Good advice for job-hunting college students: Get out there

Photo: Evan Mach, UnSplash

College students are feeling anxious about the job market, and some have responded with strong interest in our recent conversations about building their networks.

Just wrapped up a sixth campus presentation at Indiana ...

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"Show Us The Money" - The 2025 Outlook for New Grads

 I've been speaking before groups of college students recently and had some thoughts based on our conversations, particularly around the job prospects for this year's graduates.

Here's a slide from a quick slide deck, along with a link to the deck, below. I'd love to hear your thoughts, so please send me a note to johncstrauss@gmail.com.

Here's the Presentation

Blues-Playing Artist Returns To The Classroom

Video: Brad Holmes talks about his art and music

Brad Holmes retired after 34 years as a high school art teacher, but never left behind his passion for music-infused sculpting.

Holmes has played harmonica for years in blues bands. When sculpting a ...

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Teens pursued by Killer AI's

 That's the concept of my first sci-fi radio show/podcast, "Flying In Our Sleep" -- a group of teens awakens to discover they've been kidnapped into an army of killer drones. 

We did a second show, "Countdown," and are writing a third. As the Indy Radio Players, we also perform the shows live in bookstores and coffeehouses.

The Craft of Interviewing

 

Unsplash - Albert Stoynov

    A friend who is teaching a college course in science communication--writing about science--asked if I could visit to talk about interviewing. I'm glad to do this, recently retiring after a long ...

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Mirror Indy on the Move

 

Great chance to visit the busy Mirror Indy newsroom in the 16 Tech innovation district, with Chris Sikich, Jennifer Delgadillo, Amanda Kingsbury, Jenna Watson, and Enrique Saenz working on this terrific local news startup. 

Take a ...

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My Retirement Video

 My Lumina Foundation colleagues offered quite a remarkable sendoff on Dec. 13, 2024, my final day in the office before retirement. That included this video and a standing ovation at our staff meeting. Mike Jensen did a remarkable job shoo...

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Loving Local News

Photo: John Strauss

I worked on the national desk for AP in New York City and helped direct statewide news gathering in Indiana and Tennessee, but some of the most fun I ever had was covering local news as a City Hall reporter for The Indianapolis ...

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Jury service reminder: 'You have the rule of law'

The Indianapolis / Marion County Criminal Justice Center, 7:30 a.m.

 

 

I came across some notes I took after serving on a jury in Indianapolis a couple of years ago.

The details of the case don't really matter: A "sovereign citizen" ...

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It’s quiet at the firehouse—until it’s not: Six hours at IFD Station 17

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Why I've walked more than 12,000 miles without a day off

 

 

 

 

I do things in streaks, like running or walking every single day–through rain, sleet or gloom of night–the past 13 years.

Last year, averaging just over four miles per day, that meant walking 1,495 miles–at least one ...

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Tips for a tough job market: Networking, clean writing are critical

 

(UnSplash / magnetme)

 

 If you're having trouble finding a job, you're not alone. Jonathan Rose has some great tips on the Facebook group "What's Your Plan B?"

"Straight up: The job market sucks right now. Folks who have been in ...

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Social Media 101 for journalists: Don’t wait to be hired; show what you can do now

 

 

 

By John Strauss

 

Editor's Note: I've deleted the material about Twitter. The comments from Pew and others were accurate, but they haven't aged well as the site grows increasingly toxic. - js

Journalists can use social ...

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