I probably should have just thought of Stephen S.'s experience with finding work in journalism, but after being informed I'd have a letter to the editor published, I asked the editorial assistant how she got her job. I'm looking for reassurances that I'll be able to make a living outside of academia with an MA in English specializing in literature.
----------
Adam,
To be honest, it really wasn't hard to do! I responded to an ad in the paper
last summer that the paper needed a news assistant, and fortunately I got
the job. It was perfect because I was still a full time student, and the
position was part time-30 hours. It was a perfect job to have during my last
year of school, and I just recently graduated and was able to get a full
time position here at the Star (as of next week I won't be the editorial
assistant anymore). I did the whole journalism thing in high school and
decided I didn't want to be a journalist, but the great thing is that there
are so many positions at the Star that don't really require a lot of
writing. If you are interested in journalism though, I know we do have some
positions open, and we are always hiring, so I would definitely recommend
checking it out! (And it shows that you have "experience" since we've
published several of your letters to the editor!) Anyways, thanks for
asking, and feel free to contact me if you have any more questions!