On Sept. 28, I announced via Facebook and Twitter that after five years of working as a reporter for a North Carolina newspaper, I was laid off. I’d like to say I was surprised but I’d be lying. Newspapers have been struggling since I was a college student. It seems the industry never really found its footing in this online world of constant updates and information.
As a trained journalist, I spotted the trends. I saw how my counterparts in other markets at larger papers were losing their jobs. I saw how newspaper journalists were going back to school in droves to learn more about different aspects of the news business. I saw how they were going back to change careers altogether. Yet, I stayed. I stayed because I was hoping journalism would take a turn and go back to the way I learned it. I stayed because I still believed in what good journalism could mean for local people and communities. And let’s be honest, I stayed because it’s what I have been trained to do and it’s what I know how to do.
When I graduated in 2003, I always intended to give this career 10 years. I always said 10 years is plenty to do all the things I want and had I stuck to my initial plan, it probably would have been. When I graduated college, my plan was to get all the experience I could that would lead me to a major metro to study at the feet of my favorite columnist, Cynthia Tucker. I was going to cover everything a newspaper had to offer from politics to business to education all to equip me to be the most well-rounded member of her editorial board.
Well, in my eight years as a full-time journalist, I covered public safety, politics, education, community news and general assignments. The only thing I didn’t do is cover business or take any real steps toward becoming an editorial writer. Sure I wrote columns, had a lot of fun doing them, too, but I realized a few years ago, that wasn’t my path. Honestly, I realized a couple of years ago that being a life-long journalist wasn’t my path either.
A lot of people thrive on the hustle and bustle of the newsroom. I’m not one of them. My passion is in helping people and telling stories and I’ve found that I can do that anywhere, in any job. While dealing with being laid off has been hard, I realize that I would never have taken any steps forward to find and pursue my true passion as long as I had the stability of going to a job every day.
I have no reason to be bitter about being laid off. I learned a lot at that newspaper and I met some great people. I am actually grateful for this layoff. It has given me the push I need to make some decisions and get some things done. I won’t lie and say it’s been a great experience, but, I can see now that this is not the worst. I’m trying to get excited about my future.
What about y’all? Ever been laid off? Tell me about it!
I was laid off about a year and a half ago. It was definitely an eye-opener. It tests your strength and resolve to fight. The only thing I say is to keep your head up and use your knowledge of old-fashioned journalism and apply it to the ground-breaking technology of journalism it is today.
YUP. That blasted PR firm that I loathed so much… he let me go as a salaried employee and kept me on as a freelance writer (this was when the economy was first plummeting…clients were pulling back & he couldn’t afford me anymore). It did eventually lead to hard times but that lay-off was the best thing to ever happen to me because I hated that job but was reluctant to leave it.
Now I’m at a non-profit that I can believe in and I love it. They will need to LITERALLY get one of those fine-ass security guards to remove me from the premises to get me to leave because I ain’t going NO-WHERE! lol
You’ll be fine. You’ll see!
I think you have the right perspective on being laid off. Like most force changes it all ends up working for your good. I have never been laid off but my ex-husband was laid off 9 month and that was before the market crash. That was a hard experience for us both. Here is a few things I learned: Keep and lean on your support group. Stay positive. It is EASY to be bitter and turn that on your friends if you are not careful. Actively look for employment and or volunteer in something. It was hard for him to go from making good money to collecting unemployment. I had to really reason with him to go sign up for it and use their free resources. It will all work out for YOUR good.
Ms.Smarty,go ahead and write your books.
Good job Smarty Smarty. Life doesn’t end because you were laid off. This is just the beginning of your greatness. I’m super proud of how you’re handling this.
I totally agree w/ The F$%k it list. This is just the beginning of a new GREAT chapter in your life. My company is in the midst of pending layoffs. As of now, 6/30/2012 will be my last day of work.(We don’t have much of a budget after that date. They are using “discretionary funds” to pay me for the next 8 mths) I am doing everything I can to prepare myself in every way.
I expect to get put out of every job I get in some form or fashion, as my views on working differ from what my ‘bosses’ have in mind
I’ve been through it and it’s not pleasant, but at the same time people wake up daily with bullets flying over their head; kind of puts the proper perspective on things if you ask me
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