Over a year ago, I wrote a piece for this blog about the recession and how it was affecting employment in the journalism industry. We had just seen CBC lay off 800 employees, cuts at the National Post (Monday’s edition in the summer only online), and either centralizing or outsourcing by the Toronto Star and others of some layout and page design functions.
As we head into a new fall 2010 semester in journalism school, with new students coming in, and some senior students beginning the final semester before going on an internship, my colleague Ted Fairhurst suggested we tackle the issue of jobs right on DAY 1.
So in researching for my presentation, (watch it here:) I searched on the usual media job websites, which all journalism students or prospective journalists should bookmark: Jeff Gaulin‘s job board, MediajobsearchCanada.com, milkman unlimited, workopolis, Rogers, monster.ca, CBC, CTVGLobemedia, Canwest, Metroland, The Sunmedia chain of papers, Canoe.ca and The university of Western Ontario’s faculty of information, plus tvspy, j-source.ca and journalismnet.
I found about 450 job postings…before I stopped counting! So there are media jobs both in and around Toronto, as well as in the rest of Canada.
This actually surprised me. That seems like a lot.
They are from MSM (main stream media) like A channel, CBC and Rogers as well as from smaller production houses. Some TV networks like Global are hiring a Winnipeg based soccer reporter, while magazines like The Walrus are looking for senior editors, radio stations like Vancouver’s News 1130 want reporters and online writers, community weeklies like the Devon Dispatch near Edmonton want reporters to staff a bureau, and dailies like the Edmonton Sun want a multi media specialist.
We always tell students and young journalists to move to smaller markets when they are starting out, in order to get experience, and become a big fish in a small pond, in order to do more then just make coffee for the editor. But there are also jobs right in Ontario, although the pool of applicants will probably be huge.
So despite the recession, and the changes in how news is disseminated, there is work out there.
Some of the 450 jobs I saw before I stopped counting require multi media skills such as online writing and videography, as well as the usual journalistic requirements such as a degree or diploma. Knowledge of Indesign is often specified. Some of the jobs are in radio sales, promotions, or administration.
Sometimes you need a driver’s license. Extra languages like French. Once in a while, HTML.
We teach most of these skills (except the driving part!) at Centennial College’s Journalism program, both the three year program and the two year specialty for post grads and the University of Toronto’s joint journalism program.
And our grads are being hired: Just ask them!
Victoria Wells at the National Post in Toronto. Ryan Sang as a TV reporter for CTV in Calgary. Khalid Magram blogged about the World Cup of Soccer for the Toronto Star. Tom Stoukas moved to Athens, Greece for Bloomberg News. Brad Pritchard was just hired as a reporter for the Alliston Herald, in Alliston, Ontario.
Of course grads will be hired … nobody else with any experience will work for minimum wage. Employers are taking advantage of this.
Sources such as mediajobsearchcanada.ca and workopolis are great.
Yet, it also very important to network. Attend events and seminars, you'll never know who you will meet.
Another good tip that I can offer is, showcase your skills. If you enjoy writing and have a lot to say, create a blog.
Great post, Ellin!
thanks for you
nice read! thanks, from the uk
Would these jouralist jobs be in or near Edmonton? Dental implants usually don't make you want to move to much.