Now that school's over I'm going through the exciting and nerve-racking experience of looking for a job. And as it turns out, there appears to be no jobs for new journalists in Winnipeg. (What did I expect though, really, they told us this going into school...) Most postings ask for three to five years years of field-related experience. That doesn't stop me from applying, but I'm also realistic about my chances of even getting an interview, never mind the job!
So, like so many new journalists do, I've started applying outside the province.
This is the way that the industry works; your success in landing a job depends not only on how good you are, but how far you're willing to go. The smaller markets are the places that people start. You can't expect to not have to work your way up in this industry.
I've spent the last couple of days, sending out resumes to places that I know very little about, or in some cases, have never even heard of. I've researched each place, googling to find out how far I'd have to venture away from home, and what I'd have waiting for me if I did get a job there. I've thought about long drives home, and about how much time I'd have in solitude, because I'd have no friends. My over-active mind has allowed me to think of all the good and bad aspects that would come with chasing my dreams outside of my comfort zone...
This entire process has forced me to ask myself: How badly do I really want this?!
Pretty bad.
I see moving out of this province as something that is both scary and exciting. Sure, if I got a job outside of Winnipeg I'd be sad to leave my family and friends, but the way I look at it is that I finally have the opportunity to do something that I've always wanted to do. I have worked so hard over the last four years that I can't let something like geography stop me from building my dream career.
I don't want to have any regrets about not pursuing my dream job simply because I was too scared to leave home. I can't imagine anyone not being scared to uproot themselves, but scarier than moving is living with a looming "what if" for the rest of my life.
Perhaps I'll land an awesome gig in Winnipeg. Perhaps I won't. Either way, the adventure is just beginning...
Image: http://mikelucero21.wordpress.com/2010/02/25/how-bad-you-want-it/
