Curiosity and Passion: The Key Elements of a Successful Journalism Career
Date :
2022-12-06
Department :
GCIT
【Article by the Master's Program in Global Communication and Innovation Technology】
What are the key elements of becoming a successful journalist? In a talk organized by the Master’s Program of Global Communication and Innovation Technology (GCIT) on November 25th, 2022, guest speaker Rick Carew, a former reporter and editor at The Wall Street Journal based in Beijing and Hong Kong for more than a decade, told the audience that the core traits of a successful journalist are being curious about the world around you and being eager to ask questions. He said students need to be bold and shouldn’t be afraid to ask questions: “If you don’t ask, you’ll never get the answers you’re looking for, or your readers deserve.”
Professor Carew is currently a visiting scholar at NCCU’s International College of Innovation for the Fall 2022 semester from the University of Virginia. In addition to his journalism career, Carew advises tech companies and investors in Asia. At the University of Virginia’s McIntire School of Commerce, he teaches students about the business models and culture of tech companies in Silicon Valley and Asia.
“What inspires you to work hard?” Prof. Carew asked students in the audience. “That should be your north star as you consider a career in journalism and what type of reporter you’d like to become. Whether you want to become a financial reporter, video journalist, or culture reporter you need to have passion for your subject to get readers excited.”
Prof. Carew shared lessons from his journalistic experiences and insight about building a successful career in international media in Asia. He encouraged students in the audience to actively search for internship opportunities at both local Taiwan publications and at international media outlets in Taiwan to learn and practice the craft of journalism.
“When you get career advice from experienced professionals, you are working in the right direction by putting your effort in the right place, then the chance of success in your career is higher, and you will be able to achieve what you want,” said GCIT program director Prof. Mei-Ling Hsu.
Prof. Carew indicated that communication students should be proactive in career planning by discussing with course instructors after class, and not waiting for opportunities. “Everybody has been a student before and more people are ready to help you than you realize whether they are faculty or professionals,” he said.
Great journalists are those who can be the first to tell their audience something they didn’t know yesterday, Prof. Carew advised. Students looking for the attention of global publications should focus on investigating under-covered topics rather than seeking out on-the-record interviews with senior executives or world leaders. He said exclusive investigations are more likely to have an impact on policy or society and allow journalists to stand out among their peers. He also encouraged students to master at least two languages, which many students in Taiwan are well-prepared for given most have a good grasp of both Mandarin Chinese and English. Being able to translate events in Asia for global readers requires being fluent in both the languages of your subject and your audience.
To enter the career path of journalism, Prof. Carew suggested that students should find mentors who can advocate for them and guide them. He told stories about his early days at the beginning of his journalism career. Before joining Caijing Magazine (《财经》) in Beijing, University of Virginia’s Professor of Economics Bruce Reynolds wrote a recommendation letter that led to the Chinese financial magazine offering Prof. Carew an internship.
When starting any new job, Prof. Carew suggested students should find ways to be useful and develop their soft power by partnering with new colleagues to find areas where they can add value. He shared how working with Chinese colleagues who had expertise in Chinese finance and his knowledge of the U.S. legal system helped them to break a cover story about a Chinese banking executive who was being sued and was later jailed in the U.S. for corruption. Prof. Carew advised students early in their careers to challenge themselves and to look for roles where they can learn the most and test out future career interests, rather than opportunities that are easy or pay the most salary.
If students want to build their network of mentors and open the door to new opportunities in Taipei, Prof. Carew suggested that students attend events such as those hosted by the Taiwan Foreign Correspondents Club and apply to attend conferences where organizers often encourage students and aspiring journalists to attend and write about their experience. Such events and proactive outreach provide an opportunity to observe and meet senior journalists.
The audience during and after the talk session was quite active in asking questions concerning career planning in general and in international journalism specifically. GCIT student Anette Luo said, “This talk is really helpful for the target audience of job seekers because Prof. Carew provided very practical advice on how to find a job in the international media industry of Taiwan. Usually, students would not think of getting a supporter to help. The experience of how Prof. Carew built up his career is interesting. For example, he started with an unpaid internship. He did not care about money, he got his foot in the door, and started somewhere to let people know him. I now realize that we can go to any press event hosted by the Taiwan Foreign Correspondents Club.”
GCIT is dedicated to connecting its students with communication professionals worldwide. Newly established in February 2022, GCIT is the first international and interdisciplinary graduate program in Taiwan to equip graduates with the tools to understand how new media technology is impacting the world. Students take courses in both English and Mandarin Chinese, learning from both academics and practitioners in the media industry.
