A wonderful virtual panel on job hunting, from a recruiter's POV was held on Wednesday, Aug 28, 2024. You can see the recording below. Scroll down  the AI summary, with tips! 

Panelists Sonali Kohli, senior recruiter for URL Media; Anusha Shrivastava, Associate Dean for Career Development, Columbia Journalism School; and Marc Oppenheim, Founder and editor of MEO jobs and Dean at Hofstra University’s Center for University Advising,  joined our moderator, SAJA board member Divya Karthikeyan, for an hour of useful advice.

If you haven't signed up for SAJA membership or renewed yet, please consider becoming a member: http://saja.org/membership. You don't need to be a journalist or South Asian to be a member!| If you don't want to be a member, but can make a donation to support SAJA, we welcome that, too! http://saja.org/donate

Quick recap via Zoom AI Summary

The South Asian Journalists Association discussed the current job market for journalists, emphasizing the importance of adaptability, networking, and passion in finding employment. The panelists also shared strategies for crafting resumes, building digital presence, and overcoming self-limiting beliefs, particularly for underrepresented groups. The team also discussed the challenges of freelance experience and the interconnectedness of the journalism world, stressing the importance of self-care, networking, and offering help to others.

Next steps

• Attendees to sign up for Saja's upcoming conference and awards gala in October.

• Job seekers to tailor resumes and cover letters to highlight specific skills and accomplishments relevant to each position.

• Candidates to build and leverage professional networks, including joining organizations like Saja.

• Job applicants to send thank you notes within 24 hours after interviews.

• Freelancers to clearly indicate freelance experience and time commitments on resumes.

• Job seekers to develop a concise 90-second personal narrative pitch for interviews.

Summary

Saja Upcoming Events and Media Job Market

Sree, the president of the South Asian Journalists Association (SAJA), announced the association's upcoming events, including a virtual discussion on job recruitment for journalists, an evening reception, and an awards gala. Divya, a Saja board member, introduced a panel of experts who shared their insights on the media job market, with a focus on the current state of the journalism industry. The panelists included Anusha Srivastava, Nali Kohli, and Mark Oppenheim. Divya also encouraged attendees to connect via LinkedIn and share their job search status.

Journalist Job Market and Networking Strategies

Anusha, Sonali, and Marc discussed the current job market for journalists and the importance of networking and adaptability in finding employment. Anusha emphasized the persistent demand for reliable journalists and the need for flexibility in pursuing various roles. Sonali highlighted the challenges of the post-covid digital job market and the necessity of naming and addressing issues of underrepresented groups in the workforce. Marc shared his passion project of curating job opportunities and his insights on the evolving job descriptions. Divya sought advice for recent graduates feeling overwhelmed by the job search, to which Anusha suggested focusing on passion, flexibility, and viewing every experience as a part of their career story.

Exploring Diverse Job Opportunities in Journalism

Divya, Marc, and Sonali discussed the importance of young journalists and students being open to a wide range of job opportunities in the field of journalism. Marc emphasized that one should not limit oneself based on geography or traditional job roles, and should instead focus on the skills and passion they bring to the table. Sonali added that journalists should look beyond their job titles and identify their skills, passions, and areas of overlap to position themselves for new beats and coverage areas. Both Marc and Sonali encouraged individuals to be creative and tailor their resumes accordingly to fit different job roles.

Passion, Adaptability, and Overcoming Self-Limiting Beliefs

Sonali and Anusha emphasized the importance of passion and adaptability in journalism. They advised that demonstrating a strong interest and learning ability in a particular topic, combined with a desire to cover various subjects, can make a candidate more attractive to potential employers. Divya then raised a concern about self-limiting beliefs among underrepresented groups, such as BIPOC and women, which can prevent them from applying for positions they are qualified for. Sonali suggested therapy, positive self-talk, and building a supportive network as ways to overcome these mental blocks.

Resume and Cover Letter Strategies

Divya initiated a discussion on the importance of knowing one's strengths and limitations while crafting a resume and cover letter. Anusha emphasized the need to be honest about one's capabilities and not apply for roles that are not a good fit. She also highlighted common mistakes such as typos, including photos, and having multiple pages. Marc concurred with Anusha's points and added that conciseness is key in a resume. Sonali, who receives many resumes, agreed with Anusha and Marc's points but also suggested that flexibility should be given in terms of the length of the resume, depending on the individual's experience.

