Any Sociology students in the house?

[tar1984]

I could never be a teacher.

 

[DotCommunist]

I could never be a teacher.

I used to think that, till I was sent on a dolescum 'diss is how to rite a cee vee' type course. Due to chronic understaffing I ended up helping this middle aged indian fella with his english on a CV and it felt really fucking good. The geezer was well pleased and I didn't write it for him, just pointed out some basic bits of grammar and style. When he came back with his re-draft for a proofread the man had listened and applied what I'd told him and the CV was nearly perfect wrt spelling and grammar. I was chuffed. Want to do more of this sort of thing

 

[Shevek]

I used to think that, till I was sent on a dolescum 'diss is how to rite a cee vee' type course. Due to chronic understaffing I ended up helping this middle aged indian fella with his english on a CV and it felt really fucking good. The geezer was well pleased and I didn't write it for him, just pointed out some basic bits of grammar and style. When he came back with his re-draft for a proofread the man had listened and applied what I'd told him and the CV was nearly perfect wrt spelling and grammar. I was chuffed. Want to do more of this sort of thing

thats sounds really good dotcom, good going!!!

 

[Pat24]

Is it a good degree for getting a job at the end of it?

That's not really my main concern mind you, I just want to do something i enjoy.[/QUOTE]

If you want to do a degree for enjoyment's sake go for it- but if you are thinking that sociology will get you a good career - it probably won't. I'm pretty sure it'd be near the bottom end of degrees that lead to gainful employment.

Of course, if you are motivated, study hard, network etc it could lead to one of countless cool jobs. If work hard, are bright and determined it could easily work for you. But most students won't go straight into a good job after a sociology degree.

That's generally true, but I did sociology at uni, and I really enjoyed it. I got a first class and I now work for the FT!

 

[tar1984]

Really? That's awesome. There's another person on here who's a journalist and just told me they have a sociology degree too.

I'd like to be a journalist.

 

[DotCommunist]

be prepared to sell your shriveled soul then

 

[tar1984]

be prepared to sell your shriveled soul then

I'd be a principled journalist. Uncovering evil corporate skullduggery and the like.

 

[DotCommunist]

Well good luck. But when you find yourself at a desk frantically regurgitating AP or Rueters stuff (without checking sources) in house style then remember that Dotty told you so.

 

[tar1984]

Apparently journalism's one of those careers where you can keep really irregular hours at the office, don't have to tell your bosses where you are all the time ("i was following up a lead...") and can get away with drinking regularly on the job. Kind of like the police force, but less evil.

I could totally do that.

 

[creak]

Apparently journalism's one of those careers where you can keep really irregular hours at the office, don't have to tell your bosses where you are all the time ("i was following up a lead...") and can get away with drinking regularly on the job. Kind of like the police force, but less evil.

I could totally do that.

I don't want to piss on any fireworks here, but before you make any firm decisions on the matter please read Nick Davies 'Flat Earth News', to get a truthful insight into what journalism today is really like.

 

[Hocus Eye.]

Yes I think that Dotcommunist's post suggests that he has read Flat Earth News. Journalists nowadays just sit at their computers cutting and pasting PR handouts and press statements to make up their copy. They are so understaffed in their offices that they won't meet their deadlines if they go out of the office to check a source.

 

[creak]

I know, my comment was for tar

 

[Hocus Eye.]

Yes I understood that, tar is the OP.

 

[tar1984]

Yes I think that Dotcommunist's post suggests that he has read Flat Earth News. Journalists nowadays just sit at their computers cutting and pasting PR handouts and press statements to make up their copy. They are so understaffed in their offices that they won't meet their deadlines if they go out of the office to check a source.

That sounds shit!

It was just a passing thought anyway, I don't have any specific career path in mind.

 

[Shevek]

Yes I think that Dotcommunist's post suggests that he has read Flat Earth News. Journalists nowadays just sit at their computers cutting and pasting PR handouts and press statements to make up their copy. They are so understaffed in their offices that they won't meet their deadlines if they go out of the office to check a source.

my partner is a journalist and worked in commercial radio for many years. I haven't read the flat earth book but the impression I get from my partner and people I know who work in newsrooms now is that they CAN go out to gather news just probably not as much as they used to do. A lot of radio stations news is now networked so that for three radio stations in a particular group you will have 2 journalists (one morning/one evening - or 1 working a split shift) who cover all three areas and are SUPPOSED to get all the local inflections for each area but inevitably some of it goes by the wayside.

My partner went from being a news boss in a radio station to being an independent producer of TV and radio programmes running his own company but it is more of a passion than a job. The job is interesting you can set your own pace and agenda but the pay is poor.