I have a wonderful internship this summer at the
Houston Chronicle and should be preparing to return to another full year of school; however, I just may have to take a semester off from school to find funding. I am worried about my career in the meantime.
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This coming year will be my fourth in college, although I will have to graduate a semester late in order to study abroad this fall. I have worked on my college paper all three years, rising in position almost since the day I walked through the door. I have had an internship every summer. And, my current internship has allowed me to explore almost every possible beat that I would want to cover post graduation. So, I have adequate experience, but I worry that taking a semester off in the spring and graduating a year late will lessen my chances of finding a job post-graduation.
Let's face it; our newspaper industry is not as stable as it once was.
Worried about My Future
Don't worry about taking more than four years to graduate. Many, many people take more than four years to get through college -- often for the same reasons you cite.
I have hired some and seldom worried about it.
Your resume is strong. Just make sure it keeps going and growing, even if you must put college on hold to bank some money. Ideally, you'll make that money doing journalism.
Coming Wednesday: Consolidation, attrition and low wages have this Bay Area reporter worried about her fate and the future of journalism.