Focusing on Impact and AI in Resumes

Sonali emphasized the importance of focusing on impact and specifics in a resume, rather than using generic or buzzword-heavy language. Divya then introduced the topic of using AI and ATS (Applicant Tracking Systems) keywords in resumes, which sparked a discussion. Anusha advised that while these tools are commonly used, they should not be the sole focus of a job search, as there may be other factors at play. She encouraged resilience and continued effort in the search for the right job.

Building Digital Presence and Networking

Anusha highlighted the importance of building digital presence and expressing gratitude. Marc emphasized showcasing one's work and professional accomplishments online through platforms like LinkedIn and visual content. He advised against being overly humble and actively sharing evidence of successful work. Sonali provided guidance on networking, suggesting targeted and specific requests when reaching out, and always sending a thank-you note after interviews, regardless of the outcome.

Finding Passion and Pursuing Opportunities in Journalism

Divya initiated a Q&A segment, with Sree inviting questions from the panelists. Anusha and Sonali discussed how to find passion after being out of work, emphasizing the importance of exploring new interests and developing skills outside of journalism. They also stressed the need to maintain a positive attitude and inform one's network about job search intentions. Marc added that one should let their inner circle know about job applications for potential advocacy or insights into company culture. Anusha further highlighted the interconnectedness of the journalism world, underscoring the likelihood of connections that could lead to job opportunities.

Resume Strategies and Career Advice

The team discussed strategies for positioning freelance experience on a resume, with Sonali and Anusha emphasizing the importance of specificity and highlighting range of coverage. They also discussed the challenges faced by Mohammed Mawish, a Palestinian journalist from Gaza, in demonstrating his ability to cover a variety of beats beyond his previous experience. The team also offered general career advice, stressing the importance of networking, self-care, and offering help to others.

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If you haven't signed up for SAJA membership or renewed yet, please consider becoming a member: http://saja.org/membership. You don't need to be a journalist or South Asian to be a member!| If you don't want to be a member, but can make a donation to support SAJA, we welcome that, too! http://saja.org/donate

SAJA-NY held two events this summer to celebrate the arts scene in NYC. Each was exclusive access to by MacArthur Foundation grantees. 

• May 16, 2024, we hosted an exclusive walkthrough of a big new show by Shahzia Sikander, the distinguished Pakistani-American artist at the Pace Prints gallery. Shahzia itself was with us and it was so much fun to learn about her art from her directly. See full album here. 
  
  
  
• July 12, 2024, SAJA members were invited to an exclusive walkthrough of the exciting new exhibition of the work of artist-photographer-activist LaToya Ruby Frazier. We got behind-the-scenes access with Caitlin Ryan, Associate Curator, MoMA Department of Photography. See the full album here. 
  
  

Many thanks to Sandhya Dirks (@audiosand) of NPR for her excellent workshop on July 13, 2024, on how to cover race and caste in the U.S.

Description and video below. Please subscribe to SAJA_TV on YT.

Reporting on systems of power: race and caste in the U.S.Virtual workshop led by NPR's National Race and Identity Correspondent Sandhya Dirks.Reporting on race in America is complex. Reporting on caste here might be even more complicated. This session will explore how to tackle some of those stories with proper context, historical understanding, and nuance. We’ll look at how race has long been used as a system of power and how to uncover the role institutions play in who has power and who doesn’t. And we’ll talk about how to tackle the topic of caste in America -- where a system of power has been transplanted from its context and become a contentious point of debate here.

On Aug 19, 2024, more than 50 journalists and friends attended a SAJA-NY mixer at the home SAJA President Sree Sreenivasan.  
See the full album here. 

On June 13, 2024, SAJA held a virtual workshop on advanced LinkedIn tips and tricks, taught by SAJA president Sree Sreenivasan, who has taught LinkedIn workshops since 2006.

