PBS MediaShift is launching a new series of online training courses called DigitalEd, in partnership with BigMarker. These one-hour live courses will help teach practical digital skills with experienced instructors. Archived video is available as well.
Title: Is There Life After News? How to Transition from News to Business
Instructor: Terri Thornton, founder of Thornton Communications
Whether by choice or necessity, many journalists are moving out of news and into the larger world of business. While some enter entirely different areas such as law, health care, the environment or real estate, most transition to communications-related fields such as marketing, PR and social media. This training gives an overview of the many types of opportunities and sectors now open to them, including some they may not have considered. Just as there are many types of journalists – general assignment, investigative, business, political, arts, etc. – there are many ways to enter business.
We’ll also include input from news folks who successfully moved into new areas, the challenges they faced and how they overcame them. We also examine some easy but sometimes inaccurate assumptions about what some of those positions may be like, including money, hours and work atmosphere. And who knows – maybe you were born to start your own business and become an entrepreneur! Overall, we’ll try to give you a starting point to save you as much time and stress as possible so that if you make the jump you’ll land on your feet.
If you are considering changing jobs, you may email confidential questions ahead of time to [email protected]. You may also attend the seminar anonymously by registering for BigMarker without disclosing your name or affiliation.
What you’ll learn from this training:
- Skills and values you already have that are useful in other sectors
- Types of jobs and requirements
- Finding, and fitting into, a new industry
- Examples of successful transitions
- Social media and your job search
- Should you work for others, or have others work for you?
- Do you have to go cold turkey?
- Realities of freelancing
- Understanding new terms to prevent misunderstandings
Handouts:
- Slides and a one-pager of suggestions for plotting your course.
Who should take this training:
- Working journalists (print, television, digital, etc.) looking for long-term opportunities
- People recently laid off and seeking new skills or a new direction
- HR people looking for a new pool of creative talent
Date and Time: May 13, 2015 at 1 pm ET / 10 am PT
Price: $39
Note: If you can’t attend the live session, you can still register and see the archived video and ask questions of the instructor. Registration for BigMarker is required.
About the instructor:
Terri Thornton launched her own successful business, Thornton Communications, after a 20-year news career. She provides PR, communications, content marketing and social media to businesses in sectors including law, real estate, accounting and clean energy. She is also a freelance editor for Strategic Finance and Management Accounting Quarterly, and is a long-time contributor to PBS MediaShift.
