5 tips for young journalists from J-School grads

By Ryan Levi

Wikimedia Commons image from user Mojourcomm

As part of my extensive summer reading list (highlights so far include Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut Jr. and The Ultimate Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams), I took a look through our Letters Home series, a collection of letters from J-School graduates to students currently studying at the finest journalism school in the world. Below are five big-picture takeaways from their letters.

Letters Home: Chris Mycoskie

The following letter was submitted Aug. 20, 2012

Chris Mycoskie, right, is the Southland Conference's
assistant commissioner for television and electronic
media. He attended the University of Missouri in the
late 1990s.

Dear Young Tigers,

I’m honestly surprised that I’ve been asked to participate in this letters home project. First of all, I’m not a graduate of the University of Missouri, much less the Missouri School of Journalism. I’ve been told, though, that I’m an honorary member of the Mizzou Mafia, and I’m proud to call myself a Tiger.

One of the main reasons I chose Missouri was the existence of KOMU. While some
people told me I’d need to wait until my junior year (after being accepted into the
broadcast sequence) to do anything there, I didn’t listen. I drove out to the building
on Highway 63 during my first week on campus and wound up being there nearly
every day after that until I left school.

Letters Home: Bart Bedsole

Bart Bedsole is an anchor for KZTV in Corpus Christi,
Texas. He graduated from the Missouri School of
Journalism in 2000 with a degree in broadcast
journalism.

The following letter was submitted June 22, 2012

DEAR MYSELF AT AGE 20...

Be very thankful. You are among the final generations of young broadcast news reporters that will graduate to find a job that provides a decent salary and a photographer to work with. Ten years from now, people hired for the same position will be required to shoot their own stories, as well as post it all online in more places than you can imagine, and you will do it all for less money.

Don't rush to move on to higher markets or positions, because happiness and success can be found anywhere.

Spend more time on your writing and less building your resume tape. Your coworkers will respect you more for it.

Letters Home: Bridget Doyle

Bridget Doyle is a reporter for the
Chicago Tribune. She graduated from
the Missouri School of Journalism in
2009 with a degree in magazine
journalism.

The following letter was submitted June 14, 2012

Choosing to become a journalist in a time when there's very little security in the industry already requires a passion and a leap of faith worth applauding. It's a high-demand, (generally) low-paying field, but it's one of the most rewarding career paths out there. You're changing lives, making personal connections, telling stories and exposing truths. It takes a great amount of commitment and drive to succeed in journalism in 2012, but if you're at the Missouri School of Journalism, you're already forging a path of success. I offer advice not as a journalism veteran, but as a reporter with three years of experience surviving in an exciting and volatile media world.

Always, always take the extra work. When you land your first internship or job - or even while at the Missourian or Vox - you will stand out if you raise your hand. It's not about just camping out at Lee Hills Hall for face time. When your editor/boss/superior asks who will take on the extra story or work a Saturday shift, volunteer. Sure you'll whine and grumble to your friends when they're headed to tailgate on Saturday and you're rolling six notebooks deep, but the extra effort is what bosses notice. Be the person who's willing to step up and take the unwanted work without expecting extra compensation. It's a tough business out here right now, and it's the people that haven't become complacent that most often hold onto their job.

Letters Home: Jennifer Lerner

Jennifer Lerner is vice president at
Fleishman-Hillard in Kansas City. She
graduated from the Missouri School of
Journalism in 1998 with a degree in
broadcast journalism.

The following letter was submitted June 26, 2012

Dear ONA Mizzou Students,

What a fantastic moment – you’re about to embark into the next chapter in your journalism career. I vividly remember my graduation day from the MU School of Journalism 14 (!) or so years ago. Elizabeth Vargas from ABC News (also a Mizzou alum) gave the commencement address, and I was about to venture off to Nashville to begin my career as a weekend morning news producer. I was hopeful. I was idealistic. I would eventually work my way up to the ranks of Executive Producer and beyond!

