Just stepping into this thread to offer my experience. Have you considered looking outside of journalism for work? Unfortunately that field is not doing great at all. If you have writing skills there is a lot of demand within business for people who can present content properly. Be it technical writing, UX writing, business proposals, CV writing, you name it. I have an English Lit background and ended up in IT as a tech writer. Once you're in the door and learn the business environment there's plenty of areas you can grow into. If you're completely married to journalism then of course my advice won't be for you.
Also... if you have a background in IT, it's also not difficult to find jobs abroad. I've done it a few times already, including working remotely for a US company while I was in SA.
I can give you R5 tip?
I don't have a formal education. So hope can somehow start a registered business in NZ, and then let the business invite me over. Can that work?
That's kind of nonsense, you can start a business with a few hundred (I and two friends did that, we all have shares but only one left in that company, costs were CIPC, laptops we already had and two months of hosting bills. It's still earning a good R50k after taxes etc. but split 80:15:5, last bit for me, since he's last one doing most of the work, and other one that left moderately recently, all keep getting 75% of the income of clients we brought in to make it fair), all depends what you're doing.I'm not a high earner lol, I have a nett worth of less than 1 million which is petty cash as far as establishing a business even locally is concerned.
Started with R0.I'm not a high earner lol, I have a nett worth of less than 1 million which is petty cash as far as establishing a business even locally is concerned.
I'm not a high earner lol, I have a nett worth of less than 1 million which is petty cash as far as establishing a business even locally is concerned.
Me too, twice.Started with R0.
Me too, twice.
You are selling your time and your brain, you have both already.
Or partner with someone. I don't think I am a good entrepreneur, but I try to connect with those who are.It is something to think about but I've honestly always seen myself as a good worker rather than an entrepreneur. The closest I've been to being an entrepreneur is doing freelance gigs (I've made decent money from it over the years) as a side-hustle.
I will think of starting a business. I will just have to look at a skill that I can market.
Or partner with someone. I don't think I am a good entrepreneur, but I try to connect with those who are.
If I can be bold and direct.Yes, social networking skills are very very important.
Upon further research, I've noticed two things.
1) Some get offers abroad because they are brilliant at their field and headhunted or start a business. If they are working for a multinational, they may get transferred or they may be identified by a global talent identification programme. A lot of companies like Bloomberg recruit this way now to add diversity to their workforce. Others have citizenship which makes it far easier.
2) Others are fairly average at their job but just at the right place at the right time, i.e they know someone in a strategic position who can fix something for them. If they are young and from a well off background their Dad may be friends with the company CEO etc.
A lot of people that fall into this category simply don't reveal the actual reasons for them getting their jobs and it's understandable but it does seem like more get in this way than the first way.
Some people also have the natural ability to "fake it till you make it", their networking skills can make their skills look far more advanced than they actually are. I've seen this happen a lot of times in my field which is sports media. Most of the people at the top have excellent networking skills but upon further analysis of their actual work, some have very poor analytical skills and are clearly not doing their jobs on merit. These type of people are often weary of promoting youngsters in the case that they get exposed but you can find them in cricket, soccer and rugby media.
You need to make sure that whenever they turn around either you, one of your articles or your name is in their faces. That is how you will be in the "right place at the right time."
You shouldn't pussyfoot around them either but let them know clearly what you are looking for and what you can do. Back this up with proper work, even if you do this for free in your off time on a blog, youtube or anywhere else.
Have you maybe considered doing/learning something completely different in your free time?Your advice is much appreciated, thanks.
I've probably written to every major sports editor in the country and many abroad. The reply to message sent ratio is very low but it has not been totally negative as I did get freelance work from it and even got my internship by doing this (unfortunately it was an unsuccessful internship but such is life, some work others don't). One freelance client, I've been working with for three years.
I try to network extensively online. These days that it is arguably more important than networking in person especially with fewer job prospects.
I know this sounds like I'm self-pitying but I don't think I'm total to blame here. I do think that being in a bad industry has messed things up, the situation is so bad that I actually know an experienced member of the same industry with 20+ years of experience who had to leave the industry totally as he could not find work and had to go and become an English teacher in China. With 20-years of experience, he was on radio everyday and simply could not find work (I'm pretty sure he was well connected to key stakeholders in the industry).
I've considered leaving the industry in the past, it unfortunately is an old-boys club in SA. I am leaning towards doing it and was looking to go abroad for that reason as I've been advised by Saffas who got their lucky break that it's much better and they feel more appreciated for the line of work.
I'll continue to send my CV around and just hope for that bit of luck. I have had a couple of interviews in the past year but none successful (in some cases it may have been me and in other cases, the employer probably already knew who they were employing and so interviewed me just for the requirements). That type of thing is rife in the industry.
Journalism is a dead-end industry right now so I've tried to also open myself up to communications, media officiating roles etc. Unfortunately, it's just a dark time and everything seems hard to get but I do think it may one day improve. As demotivated as I can get, I do sometimes get emails now and then which give me a glimmer of hope. I do also know that the situation can quickly change.
Now that I am part of a new business it turned out to be very valuable in making good financial decisions and drawing up a business plan etc.
The point I am making is you might be a journalist now, but you can, just as an example, study some coding, and later you can create a journalist application that automatically scrape articles across the globe and see how they link up with each other, a tool that other journalist can use to quickly jump on related events by paying a monthly fee. Coding might not be your dream, but it might be the step towards something new combined with your other experience.
Also... if you have a background in IT, it's also not difficult to find jobs abroad. I've done it a few times already, including working remotely for a US company while I was in SA.
OfferZen has a Netherlands section:How?
Figure out the point skill requirements, start chatting to recruitment places. I know quite a few that have recently (as in the last 2 years) that have emigrated to Norway, Austria, Germany, UK, Netherlands, Belgium and Sweden, all without passports, and some without degrees.How?
How?
Good adviceFigure out the point skill requirements, start chatting to recruitment places. I know quite a few that have recently (as in the last 2 years) that have emigrated to Norway, Austria, Germany, UK, Netherlands, Belgium and Sweden, all without passports, and some without degrees.
Was all a case of kept applying, and chatting with recruiters. If no degree, as long as had a good job reference and a bit of experience, they got recruiters offering them jobs, though often enough it was similar/only slightly higher salary, and then once over, most of them so far have gotten increases when in South Africa they were mostly at cap in their field.