WCMJ Trend Report: It's hard out here + paid subscriber merch!
Hey everyone,
I haven’t written one of these in a while, because, well, the job market has been…not great. For the past six months, I’ve been wracking my brain on how to articulate my experiences as a job seeker and freelancer, and the experiences I’ve heard from others in a way that is not pessimistic, but not dismissively optimistic, either.
Don’t get me wrong; I appreciate those who see the glass half full and say, “Look, there’s so many jobs out there!! You’ll find one!” But these days, there’s a lot more to it than just 1. applying to a job, 2. interviewing, and 3. profit.
To quote Olivia Rodrigo, it’s brutal out here. There are so many layoffs. There are budgets and a lack thereof. There are ghost job listings and scams. There are over a thousand applicants for many open positions.
I wrote about ghosting and scams for NBCU Academy.
I just want to say to my fellow job seekers that I see you. I see how hard you’re working and applying and pitching. I see your pain at each rejection, wondering “What am I doing wrong?” I see you writing those great cover letters and jumping through all the application hoops. I see you if you’re trying to leave your current role get a new and better role, but it doesn’t seem to be happening.
I’m hoping things get better soon. I’ve been in media for nearly 20 years and I’ve seen the industry evolve numerous times. The last time job hunting felt this Sisyphean was during the 2008-2009 recession. I remind myself all the time that journalism went through a major transition back then and the job market rebounded after that.
So hopefully it can get better once again.
To end on a hopefully more fun note, WCMJ merch is here, as I announced last week! Pens and totes, in addition to stickers. I’ll be giving some out at AAJA, but for those not attending the conventions this summer, the merch is free for paid subscribers. Consider it a thank you for supporting this newsletter!
Monthly paid subscribers (including those who earned free months for referrals): Pick two (2) items - 3 stickers, pen, or tote bag
Annual paid subscribers: Receive all three (3) items - 3 stickers, pen, or tote bag
Founding members (paid): Receive all three (3) items - 3 stickers, pen, or tote bag
Merch is in limited supply, so if you’re a paid subscriber, please see below on how to claim yours.