I knew my career aspirations since high school: Victoria Holt, news reporter. I had dreams of working my way up to lead anchor in a large market, and I found the perfect place to start. I was one of the few selected for a coveted spot in the Programming Department of WPVI 6abc, the home of Action News. I grew up watching Jim Gardner and company delivering the news, so to be working in the same building was nothing short of exciting. I could walk down the hall and watch the news, while it was happening live in the station.
While my experience at 6abc was nothing short of amazing, I slowly realized my career aspirations had changed. I wasn’t as comfortable in front of the camera as I thought, and after a long discussion with a co-worker, I knew I needed to be 110 percent dedicated to a reporter’s life. That life of starting in the middle of nowhere, working my way up the ranks, and writing and editing my own segments to eventually find my role somewhere just did not seem as appealing as it once did.
I have no regrets from taking that internship…other than that it was an unpaid one, but everyone whom I worked with at the station motivated me to become a better writer, a more experienced editor, and a hardworking intern. I learned valuable skills that can help me in any career I find myself in, and I worked with talented people who were more than willing to help me with my future.
As a communication studies major, my career options aren’t limited to just broadcasting, but as a senior, I panicked. What I had thought I wanted to do with my life was definitely not what I wanted, and the clock was ticking. My family members keep asking me if I’ve starting applying for jobs, adding more pressure to figure out what I want to do.
After a few calming breaths, I realized that it’s okay that I don’t know exactly what field I want to go into. I’m lucky that I study in a discipline where I have so many career options in front of me. Though it is in May, the reality of graduation has set in, and now’s the time to explore my interests. I’m looking up spring internships and jobs in areas I’m interested in and exploring my options.
To anyone else in my situation, I encourage you to explore your interests and use the multiple resources available on campus, like the Career Development Center and attend any career fairs and networking events. It’s okay not to know what you want to do, but it is important to do what you can to figure that out.
Victoria Holt is a fourth year student majoring in communcations studies at West Chester University. She can be reached at VH758202@wcupa.edu.