Seven years later, I found myself going over to, what my newsie friends called, the ‘the dark side’.

That’s right. In 2005, I, Jennifer (Hankes) Lerner, broadcast news producer, graduate of the best J-School in the country, made a career change and became a public relations professional. (Gasp!)

Letters Home: Christina Hartman

Christina Hartman is the managing editor at Newsy. She graduated from
the Missouri School of Journalism in 2009 with a master's in broadcast
journalism. 

The following letter was submitted June 15, 2012

Dear ONA Mizzou,

To state the obvious, journalism is a competitive industry. We're surrounded by many who are just as talented — just as hard working, just as smart, just as resourceful — as we hope we are. Joining the working world for the first time, the reality of that can be tough.

But what I would have told my student and fresh-out-of-school self is rather than thinking of competitors as agitators of self-doubt, they are opportunities for growth.

Letters Home: Stephanie Stouffer

Stephanie Stouffer is a client strategist at Engage in
Washington, D.C. She graduated from the Missouri
School of Journalism in 2011 with a degree in
convergence journalism.

Dear ONA Mizzou,

If I had access to this list during my last few months of college, I’m still not sure I would have been prepared for what was to come. I have learned more about myself and my work ethic since graduating in May 2011 than I ever did in my four years at Mizzou. I am currently working in Washington, D.C., as an account executive (my official title is “client strategist”) for a digital strategy firm. I started this job in December 2011, exactly 7 months after I graduated. I love my job more than anything, and it truly was fate landing this gig. But those 7 months between graduation and starting this job were some of the toughest months I have ever experienced. Here are just a few things I’ve learned along the way:

Letters Home: Jeremy Harlan

Jeremy Harlan is a photojournalist for CNN in Washington,
D.C. He graduated from the Missouri School of Journalism
in 1999 with a degree in broadcast journalism.

The following letter was submitted June 25, 2012

Dear ONA Mizzou,

Being #2 is for pencils.

I don't know if Greeley Kyle still has that line hanging somewhere in his office, but it's forever etched in my head. And today, as I write this letter back to you, it's the first thing that comes to mind as advice for Mizzou journalism students.

Sure, there are some anecdotal suggestions: don't drink the water on international assignments. Have an overnight bag sitting under your desk for breaking news.  Always carry a disc, mic, and battery on the plane to still do TV when the airline loses your gear.

But none of that's a concern if you don't have the drive and desire to WANT to be in those situations.

Letters Home: Brad Belote

Brad Belote is the digital content
director at KY3 Inc. in Springfield, Mo.
He graduated from the Missouri School
of Journalism in 1997 with a degree in
broadcast journalism.

The following letter was submitted June 13, 2012

Dear newly-minted graduate (now or later), nothing is going to turn out the way you think it will.

When you leave the hallowed halls of the School of Journalism, you’re likely leaving confident that you know what you want to do, where you want to go and how you’ll get there. After all, you’re now armed with the journalism seal of approval: a degree from Mizzou.

I don’t want to discount its value. Membership in that Mafia has its privileges. And you’ll always to stay connected to that special place. (Some day, you’ll realize just how short a time you spent there and pine to go back.)

But at the end of the day, it’s your life and your story that you are now fully responsible for. There is no one right way to write this story. Allow me a moment to share the lessons I’ve learned producing mine:

Letters Home: Abbie Schmid

Abbie Schmid is a social media specialist
for the Cox Media Group. She graduated from
the Missouri School of Journalism in 2011.

The following letter was submitted March 9, 2012

Dear ONA Mizzou -

I work best with bullet points, so here are my three pieces of wisdom for you.

