Sacked journalists: 17 things they must do

If you are among journalists who have just been displaced (sacked, sent on forced leave or stand the chance of being laid off soon) below are some crucial points to consider and act on recommended by Lekan Otufodunrin, media career development specialist.

This is not the time to lose your job

There is no good time to lose a job, but times, like we are now when virtually every sector is caught in the web of the economic devastating virus, is worse.

It’s going to be a bit tough finding a new job or starting out on your own, but like the popular saying, when the going gets tough, the tough get going. Your road will be rough, but don’t mind the tough terrain.

You are down temporarily, you can’t afford to be displaced permanently.

Count yourself lucky being on the journey you may embark on, sooner or later

Those who survived whatever displacement, that happened at their workplace, they may think they are luckier than you are. Yes, they may be for now, but with the projection of what may happen in the industry, more staff may still be sacked.

Now that you are already out, get on the journey of searching for another job or starting anything you want to do before another batch joins the labour market.

How soon you start some things matter and the sooner the better. Stop wondering why you were displaced and take advantage of being ahead of others who may find themselves in your position later.

One of the secrets of success is taking advantage of things before it becomes obvious to all and the competition will be more.

Those still employed should not take it for granted

In case your friends who are still employed don’t get to read this piece, inform them on this next advice.

Surviving being displaced for now is not a guarantee that they may not still be asked to leave for whatever reason the management may decide later.

So, the thing to do is that they be as hard-working as they should and make it almost impossible to be considered not needed, unless the consideration is not based on performance.

They should study the situation at their workplace and honestly project what can happen to their position in the company.

If there is a chance that they can be still be laid off, they should start preparing for the possibility. They may even decide to take an early exit to explore other possibilities instead of waiting till when it may be too late to know what to do.

It’s better to jump and know where to land than to be pushed down.

You were not necessarily displaced because you are not good enough

The reason why some staff were laid off or sent on leave may be due to poor ratings, but some were just unfortunate that their companies had to take the hard decision for financial reasons.

So, instead of sulking and bemoaning your fate, be bold enough to ask for available opportunities and flaunt your credentials.

Don’t indulge in any self-pity. Don’t go off the radar and be unreachable because of the shock of your unexpected displacement. You never know who needs to reach you urgently to draw your attention to an opportunity you can consider.

Look out for vacancies

The fact that your company or organization is downsizing does not mean there are no vacancies for new jobs.

Some companies need some staff laid off in other organisations. Some have work that requires more staff or new staff for new projects. There are new ideas and concepts thrown up by COVID-19 that didn’t exist before and need to be launched with a new workforce which you may be suitable for.

Check out regular job vacancy platforms in print and online. Send out your CVs to employers who may keep them in view if the need arises to hire.

READ ALSO: COVID-19: Opportunities for Nigeria media, communicators

Resist the temptation to launch your own website on impulse

One of the options many journalists displaced from their jobs these days is to launch their own online platforms.

It’s one of the logical options to take based on the experience they have acquired over the years, but don’t make the decision on impulse or because you have seen many do.

There is a lot involved beyond registering a domain name and having a website designed for you, especially when you don’t have much clue about how the terrain operates.

Online publishing is not exactly the same as traditional publishing. It’s more rigorous in times of the time required to keep it updated if you want to have a news website.

Unless you don’t want to do it for profit or any other benefit, don’t just acquire the fanciful title of Online Publisher. What is behind six is more than seven according to a Yoruba expression.

You need to be sure you can endure the rigours. You need some level of digital know-how even if you want to pay some people to work for you.

You need to decide if it is worth doing either on your own or to collaborate with other colleagues.

You need to be sure another project will not be worth your while, less stressful and not as money guzzling as running a website can sometimes be.

Get busy while waiting

While waiting to get a new job or start your own organization, get busy with producing content for platforms that may need them, even if it’s for free.

You need proof that you have current publications or production to get another job or contract.

If you have a big idea you have always wanted to start, find a way to launch it however small it may be. It can be as small as having the mission statement and what you want to do outlined on your social media platforms. Hopefully, you have one if you don’t belong to the group of people who don’t appreciate the enormous opportunities the platforms offer to launch an idea globally from the corner of their rooms or.

What is important is that you showcase what you are capable of doing and those who should know, know what you are capable of.

Learn from the experience of those who left before you

Sure you know some people were displaced before you. They know one or two things you can learn from their experience.

