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By Faith Callens

Today , I am very proud of how far I have came in this field of journalism, even though I’m still starting out. At this point, my days aren’t already planned, I literally plan my “news days” everyday.

Before I graduated, I did the same internship twice with hopes of me landing a job in broadcast journalism. Even though, I knew broadcast journalism wasn’t my focus, I tried anyway.

I remember my teacher at the end of my semester saying, you don’t want to graduate without any experience and no job. The goal is to have a job.

So, I did just that. I remember going to our Montevallo Media Day during my senior year and just stepping out on faith and networking.

TIP #1 Don’t be afraid to network

Go to networking seminars. Speak to your teachers, professors, mentors about upcoming opportunities they may know about. Remember, a closed mouth don’t get fed. Speak . Talk . Shine and make your mark.

FIRST JOB

My first job actually came about right after our media day by me just introducing myself , asking the right questions, speaking to the right source (the editor) and sending an email I was scared to send but I did it.

One month later, I had a job . Not just any job .. a news job. I was officially a freelance reporter for the first time in print journalism. Print journalism is basically journalism that is printed in newspapers and a freelance reporter is a self-employed reporter who reports news stories on a need by need basis . The freelance reporter can either get paid or work for free but either way gain experience. That’s the best part.

I did that job for four months just being on call whenever they needed me while interning at a news station in Birmingham as well. I was fortunate to get paid while still in college.

TIP #2 DON’T CHASE MONEY , CHASE THE EXPERIENCE

Money isn’t everything , but the experience that you get is everything. Get up early, apply to all the jobs you can. If you still in school, I push internships.. internships, internships! Get that experience.

Months leading up to me walking across the stage, I applied for jobs, several jobs at that, in news and I didn’t really get any calls back but I stayed persistent. I knew I wanted to pursue a job in news so I created my own.

CREATING MY OWN PATH

In 2019, I was in a communication class and my favorite teacher Dr. Gheni Platenburg introduced my class and I to different ways we could push media out and one way she taught us was through blogging.

That same year, I created my own blog. At the time, I was in Selma and I was still searching for a job in news while traveling back and forth to school to complete my degree, so I got the idea that I could start my own blog. My blog is called Blessed By Faith and really that’s all I had was Faith.

Back then, my blog had zero followers, no clicks, no shares just a platform that I created on Faith. But one day, that all changed.

HOW BLESSEDBYFAITH GREW FROM NOTHING TO SOMETHING

So, one day, I was in Selma. At the time , I resided in Selma and I seen this posting and I asked one of my friends did she want to go.

The posting was of an event held at a hookah lounge in Selma catered to women of Selma networking. The sponsor was Girl, Level Up.

My friend and I went and I asked one major question to the host that changed my blogging life forever: Could I write a story about your event and post it on my blog?

After that the rest was history. Literally. That story alone brought me 600 views with a whole lot of shares and from that moment, that post to this year, my blog now has 2,500 views and 1,700 visitors who have came and read the content that I post on my blog and I’m grateful. Very Humble. So I thank you, you and you who are taking the time to read this right now.

Thanks! By the way, my blog only has 19 posts. Let that simmer in.

TIP #3 NEVER BE AFRAID TO ASK A QUESTION TO A PERSON BECAUSE YOU NEVER KNOW WHERE IT WILL GO AND DON’T DOUBT YOURSELF OF YOUR FUTURE SUCCESS!

So, the question of today is: Faith , how did you get where you are today ? What’s the secret?

Listen, it’s not a secret. It just patience, hardwork, determination and strong Faith in my dreams. But, actually everything you see me do today , right now, each day, is because of the one thing I knew I could do: work for myself first, before I worked with someone else and on the way , I always put God before me and I hope with your dreams and goals you do the same.

Always be a blessing to someone else and know you are here to create, be something special, shine bright and you are made to succeed.