1.) Utilize the faculty at the journalism school - they are there for you, and you’re lucky to have them. They’ve been on the other side - and have the insight to prove it. Sometimes it’s easy to see them as the people with the red pen who possess a supernatural ability to spot jump cuts and AP style snafus. But they really have your best interests at heart - and if you want to be a journalist, a nurse or an accountant, there’s nothing more valuable than having someone truly examine your work and point out your strengths and weaknesses. Not only do they direct you to producing your best work, they can assist you in landing your first gig out of school. The lead to my current position came from a tweet from my capstone advisor about a “cool internship in Atlanta.” That cool internship turned into an awesome job.

Letters Home: Matt Pearce

Matt Pearce is a freelance writer for
the Los Angeles Times, the Pitch and
The New Inquiry. He received a master's
degree from the Missouri School of
Journalism in 2011.

The following letter was submitted April 10, 2012

Dear students:

The most important thing you should know at this point in your career is that it’s OK if you don’t grow up to be a journalist.

I realize that your student loans are probably about to drown you and you’re thinking I already put in, like, all this work. I’m actually not trying to dissuade you! Being a journalist is a very fine and fun thing to be. I’m having the time of my life, and I’d be the first in line to encourage you and tell you that you’re gonna have a great career and so many stories to tell at the bar.

But because your teachers probably won’t say it to you, I’ll say it to you: If it ever stops being fun, if you ever start dreading going to work, if you start going hungry because they won’t pay you enough to do something you stopped loving to do anyway, then for the love of god just quit. If I wake up one morning and they tell me that journalism is sitting behind a desk for 10 hours a day and trying not to accidentally plagiarize something from the million blogs I’m supposed to aggregate, then I’m leaving journalism and moving to New Orleans to open a coffee shop. May the bridges I burn light the way.

Letters Home: Francie Williamson

Francie Williamson is content editor at The Gazette in
Cedar Rapids, Iowa. She graduated from the Missouri
School of Journalism in 2000 with a degree in print
and digital news (formerly the news editorial sequence)

The following letter was submitted Feb. 28, 2012

Be a sponge. And don’t leave early.

That’s what I would tell my younger undergraduate self if I could go back in time to December 2000. That’s when I graduated from Mizzou a semester early in order to beat the recession that I had a feeling was coming.

I was right about the recession, but I would have been fine staying another semester. Newspapers didn’t really start on their current precipitous decline until the middle of the decade.

I’ve been back to campus twice since graduating. I’m in awe and quite envious of all the things that have popped up not only in the journalism school, but at Mizzou as a whole in the last 12 years. In that time I’ve worked at five newspapers in South Carolina, Maine, Georgia and Iowa. I’m lucky to still be employed at one now.

Letters Home: Erica Zucco

Erica Zucco is a researcher for the weekend "Today" show.
She graduated from the Missouri School of Journalism in
2010 with a degree in convergence journalism.

The following letter was submitted March 22, 2012

Hey ONA Mizzou! I’m a relatively recent alum -- I’ve only been out of school since May 2010 -- so my hindsight might not be quite 20/20 yet... but I can share what I've learned so far:

You’re gonna miss this. Everyone says this and I used to roll my eyes, but now I get it. During college you have time, energy and freedom and you’re in an environment driven by possibility and excitement. You can learn what you want to learn, work on what you want to work on and spend as little time sleeping and as much time with friends as you want.
So in terms of journalism, use this time to take chances... and in terms of “life,” enjoy Mizzou, and semi-adulthood, as much as you can. If someone asks you to take a road trip, just say yes (no matter where you’re going). If you’re tired on a Friday night, get over it and go out anyway. Go to games even if you don’t think you have the most school spirit (you will once you graduate). The bottom line is just... say yes. Do it all. Because even though the next few years of life will also be packed with amazing memories and experiences, they’ll be of a different nature, and you want to take advantage of everything you can while at Mizzou.

Letters Home: Steve Lippo

Steve Lippo is a sports producer at WGN-TV
in Chicago. He graduated from the Missouri
School of Journalism in 2004 with a degree
in broadcast journalism.

