The "Final "Word (for now...)

One topic that I am interested in is how the general public views the media. A 2009 study from the Pew Research Center found that distrust in the media has grown. According to the results, 63 percent of those surveyed said that news articles were often inaccurate.
Check out the entire New York Times article at...
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/14/business/media/14survey.html
So what can we, as future journalists, do to fix this problem? It's easy to say things like, "Be accurate, get both sides, etc." But sometimes it's not that easy.
What do you think?

Journalism is an exciting and field requiring perseverance and some aggressiveness by those hoping to become successful in the field. It is a competitive field that has changed dramatically over the last few years and is expected to continue changing as new technology is introduced. Careers in journalism require people who are independent, flexible, creative and highly innovative.
In your opinion, do you feel that these characteristics can be taught? Can someone be trained how to be aggressive, innovative or gung ho? In the Journalism field, is a person with an outgoing personality more likely to be successful than someone who is withdrawn?

What Are Your Expectations?

Jessica Ramsberger
This semester we’ve discussed resumes, interviewing skills, job hunting, etc. but we haven’t addressed what WE, as future journalists of some sort, should look for in an employer. We know what is expected of us (skills and such) but what do we expect from them?

Is pay the only thing that matters? Benefits? Training? Opportunity for advancement?


Danielle Breiter

With the economy the way it is, I think that many people may possibly be looking over seas for jobs or experience. We’ve also heard of multiple incidents that occur overseas, including terrorist attacks. Although the U.S. has had its share of attempts, I think that we all feel that the U.S. is still a safe place. We are comfortable here. I know that I have been thinking about going overseas to live for awhile after I graduate and I definitely have some fears. It would be interesting to see if other people are thinking the same or if they have any suggestions

Using Facebook and Twitter

Here's this week's blog from Kate Tawney. Others will follow next week, probably at the rate of two per week until all those who submitted blog ideas have theirs posted.

I've always wondered, in the midst of this crazy transformation in journalism and the hype of social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter, how can journalists embrace those sites and utilize them for their work, or should they not look to FB and Twitter at all?
I ask because I constantly hear about Twitter on ESPN, various athletes using it, and the reporters quoting their 'tweets' and I was just wondering if that is considered good journalism or just pure laziness.

An article pertaining to my idea:

http://www.webpronews.com/topnews/2010/04/02/more-journalists-using-facebook-and-twitter

We’ve gotten a lot of advice on what to do and what not to do on the job hunt. We should only have a one-page resume, with spare copies in hand. We should dress in our best clothes. We should try to stand out, but not stand out too much ­– we wouldn’t want to make a bad impression. We’re getting a lot of advice from a lot of different sources, so what should we believe?

http://www.cnn.com/2010/LIVING/worklife/03/31/cb.job.search.myths/?hpt=Mid

This article on CNN.com talks about job search myths that we haven’t considered before. What do you think of what the article has to say? How does it compare with the other advice we’ve received and how will you apply it to your job search?

Having Your Say

All right, so you have all been forced to read my ideas about the state of journalism today, how to produce good resume materials, interview for jobs, and so on. Now comes your turn. For the rest of the semester, I'm asking you to submit your own blog writings for posting here on "Your Senior Seminar." They can be about anything related to journalism, the job search, the future of media, etc. For this week, I will select one blog to post on Monday morning, which doesn't give you much time. The deadline to send me your proposed blog is Sunday night at 9 p.m. As an incentive, the blog selected will result in extra credit for the writer on her/his final average for this class. If it's good enough, your blog could mean the difference between your numerical average for the course and the next highest grade. So, get blogging, people!

A Generation Gap in the Workplace

In an article titled "Uncommon Threads: Mending the Generation Gap at Work," Anderson University professor Brad Sago writes:

"Having difficulty understanding the perspective, work habits, and communication styles of those in another age group is common in the workplace. The challenge may come from interactions with your boss, an employee, co-worker, client, or even a vendor. As with other diversity issues, such as age, gender, ethnicity, and race, examining and understanding generations has become an increasingly important part of maximizing organizational effectiveness."

Read the full article, found at: http://www.asaecenter.org/PublicationsResources/articledetail.cfm?ItemNumber=13100

Do you agree or disagree with the article's major points? What do you see as the biggest differences between your generation and previous generations? How do those differences create challenges in today's workplace?

The Job Interview

One of the most nerve-wracking aspects of the job search for many of us is the face-to-face job interview. It's the goal of your resume, cover letter, and portfolio to prompt a phone call from a potential employer asking you to come in for the interview, but how do prepare? What questions can you expect to be asked? How should you answer? What should you wear? These are all aspects of preparation for the job interview. For those of you who already have experience in job interviews, what has that experience taught you that might be helpful to others? For those who have had limited experience in job interviews, what would be most helpful to know before you meet with a potential employer?