Explore the Market. During these difficult times, find out who is hiring. Where are the jobs in your area, and what fields are really flat right now? This will help you to be realistic and focus on the avenues most likely to yield results.
Network Constantly. Networking is something that you are doing all the time, whether you realize it or not. The more you put yourself in situations to meet people in the professional world, the greater your list of contacts grows. Even if people don’t know about current job openings, you are developing relationships that can lead to business later on.
Fine Tune your Resume. Your resume is the way you make a first impression. Be sure to market yourself with an emphasis on accomplishments and results. Write targeted cover letters that sell your background and connect you to each specific employer. These materials can really help you stand out if you give them careful attention.
Be Persistent. A job search can be extremely frustrating, but don’t give up. Find support with others who are in similar situations and remember that positions are available out there. Be creative in your approaches and reward yourself each time you put time and effort into your search.