Thread by @aajanewyork

We’re live from our panel at @NYMediaCenter on How to Bounce Back from Layoffs in Journalism. Starting off the discussion on what you can do immediately post-lay-off.

@NYMediaCenter @alexlaughs @harpertim @TheoTypes @AllegraEHobbs @leezeltanglao .@leezeltanglao is a rockstar in journalism, and she tells the crowd she’s been laid off twice. She said the second time, she took time to breathe. She took time for herself because when you get laid off, you suffer a loss.

@NYMediaCenter @alexlaughs @harpertim @TheoTypes @AllegraEHobbs @leezeltanglao .@AllegraEHobbs, now staff writer at @studyhallxyz, says that she was laid off abruptly from DNAinfo. How you cope immediately afterward is a deeply personal decision. You can be sending out pitches that night, or you can take time for yourself, too.

@NYMediaCenter @alexlaughs @harpertim @TheoTypes @AllegraEHobbs @leezeltanglao @studyhallxyz .@harpertim is talking about his expertise in freelancing. His career path means “I’ve never been laid off—I fire editors.” While you’re working, while you have a job, start thinking about the other paths you could take: freelancing, teaching, or going back to school as a student

@NYMediaCenter @alexlaughs @harpertim @TheoTypes @AllegraEHobbs @leezeltanglao @studyhallxyz PSA: Our venue, @NYMediaCenter, is home to Freelancers Hub (@freelancersu), which offers FREE coworking space in beautiful DUMBO and useful resources and events for all kinds of freelancers: freelancersunion.org/freelancers-hu…

@NYMediaCenter @alexlaughs @harpertim @TheoTypes @AllegraEHobbs @leezeltanglao @studyhallxyz @freelancersu .@harpertim: “There are two types of journalists: those who have been laid off and those who are going to be laid off.”

@NYMediaCenter @alexlaughs @harpertim @TheoTypes @AllegraEHobbs @leezeltanglao @studyhallxyz @freelancersu Moderator @alexlaughs speaks about getting laid off from BuzzFeed, and says that she spread the word about what happened to her. People sent so much goodwill her way — Alex says use those good vibes! And always save your money and back up your work.

@NYMediaCenter @alexlaughs @harpertim @TheoTypes @AllegraEHobbs @leezeltanglao @studyhallxyz @freelancersu .@TheoTypes, the @nytimes director of fellowships and internships, says to always keep in mind that your job is NOT your only identity.
Consider dipping your toe into other fields because there are low-risk ways to build skills and test your interests.

@NYMediaCenter @alexlaughs @harpertim @TheoTypes @AllegraEHobbs @leezeltanglao @studyhallxyz @freelancersu @nytimes .@harpertim, a writing coach, freelance writer and prof at @newmarkjschool: We (journalists) have mad skills. These are superpowers to the rest of the world: reporting, writing, communications. Show others what you can do for them to supplement your freelance work.

@NYMediaCenter @alexlaughs @harpertim @TheoTypes @AllegraEHobbs @leezeltanglao @studyhallxyz @freelancersu @nytimes @newmarkjschool .@AllegraEHobbs talks about working for @studyhallxyz, an online community for freelance writers that includes a BaseCamp, pitch resources, info of who DOESN’T pay on time, and a newsletter that she writes.

@NYMediaCenter @alexlaughs @harpertim @TheoTypes @AllegraEHobbs @leezeltanglao @studyhallxyz @freelancersu @nytimes @newmarkjschool .@alexlaughs: “I love @studyhallxyz because of its focus on workers and workers’ rights.”

@NYMediaCenter @alexlaughs @harpertim @TheoTypes @AllegraEHobbs @leezeltanglao @studyhallxyz @freelancersu @nytimes @newmarkjschool .@leezeltanglao on coming to the realization that “I’m so much more than this job”: She took a branding course that helped her start her own consulting company, she took every meeting she could, A/B testing things to see what worked, what didn’t.

@NYMediaCenter @alexlaughs @harpertim @TheoTypes @AllegraEHobbs @leezeltanglao @studyhallxyz @freelancersu @nytimes @newmarkjschool .@leezeltanglao on thinking outside the box post-lay-off: It helps to get out of just journalism circles. She went to all kinds of interesting conferences in town—not just journalism-related ones, but also journalism-adjacent ones.

@NYMediaCenter @alexlaughs @harpertim @TheoTypes @AllegraEHobbs @leezeltanglao @studyhallxyz @freelancersu @nytimes @newmarkjschool .@TheoTypes: EVERYTHING matters in making your application the best: your cover letter, your résumé, the readability of your clips. Even so, at the NYT, it’s intensely competitive because there are lots of qualified people out there.