planet forward\u2019s instagram tv<\/a> and, for those anxious about their own futures in media, freelancing, or advocacy, i\u2019m more than happy to let you copy my notes. <\/p>\n1. get to know your values.<\/h2>\n when searching for opportunities, it\u2019s easy to feel overwhelmed by the different avenues available, and the possibilities of where they might lead you geographically, professionally, or personally. when navigating these intersections, it\u2019s good to use your own values as a compass. however, finding these values can often be an adventure all its own.<\/p>\n
\u201cwhen you\u2019re transitioning into adulthood, it\u2019s kind of hard for a lot of us to detach, like, the feelings, the expectations that have been put on us by the people that have raised us,\u201d syndey said.<\/p>\n
take time to pin down what success looks like to you, rather than to others (even those who matter most!). once you know what drives you, the destination is easier to find. be patient with yourself as your goalposts are likely to change.<\/p>\n
\u201cthat was something that i\u2019m still dealing with today,\u201d sydney said, \u201c\u2026 is figuring out who am i truly and what are my values as sydney greene, not as my parents, not as my friends, not as my grandparents.\u201d<\/p>\n
2. get to know your niche.<\/h2>\n beyond knowing what you value, you should also pin down what others value you for (and this is certainly the part that brings me the most anxiety). however, it\u2019s helpful to shift the thought process from a question of, \u201cwhat are my skills?\u201d to, \u201cwhat are my interests? what subject do i feel most at home covering? what do people associate with me?\u201d sydney said she finds knowing her \u201cbrand\u201d especially helpful when reaching out to editors to pitch ideas.<\/p>\n
\u201ci think knowing the stories that you\u2019re passionate about, knowing the issues that you\u2019re passionate about, and then creating a niche inside the passions is really important because when you are pitching something to someone or you\u2019re just reaching out to an editor you can say, like, \u2018hey!\u2019 instead of doing a general pitch or hello, you can let them know, \u2018here\u2019s what i do. here\u2019s the work that i\u2019m interested in. if you need any gaps filled in your coverage that include these topic areas, i\u2019m here for you,\u2019\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
when you have an understanding of the specific knowledge and skillsets you possess, own them.<\/p>\n
\u201cdo not be afraid to promote yourself, y\u2019all,\u201d syndey said. \u201clike, do it. run with it. be proud of the work that you do, be proud of who you are, and promote yourself.\u201d<\/p>\n
3. don\u2019t be afraid to change course.<\/h2>\n as important as it is to know yourself, it\u2019s just as important to understand that who you are, what you want, and what you\u2019re interested in are always changing. even if you\u2019ve dreamed of something since elementary school, it might not be the right choice for you now. sydney experienced this firsthand when she shifted from her dream of being a full-time reporter to pursue advocacy work. yet, she made this transition by reassessing her values and, from there, breaking down what drew her to journalism in order to steer her toward her next move.<\/p>\n
sydney said, \u201cwhen i knew i was not going to be doing [journalism] full time, i had to peel back the layers and think, \u2018ok, what about journalism really interested me from a young age and how can i still maintain that passion into a different role?\u2019 and that was storytelling, at the bottom of it, it was storytelling. luckily, i was able to take that storytelling into the different jobs i do now.\u201d<\/p>\n
your skills and interests can translate into a variety of different roles and industries, and there is no shame in switching things up.<\/p>\n
4. you\u2019re not in it alone.<\/h2>\n graduating from college, especially into the current state of the world, might feel a bit like free-falling from the nest and hoping that you can figure out how to use your wings before reaching the ground. while you likely do have more responsibilities and less structure than you\u2019re used to, you also have support systems to turn to. <\/p>\n
for sydney, mentors have helped guide the way. she recommends seeking mentorship from people in different professions and across different age groups who will each be able to relate to you and speak to your experiences in different ways.<\/p>\n
\u201ci think it\u2019s really important to have a lot of mentors across the board, whether that\u2019s professional or whether that\u2019s personal,\u201d she said. \u201chaving allies in general that advocate for you, whether that\u2019s inside the workplace or outside the workplace, is incredibly important.\u201d<\/p>\n
also, remember that wherever you are now, you have learned lessons that can benefit someone else.<\/p>\n
\u201ci always say, you know, pay it forward,\u201d sydney said. \u201ceven if you\u2019re two or three years older than someone and you don\u2019t think that you have something to offer, you absolutely have something to offer. so, make sure just as you\u2019re getting that advice from mentors, make sure you\u2019re paying it forward and helping the people who are also up and coming like you were at some point.\u201d \n <\/p>\n
to keep up with sydney, check out her website here<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"former planet 世界杯欧洲预选赛免费直播
and 2017 storyfest winner sydney greene shared her experience for graduates starting their careers in uncertain times.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":9839,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[4902,4915],"tags":[1536,3628,4444,4445,454,591,322],"storyfest_categories":[],"class_list":["post-11476","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-colleges-education","category-how-to-guides","tag-advocacy","tag-career","tag-correspondents","tag-graduation","tag-media","tag-storyfest","tag-storytelling"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n
forging your path: finding your place in media and advocacy - planet forward<\/title>\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n\t \n\t \n\t \n