See the video here:

ABOUT US: SAJA, the South Asian Journalists Association, was founded in March 1994 with 18 members. Today, it represents 1,000+ journalists of South Asian origin working in the US and Canada. It serves as a network for education, inspiration and training for journalists covering South Asia and the South Asian diaspora. SAJA also aims to improve the coverage of the Subcontinent and its diaspora. Over the years, SAJA has given out more than $400,000 in scholarships and fellowships. Our 30th anniversary conference and gala awards dinner is Oct 11-12, 2024, in NYC. Support us by becoming a member (you don’t have to be South Asian or a journalist) or making a donation. More info at SAJA.org · X: @sajaHQ · IG: @theofficialsaja · LinkedIn: South Asian Journalists Association · YT: SAJA_TV 

SAJA is pleased to award $3,000 to 10 students who are pursuing journalism across the United States. They are talented individuals who show a lot of promise and we are excited to support their growth! 

To mark our 30th anniversary, we increased our scholarship awards from $20,000 to $30,000! You can support us by making a donation.

Read about our recipients:

Gagan Deep Singh, is a journalist with the BBC News in Punjab, India. He has reported extensively on the criminal justice system, drugs, human rights violations, corruption in the public sector, and the issues concerning the Sikh community. In 2022, Gagan was awarded the prestigious Alfred Friendly Press Partners fellowship at Missouri School of Journalism, Columbia. He was hosted by the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette newspaper during his fellowship program. Prior to the BBC, Gagan worked with the Hindustan Times, a leading English newspaper in India, for five years in Punjab. He will be pursuing M. A. (Politics Concentration) at the Columbia Journalism School, New York.

Sanvi Bangalore is a senior at American University in Washington D.C. and is studying business administration and journalism in the honors program. She is part of the summer 2024 newsroom intern class at The Wall Street Journal, serving as an editorial intern with the Careers and Workplace team. She has previously interned for CNN, where she assisted in the production of The Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer. Through a past internship with CBS MoneyWatch, Sanvi covered artificial intelligence, corporate wrongdoing, housing and other business topics. She has also reported local news with WJLA.com, where she covered D.C. crime and politics.

Ananya Chetia is a recent graduate from the University of Richmond, where she served as an Executive Co-Editor of the student newspaper, The Collegian. She is extremely excited to be attending Columbia University this fall and pursue her Master's in Data Journalism! She has written for publications such as Inside Climate News and the Washington Business Journal's offshoot publication, Richmond Inno. Thanks to the Pulitzer grant, Ananya will travel to Assam, India this summer and report on how climate change impacts students of flood affected regions from accessing their education. Outside of reporting, Ananya loves traveling and eating her mother’s pulao.

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Hussain Khan is a writer, journalist, and audio producer with roots in Pakistan and Canada. He fell in love with stories from his naani during Karachi blackouts and his experiences wandering Canadian libraries, cinemas, and comic book shops. Hussain shifted from urban planning to journalism after discovering This American Life during a failed academic year. Since then he has produced grant-winning podcasts for Telus StoryHive and HotDocs. Currently, he studies audio and narrative journalism at the Berkeley Graduate School of Journalism and is a summer fellow at KALW Public Media. Outside of work, Hussain enjoys rock climbing and exploring Oakland, California.

Fatima Khan is an investigative journalist from India. She covers national politics, social justice, and hate crimes. She specializes in both documentaries as well as feature writing. She has won the prestigious International Press Institute award (2022) for her Covid coverage. She has also won the United Nations Laadli award and the Human Rights and Religious Freedom award, among others. Besides her daily reporting, she has been working on a reportage book on the political churn among Muslim women in India. Fatima will be pursuing MA Political Journalism at Columbia Journalism School.

Khadeejah Khan is an incoming freshman at University of California, Davis majoring in Asian American Studies. Being from the Bay Area, her community has inspired her to use journalism as a way to represent the vibrant communities and movements for justice. Khadeejah's work has been featured in KQED, the San Jose Mercury News, and the Daily Californian. Her passion for journalism developed with a strong desire to represent underrepresented communities as a Muslim, South Asian writer. Through storytelling, Khadeejah aspires to tell stories that creates empathy and challenges power dynamics.

Eiman Mir is an incoming freshman at the University of Wisconsin Madison. She plans on studying Statistics and Biology. Eiman is the Online Editor-in-Chief of her school’s newspaper. Eiman was named the 2024 Wisconsin Student Journalist of The Year by the JEA.

Pragathi Ravi is an independent journalist covering climate justice, energy transitions and natural resource governance in India. She is a recent grantee of the Pulitzer Centre, and her reportage has also been supported by the Earth Journalism Network and Thomson Reuters Foundation. She is an incoming student at New York University, where she will be pursuing the Science Health and Environment reporting Program this Fall, in the hopes of grounding her practice in climate science. Her work can be found here. When not writing, she enjoys long walks and 80s rock.

