Formulating a back up plan for your job

When I got my first newspaper job out of college it was well-known that it's not a good career for making big bucks. I had several friends filtered out of journalism just based on the low-paying positions.

Today, people working as journalists have to be even more dedicated to the craft. Rounds of layoffs, freezes on raises, a cloudy future for the business, the list goes on and on for journalists to be depressed about their jobs.

That's why right now we must:

Stick together more than ever. If a coworker is having a rough day, lift their spirits by doing something nice like buying them a cup of coffee, taking them out to lunch, or even just going for a walk around the building.

Resist the want to constantly read about the struggles faced by media companies around the country. Yes it's tough to stop reading Romenesko, but trust me my darkest days at work have been when I read that stuff all day and my best days are when I look around at all the advancements and innovation in our industry.

Be prepared for the worst. Yes, it's a tough prospect that as young journalists, myself at 26, that we should think at all about the future of our jobs and companies. It's a good time to make sure your resume is compiled and ready to go. My online resume, which I have not updated for a few months, can be found here. Talk with older journalists at your work and ask them for advice -- most will have stories of how they transferred between publications and positions and they can offer many words of wisdom for us young ones. And, find and add people from your work who know you and whom you trust on your Facebook, LinkedIn and other online profiles. Much more fun, and easy, to do this while still working with those people. And, finally, spend some time thinking about a back-up plan. It is likely that you will be able to find media jobs in the future, if layed off, but it may take some time to find the best one. Consider what back-up jobs you would not mind doing if worst comes to worst.

Please chime in with your thoughts. Sure this is a sad topic, but best to stick together and be prepared.