What are the key elements of becoming a successful journalist? In a talk organized by the Master’s Program of Global Communication and Innovation Technology (GCIT) on November 25th, 2022, guest speaker Rick Carew, a former reporter and editor at The Wall Street Journal based in Beijing and Hong Kong for more than a decade, told the audience that the core traits of a successful journalist are being curious about the world around you and being eager to ask questions. He said students need to be bold and shouldn’t be afraid to ask questions: “If you don’t ask, you’ll never get the answers you’re looking for, or your readers deserve.”
Professor Carew is currently a visiting scholar at NCCU’s International College of Innovation for the Fall 2022 semester from the University of Virginia. In addition to his journalism career, Carew advises tech companies and investors in Asia. At the University of Virginia’s McIntire School of Commerce, he teaches students about the business models and culture of tech companies in Silicon Valley and Asia.
“What inspires you to work hard?” Prof. Carew asked students in the audience. “That should be your north star as you consider a career in journalism and what type of reporter you’d like to become. Whether you want to become a financial reporter, video journalist, or culture reporter you need to have passion for your subject to get readers excited.”
Prof. Carew shared lessons from his journalistic experiences and insight about building a successful career in international media in Asia. He encouraged students in the audience to actively search for internship opportunities at both local Taiwan publications and at international media outlets in Taiwan to learn and practice the craft of journalism.
“When you get career advice from experienced professionals, you are working in the right direction by putting your effort in the right place, then the chance of success in your career is higher, and you will be able to achieve what you want,” said GCIT program director Prof. Mei-Ling Hsu.
Prof. Carew indicated that communication students should be proactive in career planning by discussing with course instructors after class, and not waiting for opportunities. “Everybody has been a student before and more people are ready to help you than you realize whether they are faculty or professionals,” he said.
Great journalists are those who can be the first to tell their audience something they didn’t know yesterday, Prof. Carew advised. Students looking for the attention of global publications should focus on investigating under-covered topics rather than seeking out on-the-record interviews with senior executives or world leaders. He said exclusive investigations are more likely to have an impact on policy or society and allow journalists to stand out among their peers. He also encouraged students to master at least two languages, which many students in Taiwan are well-prepared for given most have a good grasp of both Mandarin Chinese and English. Being able to translate events in Asia for global readers requires being fluent in both the languages of your subject and your audience.
To enter the career path of journalism, Prof. Carew suggested that students should find mentors who can advocate for them and guide them. He told stories about his early days at the beginning of his journalism career. Before joining Caijing Magazine (《财经》) in Beijing, University of Virginia’s Professor of Economics Bruce Reynolds wrote a recommendation letter that led to the Chinese financial magazine offering Prof. Carew an internship.
When starting any new job, Prof. Carew suggested students should find ways to be useful and develop their soft power by partnering with new colleagues to find areas where they can add value. He shared how working with Chinese colleagues who had expertise in Chinese finance and his knowledge of the U.S. legal system helped them to break a cover story about a Chinese banking executive who was being sued and was later jailed in the U.S. for corruption. Prof. Carew advised students early in their careers to challenge themselves and to look for roles where they can learn the most and test out future career interests, rather than opportunities that are easy or pay the most salary.
If students want to build their network of mentors and open the door to new opportunities in Taipei, Prof. Carew suggested that students attend events such as those hosted by the Taiwan Foreign Correspondents Club and apply to attend conferences where organizers often encourage students and aspiring journalists to attend and write about their experience. Such events and proactive outreach provide an opportunity to observe and meet senior journalists.
The audience during and after the talk session was quite active in asking questions concerning career planning in general and in international journalism specifically. GCIT student Anette Luo said, “This talk is really helpful for the target audience of job seekers because Prof. Carew provided very practical advice on how to find a job in the international media industry of Taiwan. Usually, students would not think of getting a supporter to help. The experience of how Prof. Carew built up his career is interesting. For example, he started with an unpaid internship. He did not care about money, he got his foot in the door, and started somewhere to let people know him. I now realize that we can go to any press event hosted by the Taiwan Foreign Correspondents Club.”
GCIT is dedicated to connecting its students with communication professionals worldwide. Newly established in February 2022, GCIT is the first international and interdisciplinary graduate program in Taiwan to equip graduates with the tools to understand how new media technology is impacting the world. Students take courses in both English and Mandarin Chinese, learning from both academics and practitioners in the media industry.