Asking for the h-word — help
The leaves are beginning to turn on the trees outside, yet the refrain in my brain is a constant — a refrain that has similarities for those in journalism. The refrains are uttered discretely or loudly (usually never in the presence of children), are four letters long and are reflective of the tension and anxiety that is felt at that very second.
It is a refrain that culminates after masses of frustration and anxiety — and is spur of the moment. It’s what I’d like to call “<insert your own expletive here>.”
There is a lot of stress going around in the broader industry today — anxiety about the current economics of journalism and what potential mergers, notably of Gannett and GateHouse, will mean for the state of individual titles, as well as anxiety about working in a profession where rhetoric from the President of the United States like “enemy of the people” and “fake news.” Morale is low.
This anxiety is also paramount in early career journalists who are wondering if they can make a career in this industry. They feel vulnerable, overwhelmed and have plenty of guilt and doubt.
I know this feeling well. Yet, I received one of two nudges that I needed via Twitter — including this one, from Serena McMahon, a digital producer at NPR’s Here and Now program in Boston.
Though it was directed at those applying for internships, I think it applies to every early career journalist.
I hate asking for help — in fact, I am known more to figuring out how to help others instead of getting help for me. Yet, having thought about that tweet, and getting the consensus that it is okay to ask for help, I have found that asking for it can not only be the hardest thing to do, but can also be the thing that we easily take for granted the most.
Networking in a competitive industry such as journalism is intimidating. It is hard to put yourself out there and tell the world about you and your experiences.
I observed this first hand when, during a visit to the Career Expo at the Excellence in Journalism conference in San Antonio last month, I got a chance to meet a prominent editor at a prominent publication for a conversation.
I got nervous while my brain moved faster than my mouth. I had to backtrack to make sure I wasn’t rambling and what I was saying was coherent. A plethora of apologies were uttered.
Yet, when our conversation was over, I was left with a positive impression — the fact that she was patient with me and cared about what I thought and my experiences was a relief. Compared to a lot of other organizations (including another prominent publication) that I had engaged with that morning, they stood out, and I would be thrilled in working for that publication in the future should the opportunity arise.
When McMahon posted the tweet saying that it was okay to ask for help, her thoughts were echoed by other journalists.
Journalists have their reasons for why they wanted to go into the industry. They’ve had their ups and their downs — their good days and their bad days. They got there with determination, luck and a little help from an industry that wanted them to succeed.
Is it okay to ask for help? Yes. As a matter of fact, it’s essential. Not only are you networking and making connections, but it can also go a long way into boosting your confidence and your self-esteem — even if its hard at first or when you, like me, are feeling particularly nervous about where things are going.
The world is a hard place to navigate. Trying to move the needle and putting in the effort to pound the pavement is nerve wracking, but it is worth it — even if the news and the statistics about journalism’s future suggest otherwise.
So, I’m going to take McMahon’s advice, and the advice of an industry friend. I’m going to ask for help. I may be nervous, but it’s the best thing that I, and early career journalists uncertain about the future, can do.
