Journalists & Work: Separating your career from your identity

    When:
    February 16, 2024 @ 12:00 pm – 12:45 pm
    2024-02-16T12:00:00-05:00
    2024-02-16T12:45:00-05:00
    Cost:
    Free

    For many of us, journalism is not just a job; it is a calling. And the high-intensity nature of the work of a journalist often means that our job becomes a central part of our identity.

    That might be fine when we love what we do, but what happens if you don’t anymore? What if you were laid off, or your news organization downsizes and you have to watch colleagues leave while you take on more work? What then? Do you stay in journalism, or pivot to something else? What if these questions and challenges feel like you don’t know who you are anymore?

    Many journalists may be asking themselves these very questions, especially after a brutal January when the industry laid off hundreds of our colleagues. But for a vital society and democracy, we need journalists to continue to do their work.

    Join the National Press Club Journalism Institute for a free conversation with a journalist and a psychologist on managing your career in a time of media turmoil.

    In this 45-minute webinar, we’ll explore how to disentangle your identity and feelings of self-worth from work, as well as questions to ask yourself as you think about your journalism career in the short and long term.

    Participants will also learn:

    – How to know when passion for your work crosses into overtaking your identity
    – How to cope with the personal pain of a layoff and questions to ask yourself in the time after
    – How to manage the potential of burnout due to deadlines and media turmoil
    – Where to find resources for support, whether it is a career coach, a therapist, or a support network