They have success stories you can take advantage of and pitfalls you can avoid. So, don’t hesitate to ask them or read their stories if they share them in any platform like the one in this link.

Open your minds to new possibilities

Having been a journalist or media professional may make you think you can’t do anything else apart from what you have done for years.

Be willing to take up new challenges which you can use your skills.

Even if the opportunity is not directly media-related, give it a try instead of ruling yourself out just because you have not done a similar job before.

A print journalist should not be reluctant to take up a broadcast job or vice versa. Your new options could be in Public Relations, Advertising or other sectors you may not be thinking of.

Who says you can’t take up knowledge and content sharing opportunities or get employed in an entirely new sector where you have to learn additional skills?

Be flexible with the options you can take.

Go global

A journalist working in a media house where they are owed for months with fewer pages to accommodate their reports told me how she has updated all her social media platforms and has been seeking remote jobs from any part of the world.

That’s the kind of approach needed at this time for those displaced or those still hanging on to their jobs in their distressed organization.

As a citizen of the global village we now live in, your search for opportunities should not be limited to the narrow circuit you have always known, but the world wide world on the World Wide Web.

Join international networks, search websites with How to Work with Us category, subscribe to international newsletters and follow global trends.

The fact there is no job for you in Nigeria does not mean your service may not be needed full or part-time somewhere else in another country.

Learn what you don’t know

You should have done this earlier, but this is a good time for self-re-assessment of your skills to know what you really know and what you don’t.

Education and knowledge acquisition is no longer about going to school to learn and keep working with outdated skills. It’s now constant learning, un-learning and re-learning.

You need to know what skills can give you an advantage in your new search or what next to do and learn them if you don’t have the necessary skills.

Some of the knowledge that kept you on your old job are no longer good enough to make the desired progress you want to make.

Search and attend relevant training offline and online, attend professional conferences and seminars, buy books and relevant resources and keep renewing your mind. Invest in your future.

Team Up, Collaborate

If your plan is to start something of your own, don’t dismiss the possibility of teaming up with colleagues or persons who can enhance the project.

They can be either joint owners or supporters who understand what you are up to and are willing to help you accomplish your dreams.

There is a lot of strength in the right collaboration which can ensure the success of an idea far beyond what an individual can accomplish. But it must be the right person or the right organization.

Too many one-man businesses fail for obvious reasons. They lack the capital and other resources required to attain full capacity.

Subject your plans to critical review

Whether it’s a new job you are taking or a new project you want to embark on, a thorough analysis of the pros and cons is necessary.

Get the right second opinion to be sure you are taking the right decision.

Be ready to review your decisions if you get convincing superior views on what you want to do.

While even the assumed right decision may turn out to be wrong in some instances, assure yourself you took the right option when you did based on what you knew and what suggestions you got.

Remember your forgotten dreams and great ideas

At some points in your career, you had some aspirations and great ideas you would have loved to pursue and accomplish, but you didn’t give them the necessary attention due to your hectic schedule.

Now is the time to remember them. Now is the time to think about them deeper than you have done and decide if you should work on them.

You may be late in doing what you should have done, but there may just be a chance you could still catch up with lost grounds.

Run with your vision now before you miss another opportunity to do so.

Take a break

While it may be right to be in a hurry to decide what to do next after a job loss and hit the ground running, your best option sometimes may be to take the break you really deserve.

You have worked so hard year after year with little or no opportunity to have a real soul-enriching rest and now you have been displaced from the work you thought could not do without you.

Unfortunately, you can’t go on vacation now, due to the travel bans in accordance with the Coronavirus protocols, but you can still shut down your optimum operating system and find a way to relax and reconnect with your family and loved ones as you have never done.

Catch some fun and reward yourself for the hard work you have done for years before hitting the work way again

I remember I earlier said you should not be incommunicado, but if you must for a while to be in a good frame of mind and be physically fit for your next assignment, please do. You may find a little window to see if you are not missing any important call or message.

Seek for therapy

If for any reason, you are inconsolable about your displacement and can’t get over the shock of what happened to you, seek some therapy.

You need some professional guidance on how to prevent your situation from degenerating to something not good for your state of mind or your health.

Delay may be dangerous, especially if you don’t own up to how bad you are feeling to get all the support you need.

It’s not unusual to sometime feel that way, but not seeking help is VERY DANGEROUS. You sure don’t want to lose your job and lose your mind or LIFE. Please don’t

Pray

Last but not the least, Pray.