Be prepared to walk away from your dream job, take part-time shifts or reskill entirely, says freelance journalist and career happiness coach Jenny Holliday - this might be the push you need
It's an uncomfortable reality that young journalists are often shielded from. Journalists often find themselves at a crossroads at a certain point in their careers: they've hit a plateau, face redundancy, or simply want to spread their wings.
Jenny Holliday has been in this situation. She's spent a large chunk of her career in newsrooms like Metro, BBC Three and MoneySavingExpert, but has found herself needing to reinvent herself many times. Most recently, she became a career happiness coach.
Her journey offers practical, hard-won lessons for anyone looking to take the next step in their career.
The reality
Journalists are often (rightly) encouraged to chase their ambitions: fancy job titles, specific beats, big bylines, or the next step up the ladder. It can lead to you saying "yes" to a lot of things that aren't long-term helpful. You'll waste potentially years of your career in roles that aren't serving you or helping you move in the right direction.
Try this
Refocus your long-term plans around your values. Ambitions can change, but values should be consistent. One of Holliday's core values – "kudos", the satisfaction of writing for impressive news outlets – helps build her reputation and relationships. Write down your values, stick to them and use them as a filter for more fulfilling career decisions.
The reality
Journalism is often framed as a binary: you’re either staff or freelance. But this misses the value of temporary, part-time, or fixed-term contracts. These roles can seem like a stopgap, but they’re often a strategic move for both journalists and employers.
