🌟 Why You Should Hire a Journalist 🌟
This week, the media industry's volatility hit close to home, with many friends and former colleagues at Bell Media losing their jobs. After spending a few days thinking about how best to help, I realized that we should recognize the incredible potential that these professionals bring to the table.
Journalists aren't just storytellers, news reporters or news anchors. They possess a diverse skill set that is invaluable in today’s dynamic and complex business landscape, from which any executive team could benefit. Here's how:
-People management: “Journalism is the art of managing people (usually strangers - often very important strangers), expectations, resources and time while extracting the information and answers necessary to answer the public’s questions,” says my former colleague Brandon Buechler. This profound capability often flies under the radar of many recruiters and hiring managers. Journalists master the art of people management through their everyday work.
-Networking and Relationship Building: They not only bring extensive networks but also excel at fostering professional relationships. Their knack for establishing rapport, combined with a genuine curiosity about people, allows them to foster connections that can be instrumental in business development, customer relations, and team cohesion.
-Critical Thinking and Analytical Skills: They cut through complex issues to deliver clear, understandable insights. They are the architects of clarity in a world overwhelmed with information, making them ideal candidates for positions requiring deep analytical prowess and the capacity to craft informed, strategic responses to challenges.
Other skills journalists bring to the table: crisis management; judgment and integrity; adaptability and flexibility; time management and deadline orientation; storytelling and strategy.
Journalists have unique skills, developed in the demanding, fast-paced world of news (often faster than most executive teams will ever live), and can inject fresh perspectives and innovative solutions into various roles and industries. Journalists are forces of change. As leaders, it is **imperative** we open the door for this fresh air to come into our organizations.
And let’s not just open our doors, but actively seek out these talented professionals, enriching our teams with their diverse skills and experiences. Consider a journalist for your next open position.
To my friends and colleagues facing these tough times, remember that the business world sees, values, and needs your skills now more than ever. There are great opportunities outside of journalism. And to the businesses and leaders out there, let’s work together to harness the unmatched potential of these great professionals.
#Hiring #Journalism #CareerTransition #Leadership
