Please don’t take this the wrong way, professor, but you are a writing snob.
I can’t tell you how many want ads I’ve seen lately for writing coach, tutoring and teaching jobs that my fellow editors and I would be eminently capable of performing. (There are a couple on the Refugee job page right now.) We don’t qualify for those jobs because we don’t have masters degrees.
Many of the editors I know have spent decades coaching young writers, correcting their grammar and spelling, and more importantly improving their thinking by demanding clear, concise writing. They don’t have advanced degrees because the journalism culture has not placed as much emphasis on them as some professions do. (I guess there is more emphasis lately.) Many of us wanted to get busy reporting the news and engaging the world rather than spend more time in school.
Anyway, it is a shame that talented and seasoned journalists — many of whom have the experiential equivalent of a journalism Ph.D. — are out of work while local colleges recruit pedigreed academics from other places to teach journalism and other writing skills.
Okay, I’m done ranting. I’m going out to the mailbox to get my unemployment check.
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Great post! There’s only one thing I think you should have changed:
In the first line, it should say “Dr. Professor.”
And, Paul, if I could add a related point:
Sometimes, I see terrific job postings, but the postings will require a certain type of experience. For example, I’ll sometimes see postings for copy editor jobs, but they specifically want experience in marketing.
If there are any hiring managers out there reading this, please know that you won’t find a more resourceful bunch of people anywhere than the people let go by the Courant.
They’re smart, hard-working, dependable and ready to go. There’s not a job out there that they can’t do with a little bit of training.
Why not get an instant master’s degree in journalism? News is turning into instant blurbs, so the instant degree would be appropriate. You could get your master’s in “platform-neutral instant journalism” — in an instant! Apply today!
http://www.instant-degrees.net/
See if You Qualify For A Life Experience Degree! It’s just a 2-minute process that helps you to find out whether you qualify for instant degrees in any major of your choice!
Please select your preferred date of graduation from below. If approved, your selected date of graduation will appear on your degree, transcript and other documents included in the package. Currently, April 23, 2009 has already been selected as the date of your graduation.
You can even select your GPA. (I think I’ll select Summa Cum Laude.)
Please select your preferred GPA/Grade Status from below. Your selected GPA/Grade Status will be displayed on your Degree and Transcript. A GPA/Grade Status of 3.00 has already been selected for your Master’s Degree . If you wish to select any other GPA/Grade Status, kindly select from below.
GPA 3.00
GPA 3.4 – 3.6 (Cum Laude)
GPA 3.61 – 3.89 (Magna Cum Laude)
GPA 3.9 – 4.00 (Summa Cum Laude)