Dabbling with the Dark Side: Insights from Temple Executive Search about switching careers from journalism to communications

In case you have been living in a cave on Dagobah, you might not be aware that Friday, 4th May is Star Wars Day. If you have ever thought about moving into communications, Lou Ingram, Associate Director at Temple Executive Search, explains why it doesn't necessarily mean you would be crossing over to the "dark side".

Does the very thought of moving away from media to the "dark side" of corporate communications, freeze you up like the ice planet Hoth? Does just thinking about it, make you want to scream like a Wookiee? Well, Chewie on this - there are a few good reasons that many seasoned and savvy journos have made the move.

The sad reality is that the gargantuan media Empires, and their profits, have shrunk to the size of a few Outer Ring planets. Being a working journalist can sometimes be hard graft - equivalent to working on a mining planet.

While the Empires have successfully struck back, with good quality journalism fending off the onslaught from the evil lords of fake news, the reality is that there are not as many roles for mediaS?t?o?r?m?t?r?o?o?p?e?r?s?, sorry, Jedi, that there once was. And many journalists, after a good few years of doing great things in their first chosen vocation have realised that the rest of their career may be somewhere else.

Of course, one of the major benefits of swapping to the "dark side" is that it will see many ex-journos earn a lot more Galactic Credits. I know that you think money isn’t everything, but the reality is that at some time in your life you are going to have to send the young Padawans off to those posh Sith / Jedi schools as well as pay off your mortgage - which, if you live in Sydney or Melbourne, will be the size of small planet.

Another of the great challenges we see when people swap over is that journalism only gives you mastery of some of the elements of being a good corporate affairs specialist. While you might be a great writer, natural storyteller, insightful inquisitor, and have good media understanding and connections; there are many other lightsaber type skills that you will have to learn to be a fully-functioning professional communications practitioner. As Han Solo says, our advice is "great kid, don’t get cocky".

Whether you are in media or communications - if you don’t want your career frozen in carbonite, then you need to take an active role in managing it. That means constantly re-skilling, learning new things, broadening and deepening your experience.

We have heard from many who say "I’ve got a bad feeling about this," when it comes to thinking about their next career step, but we urge them to take the advice of Gold Five and "stay on target".

And remember Yoda’s advice: "Your path, you must decide" because if you don’t believe it is possible - then "that is why you fail".

Don’t be a Nerf Herder.

Every day at Temple, we see that it is people who take control of their career and undertake life-long re-skilling that are the most successful at finding the roles they desire.

So whatever your career choice. Whatever path to the light you choose to follow - May the Fourth Be With You.