The following letter was submitted April 17, 2012

Dear ONA Mizzou,

Run. Run as fast as you can. That's what a lot of people working in this business will tell you. More work, less money. More graduates, less jobs. These are facts, not fairy tales. They are truths all budding journalists must accept before diving in head first. Still think you're ready for this life? Let’s see….
.................................
I can best describe working in journalism as being a contestant on ABC's Wipeout...for the rest of your life.
-You are constantly fighting for everything. Ratings, resources, time, story ideas, exclusives, etc etc etc.
-The show has judges. You will have a news director. Or an editor. They hold all the power. At some point, you will disagree with them. You will probably lose this argument.
-Sometimes you get metaphorically smacked in the face for no apparent reason. Taste it.
-Change can be unexpected and quick. Be prepared for anything in all parts of the daily grind.
-Most of you will never make more than $50k (per year) for your Herculean effort.
-Yet, in the end, nothing is more satisfying than doing your best and finishing strong.
.................................
It's at this point you're thinking one of two things: "What is this guy's obsession with game shows?" OR "what a jaded asshole this guy is!"
-Well, I absolutely LOVE game shows. I would have dominated Legends of the Hidden Temple as a kid. (please tell me somebody in that room has heard of this show...)
-And yes, I am a jaded asshole. And I'm 1000% better of a journalist because of it.

Letters Home: Samantha Liss

Samantha Liss is a local editor for Patch. She
graduated from the Missouri School of Journalism
in 2010 with a degree in convergence journalism.

The following letter was submitted Jan. 21, 2012

When I stepped into my role as a Patch local editor, I wasn’t overly enthused about living in the suburbs. Looking back a year later, it’s the best decision I could have made.

If you want to cover a community well, you must be physically present. Good reporting means more than dropping in town to catch the weekly meetings, or important events. It’s about being a part of that local community.

Since I live in the town I cover, if something is amiss, chances are, I’ll know first. If the power goes out in town, so does mine. If the fire truck sirens start wailing, I’ll know to get moving. Some of you may have an office to report to but I encourage you to leave that office and put shoe leather to the pavement. The more visible you are in your community the better.

Good reporting means more than just showing up for the work day. Invest in the community. Spend time at local coffee shops, go to the dog park, grab a drink at the local bar. Try to be an active member of the community by engaging with other residents.

Letters Home: Lee McGuire

The following letter was submitted March 7, 2012

Dear ONA Mizzou,

Lee McGuire is the chief communications officer for
Boston Public Schools. He graduated from the Missouri
School of Journalism in 2000 with a master's in broadcast
communications.

Fourteen years ago, KOMU was converting to a tapeless newscast, cell phones were something rare and special that you had to "check out" from the assignment desk, and producing a story for the web was the most revolutionary idea anyone had ever heard of. KOMU and Mizzou prepared me well to adapt to changing technology, the constant reinvention of content platforms as well as the timeless skill of digging for great stories and always telling them well.

With that in mind, here's my advice: Don't just take the first job that comes along because it's in a larger market or seems flashy. Pick a place that will allow you to continue to learn. I was lucky enough to land in a small station in a small city -- a news powerhouse that dominated the market. KTVB in Boise, Idaho had fantastic photographers, terrific on-air talent and extraordinary leadership. I spent just two years there but made friendships that have lasted forever. Just as important, I gained real-world experience from smart people who were willing to teach.

Letters Home: Chris Spurlock

The following letter was submitted March 26, 2012

Dear students,

Chris Spurlock is an infographic design
editor for The Huffington Post. He graduated
from the Missouri School of Journalism
in 2011 with a degree in convergence
journalism.

