Dear 2010: Enough drama, already. kthnxbye!

2010 has been a hell of a ride so far: I got laid off from the newspaper, scooped up by the most prestigious journalism foundation and then laid off once again. Luckily, thanks to my connections on Twitter (and to serendipity), I found another job quickly – this time outside of journalism. I’ve joined AutoNation as a social media coordinator and blogger, working alongside my partner-in-crime Mallory Colliflower and just across the street from my new friends at AgencyNet.

Speaking of my new friends, I remembered how important it is to really live life. I hate to point the finger at the career I chased after, but it is very difficult to make friends outside of the newspaper when you work nights, including every weekend and holiday. These short few months outside of the Paragraph Factory have allowed me to nurture relationships with new friends which may never have been otherwise. I’ve been spending almost all of my free time with these new friends and one special person in particular. I really hope they know how grateful I am for having let me into their lives.

As for leaving journalism, it wasn’t as heartbreaking as I expected it to be. When I was initially laid off, I made the decision that I would not take another job at a newspaper. I began to struggle with what that meant. After moving cross-country a few times for my career, I made my way back home to be near family. I wasn’t ready to give that up again. And, I really wasn’t comfortable with the uncertain future of being a newspaper designer. I am young and I had already gone as far as I sought out to go as a page designer — By 26, I was responsible for weekend and daily front pages at a large metro daily paper. Initially, I was confused. How could I remain a journalist while not working for a newspaper? My short term at the foundation helped me wrestle with this question. But when the foundation gig was up, I was okay letting go if my career in journalism.

One of the reasons I switched to journalism in college was that I wasn’t comfortable with the (lack of) ethics in advertising. Since I moved back to South Florida and embedded myself in the local tech and social media scene, I was reminded of how much I despised the world of public relations, advertising and social media. And yes, here I am — part of the marketing arm of a Fortune 500 company. Ironic, huh?

Luckily, as a social media coordinator, I am not primarily focused on the hard sell. That has really helped me transition from the transparent world of the newsroom to marketing. I feel that my strong ethics and journalism background actually add to the authenticity of our approach to social media.

So, here’s hoping that the rest of 2010 is a bit more stable and that I get a chance to show those friends of mine just how much they all mean to me.

Browse Timeline

• « I’m on the job market, again.
• » Life after newspapers.

Comments ( 1 Comment )