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Of The Best And Worst Jobs, This Media Job Is Worst Three Years In A Row

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CareerCast.com put out its 28th annual “Jobs Rated” report, rating jobs on environment, income, outlook and 11 stress factors. Of the top 10 best jobs, four are math-related: data scientist (No. 1); statistician (No. 2); mathematician (No. 6); and actuary (No. 10). Of the top 10 worst jobs, newspaper reporter was ranked worst for the third year in a row. Several other media jobs also made the top 10 worst: broadcaster (No. 3); disc jockey (No. 4); and ad sales (No. 8). Interestingly, the three worst media jobs beat out military (No. 5); pest control (No. 6), and retail sales (No. 7)!

If you’re a media professional, it’s no secret that rapid changes and consolidation in the media industry make for tricky career management. I once coached a talented newspaper reporter with a graduate journalism degree from one of the best schools in the world, and after years of flat salary growth despite increasing responsibilities, she changed careers altogether (communications at a university). I recently facilitated a leadership program for young media executives in various roles, but recurring patterns of difficulty emerged there too -- feeling overworked, not having enough resources, and being topped out (e.g., no or low raises, no or low room for advancement).

You don’t have to be in media, and your career doesn’t have to be specifically named on the top 10 worst list to feel dissatisfied. If you’re feeling overworked, under-resourced, and topped out, how do you know if you should stay within your industry and try to make it work or jump ship for a new career altogether? Here are four questions to help guide your decision:

What are your industry prospects?

The media industry is one example of an industry under siege. But if you’re currently working for a start-up in any industry, you need to be concerned about funding prospects, as many of the valuations are currently being questioned. If you’re in financial services, you know that the volatile global economy and low interest rate environment is pressuring revenues. How is your industry doing?

Are you willing to navigate your career in a down industry?

If your industry is currently not doing well, are you willing to work harder with fewer resources and with flatter salary growth? Are you willing to put in extra time to build and maintain a network – because a strong, supportive network is a key component of job security? Are you willing to take on new responsibilities and learn whole new skill sets (e.g., print media learning digital skills) depending on what the industry requires?

Are you able to stay the course?

You may have the will but do you have the skills? I once recruited for a media marketing role that (no surprise) was increasingly focused on data analytics. An experienced media marketer applied and insisted that she had the skills to work under the new approaches and strategies, but she flunked the short analytics test we required of all candidates. She should have taken a class or freelanced in this area or done something tangible to build these skills. What are you doing to stay competitive?

What are you willing and able to do to manage your downside risk?

Regardless of how much you want your current career or even how talented you are, there is always the risk that your industry becomes obsolete as you know it. For example, in the tech industry, Y2K works was all the rage in the years leading up to 2000, but then disappeared in a flash. Are you keeping abreast of similar and related industries? Do you know other roles where your skills and expertise would translate (e.g., newspaper reporting to corporate communications)? This means extra hours of time and effort outside your current job, but it will provide a career foundation for you as an individual, regardless of what happens to your industry. You’ll also be able to negotiate harder for resources, money, and promotions because your outside options give you leverage to walk away.

Even when an industry outlook is bleak, there are other valid reasons to remain. The newspaper reporter-turned-communications professional actually went back to reporting because she preferred the day-to-day of that job. She made other changes to compensate – she took a business beat which offered more pay than her previous beat (lifestyle) and she took on editorial duties in addition to reporting to grow her job (and therefore pay and title). How will you manage your career given its industry prospects? What changes will you make to your skills or day-to-day role to buffer any downside?

Caroline Ceniza-Levine is a career and business coach with SixFigureStart.