Q: I’m tired of living with my parents. I graduated from college two years ago with a degree in journalism, but I haven’t been able to find any full-time work in my field. I would really like to stay here in the city, but with the job hunt not going so well, I’ve been thinking about moving away. Currently I’m using Monster and Career Builder to search for jobs in communications, publishing, and PR.
Are there any other websites or resources that I should be using for my job hunt? How do I find a job here?
[Leave your suggestions after the jump...]
City Wise is a feature where we pose questions from our readers. Please share your suggestions and resources with our reader in the comments below. Got a question? Email yours here, post it on our Facebook wall, or ask us on Twitter.
been here in Royal Oak/Detroit area for 6+ yrs now….i’m a roadie, also set up various stages for concerts around town…Hart Plaza, Ford Field, DTE, Palace….not one friend….ow do you make friends here? Everywhere i go, i make tons of friends…i need friend here….help me?
July 26th, 2010 - 5:47 pm
The best way to find a job anywhere is to create one. There are very few barriers to self-employment in Detroit. You can use your writing ability to write about what is going on in Detroit in a unique style or on a topic that is not getting much press. You have the temporary cushion of living with your parents so use that as a launchpad. Get involved in volunteerism and community activities and let people see your passion for staying and you will become a 'known quantity'. In this manner you will find that you can increase your stock and potentially build your own business.
Visit http://www.misbtdc.org for more information on entrprenureship training and counseling.
July 26th, 2010 - 9:05 pm
Don't feel bad, there are many others like you..all over the U.S., not just here in Detroit!
This is really going to sound horrid since you already have a college degree, but a really good use of your time while you're on the hunt is to gain experience in the field doing an internship.
InterninMichigan.com is a great website for finding internships. There's also The Michigan Talent Bank at http://www.MichWorks.org. I'm in my early 20s and I've noticed that many of my friends who have jobs, scored them because they first interned there for a few years to get their feet wet.
Also, you're a journalist so there's always tons of freelance opportunities out there! Craigslist.org, elance.com are just a few places where you can find opps. When I first started out, I found tons of freelance gigs at http://www.freelancewriting.com too.
Good luck!
July 27th, 2010 - 1:30 am
Start contacting people who have jobs that you think sound interesting. Write them a nice introductory e-mail explaining who you are and your background and ask if perhaps sometime they might be willing to talk to you about what they do. Offering to buy them a cup of coffee or lunch helps too, as face to face conversations are much better than in person, and the least you can do is treat them to a drink or meal for them spending their time with you. Don't bring up your resume or ask them for a job, but DO tell them that you're trying to learn more about different career options. This gives you an opportunity to get out in front of people and start building a network of peers. Oftentimes, this can turn into a job. Good luck!
July 27th, 2010 - 3:21 pm
Hey,
I think you're poised to start your career right now! Think of it this way: you have no rent, lots of time and you're living in one of the cheapest cities in America!
Be an intern. Yes, it seems like it's for college students, but there are plenty of publications who will take experienced (free) help. Just make sure you take an internship where you can actually WRITE. And once you get there, outwork everyone in the office.
No editor will come to you and ask you to write stories. You HAVE to approach them. Be polite and persistent.
Before you send out emails to editors asking for freelance work, come up with some ideas. I'm an editor at Real Detroit Weekly. When someone emails me telling me about a band we covered six weeks ago, I can't help but notice a) they don't read our paper, b) they're not on the pulse. Take a week to scavenge the city for new ideas.
For PR, it seems like social media is the new frontier. So get there! Detroit's social media community is super-welcoming and helpful. Go to some Tweet-ups. Start a blog. Make friends. You'll be surprised how quickly opportunities will knock.
Good luck!
July 27th, 2010 - 4:34 pm
If you're not on Twitter, you need to create an account today. I can't think of a bigger or better network of people, 99% of whom are open and willing to help a job-seeker find work or at least meet for coffee & tell you a little bit about what they do. Start listening on the site, find out who the major players are as well as people locally who are doing what you want to do. Be inquisitive, read every blog and published article about PR/journalism that you can get your hands on, and just immerse yourself in the learning process. I assure you if you're genuine and take the time to educate yourself, people will start to realize that you're a valuable resource, in turn, making you more employable. Best of luck to you! (Find me on Twitter @ericafinley.)
July 27th, 2010 - 5:16 pm
The article is great and the comments are even better.
July 27th, 2010 - 5:07 pm
I mirror what Erica says, plus I'd add that attending every single networking event you possibly can get to will also help! Good luck!
July 27th, 2010 - 9:15 pm
I hope you have a LinkedIn profile so that you can centralize all of your experience. A resume is nice, but online you can link to examples of your work, reach out to other alumni, keep in touch with a placement agency, contact others in the industry, and much more.
July 29th, 2010 - 5:28 pm
I know exactly how you feel, I graduate in May and am also a journalism major, but the best advice I have gotten within my career field is to network with as many professionals as possible. Like the old saying goes, "Its not so much what you know but who you know." And LinkedIn is very good for meeting people in your career field, and Indeed.com, check those sites out
May 9th, 2011 - 8:00 pm
Eye Wrinkles…
[...]may be unavoidable but are easily concealed[...]…
May 12th, 2011 - 2:12 am
Monitoring Glucose Levels…
[...]free tools for diabetics in the USA[...]…
May 18th, 2011 - 12:07 am
Dark Under Eye Home Remedy…
[...]can be obtained for free via special offers[...]…
May 18th, 2011 - 3:41 pm
eBooks…
[...]the newest format for digital reading[...]…
May 18th, 2011 - 11:44 pm
Dark Under Eye Home Remedy…
[...]can be obtained for free via special offers[...]…
May 25th, 2011 - 4:07 am
What is an eBook…
[...]the new electronic book format is taking the market by storm[...]…