I want to talk to you about the big test you have coming up. It’s one you’ve agonized over for longer than necessary, and one you’ve probably procrastinated preparing for, too. I’m sure this sounds like every test you’ve ever had, but this one is different. This one is comprised of an infinite number of questions and will last much longer than 50 minutes. To be more specific:

The test will measure whether you are an informed, engaged, and productive citizen of the world, and it will take place in schools and bars and hospitals and dorm rooms and in places of worship. You will be tested on first dates, in job interviews, while watching football, and while scrolling through your Twitter feed. The test will judge your ability to think about things other than celebrity marriages, whether you’ll be easily persuaded by empty political rhetoric, and whether you’ll be able to place your life and your community in a broader context. The test will last your entire life, and it will be comprised of the millions of decisions that, when taken together, will make your life yours. And everything, everything, will be on it.

Letters Home: Stacy St. Clair

Stacy St. Clair is a reporter for the Chicago Tribune.
She graduated from the Missouri School of Journalism
in 1995 with a degree in print and digital news (formerly
called the news editorial sequence).

The following letter was submitted April 11, 2012

Dear ONA,

I’m told I should write this essay as if I were sending advice to my 20-year-old self. I hesitate to do that.

Because I don’t want to scare her – or any other J-School student -- away with the dark side of 21st-Century journalism.

The road ahead isn’t easy for the Old Me or her classmates in the news-editorial sequence. She’ll see her own newspaper go into bankruptcy protection and other storied publications fold. Time and again, she’ll watch talented journalists pack their desks after being laid off but it will never get any easier. And she’ll worry endlessly about what happens to democracy without a free and vibrant press.

It’s not the journalistic utopia the Old Me imagined in 1995, but I would never tell her that.

Because, God help me, I want her to stick with it.

Because, even with the incredible heartbreak, it will be an amazingly fulfilling ride.

Letters Home: Courtney Cebula

Courtney Cebula is a production assistant at Oprah
Radio. She graduated from the Missouri School of
Journalism in 2010 with a degree in convergence
journalism.

The following letter was submitted March 2, 2012

Dear ONA Mizzou,

Have you ever seen the movie Yes Man starring Jim Carrey? Carrey’s character Carl Allen is a newly-divorced, middle-aged guy with a boring job. Carl dramatically transforms his dull life-- he gets a girlfriend, a dream promotion-- by saying ‘yes’ to every new opportunity for one year.

Now, eventually, too much ‘yes-ing’ gets Carl in trouble. So, without touching on setting boundaries, consider your comfort zone when I share my best piece of advice with you: Say ‘yes.’ Exceed the expectations set for you whenever possible and do it with a smile.

This can-do attitude helped me land my job as a Production Assistant at Oprah Radio in Chicago.

Set the bar high for yourself and do it early. Shortly after I submitted my application for the position, an HR manager emailed me to arrange an interview in Chicago the very next morning. She knew I was away at school in Missouri. I was reading this email in the late-afternoon, calculating how to swing an interview six hours away amidst work, projects & other commitments.

But, this was a huge opportunity. So, I said ‘yes.’ I packed my bags and drove to Chicago that evening. During the interview, the staff expressed how impressed they were that I drove overnight to make it. Twenty-four hours later, I accepted an offer for the job. I like to think that opportunity was a test I passed with my Yes Man attitude.

Letters Home: Michael Spencer

Michael Spencer is a sports director at KAMR-TV in
Amarillo, Texas. He graduated from the Missouri School
of Journalism in 2010 with a degree in broadcast journalism.

What I've learned since I've been gone:

Honestly, the list is too long to start so I'll touch briefly on a few things.

1. Don't be afraid to ask questions. Some people have a tendency to try and do everything themselves, and that only makes it worse on everyone. In my first week as sports director, I received phone calls from viewers and my news director because I pronounced the names in the area wrong. Names that look normal may be pronounced differently. Had I asked, I wouldn't have looked like an idiot on the air.

2. You may not be better than the people around you, but you can work harder than they do. It's amazing to me how many people in the "real world" don't work hard. Some individuals take for granted their position, or the fact that people tell them they're good -- that's when you're most vulnerable. Always do your best to work harder than the people around.