Comments on: Serious Advice for those Losing their Jobs (Especially Journalists!)

By: Gavin Schulz

Gavin Schulz — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 22:01:00 +0000

Another great episode as always! Keep up the good work!

By: William McCormick

William McCormick — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 07:22:41 +0000

Great advice and i am working on that. not a journalist but i am a small business in the process of failing if i do not get a rebound soon, but finding online is helping a lot. Thanks for the video’s as they are also helping.

William McCormick

By: Robin Fenchel

Robin Fenchel — Tue, 17 Feb 2009 21:36:42 +0000

Thank you, Shama, for coming up with these great suggestions. Local print journalists could leverage their popularity by starting their own video broadcasts (as you have) as well as transitioning to online social media sites such as Facebook (as you mentioned) and Twitter. This could apply to any number of entrepreneurs who are struggling these days.

By: Judy Martin

Judy Martin — Tue, 17 Feb 2009 21:21:25 +0000

Hello Shama,

Great tips. I’m fortunate to be a working journalist in radio and tv who is crackin the nut in social media. To your point with regard to leveraging your community – we’re living in a time of mico-niches.

As you had suggested – it’s smart for journalists to move in the direction of creating product – but being as targeted as possible with their niche or skills is crucial.

My niche, for example is work/life culture/balance. I’ve been tracking and reporting on related trends for well over a decade and am writing and developing product around it.

Second – branding yourself as a speaker in your niche, while you are still a working journalist, is another path into the outside world.

Third – consulting – again as you suggested – is yet another alternative. Those who don’t dabble in media often have a difficult time articulating their mesage whether in a presser or in one’s talking points. There’s work in that arena.

There’s plenty of opportunity for journalists, but building cred is just as crucial as building community. It requires work and constant attention.

By: Mike Mueller

Mike Mueller — Tue, 17 Feb 2009 20:24:51 +0000

I work a lot with the Real Estate community and everything you advice for the Journalist – could be applied to the Real Estate Agent! Good stuff.

I have to go change my smoke detector batteries…
; )

By: Carolann Jacobs

Carolann Jacobs — Tue, 17 Feb 2009 20:13:55 +0000

Shama,
Great stuff! As always you rock.