Growing number looking at the growing number moving to "Life After Newsroom"

Being an unemployed journalist may lead to a job in a different industry. It might mean creating your own job. It helps me to learn about those who did this successfully, especially in Michigan where the job market is bleak. (See a report about what the employees of the just closed Ann Arbor News face.)

An ex-editor, John Temple is looking at what it means to lose thousands of journalists by looking at one journalist at a time, a journalist who earned what many consider a sign of greatness, a Pulitzer Prize.

He's asking them eight questions, drawing meaning from that. First in the series is Deborah Nelson, whose last newspaper job was Washington investigative editor for the Los Angeles Times.

Then Andrew Schneider of The Pittsburgh Press, another newspaper that no longer exists, answers the questions.
Find some nspiration from a guy who doesn't like unemployment, has a lapel pin that says "write until you die" and just celebrated the $10 made via his blog.

Kim Komenich, who last worked for the San Francisco Chronicle, is now teaching. He began thinking about teaching before the buyout he accepted, allowing him some flexibility. And, it is flexibility that journalists of tomorrow will need.

New jobs in word moving

Joe Grimm has modified the format of his Ask the Recruiter blog to focus on a former journalist each Monday. There are two examples already: The first is Garth Kriewall, a "communications office supervisor" for St. Clair County (Mich.) Regional Educational Service Agency and the second is with Battinto Batts, who holds multiple jobs: Independent contractor, running public relations and marketing business, Batts' Communications, LLC.; and journalism professor at Hampton University.

New jobs: Boy Scout, rentable reporter, car sales

A joint venture with a radio station and the Cleveland Plain Dealer led to a post and show about three journalists finding new careers.

ideastream®'s David C. Barnett brings us the stories of some who've had to leave the media altogether and re-invented themselves in new careers:

• Jeff Stacklin, who was working for Crain's in Ohio before becoming a professional Boy Scout.

• Bob Paynter once did investigative reporting at the Akron Beacon Journal and the Plain Dealer. Now, he's an "investigative reporter for rent."

” I’ll look stuff up, I’ll find stuff out, I’ll write it up if you want it."

• Michelle Maloney, who "lost her job as co-host of a popular morning talk program on Cleveland’s WGAR in January," and is selling cars now.

You can listen plus read about the three.

Cops beat to nursing beat

Another blog, the Ink-Drained Kvetch led me to a cops reporter who turned to nursing. Tracy Gordon Fox wrote about her decision in the New York Times.

Temple's eight questions by the way:

1. What work did you winner Pulitzer for, when?
2. Why did you leave your newspaper? When?
3. What are you doing now? Any reflections on life after newspapers?
4. What do you hope to do going forward? Will you stay in journalism? How?
5. What has the downsizing of your former newsroom or closing of your former paper meant to the quality of journalism in your community? For example, are there types of stories not being told? You could use your own experience to provide examples here.
6. What, if anything, do you think your newspaper should have done differently to prevent the downsizing or closure that cost you your job?
7. What would you advise young people wanting to pursue a life in journalism today?
8. Finally, is there anything else you'd like to say about your experience or journalism's future that we haven't covered in these questions?
   

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I wrote about ex-journalists before including Beyond the Buyout, Beyond the Byline or pick up a few ideas on surviving in Buyout journalists, remember this or Journalists not the first to start over or Talent will outlast jobs or careers.