Odds are, that if you ask around for a student’s major on SUNY Buffalo State’s campus, it won’t take long until you come across someone from the communication department.

One of the larger departments on campus, it consists of public relations, communication studies, media production, and journalism majors. All highly popular and competitive fields.

Without a doubt, journalists and reporters are important. They have a duty to tell the facts and inform the public in a timely manner.

However, with the semester coming to an end, and graduation approaching for some, journalism majors must at some point in their studies have wondered, how likely is it that I’ll find a job?

As a journalism major myself, I never thought about that until just a few months ago. As more guest speakers came in from local newspapers and television stations, the more I realized they were all saying the same thing.

It’s difficult, competitive, and the hopes of finding a job seem slimmer than ever.

Looking around at others in my journalism classes, many have similar hopes. They want to be reporters for E News, broadcasters on local Channel 2 News, or sports analysts for ESPN. Some want to go into politics, some into theater, and others still undecided.

Those in the major at Buffalo State are already a large amount, and added with those from other communication departments from other colleges in the area, the numbers keep growing.

There’s still hope, of course. There are ways to stand out as a journalist, as many know. By adding a second major, minor, and a few internships, the chances of getting a job become greater. By reaching out to companies, networking, and developing a resume, it can be done.

After devising a plan on how to make myself stand out in the field, my confidence started to come back.

Then I had a conversation with one of my journalism professors about a possible major change.

His response, “I honestly advised my children to stay away from the field.”

This shocked me, but I wanted to be realistic with myself. I questioned, why am I in journalism?

The answer was simple, in high school, my advisor had pushed us to choose a major when applying to colleges. I had no idea, but I knew I liked writing and that an affordable school near me offered it, so I ended up here.

Many of us want similar things later in life, such as a stable job and decent pay.

With the demand for all that it takes to be a journalist, it can be intimidating. The field is changing, companies want someone with unique skills, and someone that can do it all. Not only must a journalist report, but use camera and film equipment, and have an extensive knowledge in computers.

Finding a career in journalism isn’t impossible. There’s opportunities out there, it may just take some time to find a place that offers what you’re looking for. Not everyone is going to be working for E News or ESPN, but, of course, some people are lucky enough to reach their goal.

The overall question is, just how realistic is a career in journalism?

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