Nur Hossain was born and raised in Chattogram, Bangladesh. He is currently pursuing a master's in journalism at University of Nevada, Reno. He earned his bachelor's in Sociology from University of Dhaka. He studied for two semesters in journalism at Northampton Community College in Pennsylvania in 2019-2020 session under Community College Initiative (CCI) Program, a 10-month exchange program funded by US Department of State. He also worked for the leading daily "Prothom Alo" in Bangladesh, as a sub-editor between 2021 and 2023. Prior to that, he served as university correspondent at "Daily Sun", an English daily of Bangladesh. He is highly passionate about writing and sees himself using journalism to bring about changes in society. His hobbies include reading books and long-form news stories.

Fahima Degia, Columbia University

SAJA hosted a virtual all-star panel on foreign reporting on Friday, May 17, 2024. Hosted by SAJA board member Jennifer Chowdhury, the speakers were Azmat Khan, Director of Columbia's Li Center for Global Journalism; Anup Kaphle, EIC of RestOfWorld.org; Morgan Till, Foreign Editor of the PBS Newshour.

Watch the recording: https://youtu.be/3FSXCyvg6lk?si=f-hxY_qWzkKwInVY

ABOUT US: SAJA, the South Asian Journalists Association, was founded in March 1994 with 18 members. Today, it represents 1,000+ journalists of South Asian origin working in the US and Canada. It serves as a network for education, inspiration and training for journalists covering South Asia and the South Asian diaspora. SAJA also aims to improve the coverage of the Subcontinent and its diaspora. Over the years, SAJA has given out more than $400,000 in scholarships and fellowships. Our 30th anniversary conference and gala awards dinner is Oct 11-12, 2024, in NYC. Support us by becoming a member (you don’t have to be South Asian or a journalist) or making a donation. More info at SAJA.org · X: @sajaHQ · IG: @theofficialsaja · LinkedIn: South Asian Journalists Association · YT: SAJA_TV 

Shahzia Sikander, one of the most celebrated artists in the world, has a new exhibition at Pace Prints gallery in NYC. The Lahore-born artist's "Liquid Light" is on display through June 21, 2024.

On Thursday, May 16, she gave SAJA members a special walkthrough before the show opened, telling us about the work, her techniques and more. 

Here's a Dropbox of press materials. And here is an album from the gathering.

ABOUT US: SAJA, the South Asian Journalists Association, was founded in March 1994 with 18 members. Today, it represents 1,000+ journalists of South Asian origin working in the US and Canada. It serves as a network for education, inspiration and training for journalists covering South Asia and the South Asian diaspora. SAJA also aims to improve the coverage of the Subcontinent and its diaspora. Over the years, SAJA has given out more than $400,000 in scholarships and fellowships. Our 30th anniversary conference and gala awards dinner is Oct 11-12, 2024, in NYC. Support us by becoming a member (you don’t have to be South Asian or a journalist) or making a donation. More info at SAJA.org · X: @sajaHQ · IG: @theofficialsaja · LinkedIn: South Asian Journalists Association · YT: SAJA_TV 

SAJA members and other journalists were out in full to support for the NYC launch of Ali Velshi's new book, "Small Acts of Courage." Pix and videos below from Barnes & Noble Upper West Side on Friday, May 10, 2024. He was interviewed on stage by writer Molly Jong-Fast.

Video: Ali's advice for young journos: 
https://youtu.be/Upj4CI_ho5Y 

Photo album: https://photos.app.goo.gl/XNhh7vGgo1pnYLNq8

The 2024 SAJA Board held its first IRL meeting on Sunday, May 5, 2024, at the home of Sree Sreenivasan, our president; his wife Roopa Unnikrishnan and their dog, Tara.  Later, they hosted a mixer for SAJA members and friends. 

Here's an official board portrait: 

From left: Tania Rahman (Comms Director; Fast Company), Mythili Sampathkumar (President Emeritus; freelance), Jennifer Chowdhury (freelance), Pia Sarkar (Associated Press Philly), John Laxmi (Treasurer), Divya Kathikeyan (Louisville Public Radio), [Karen Mahabir on the phone], Sree Sreenivasan (President; Digimentors), Priyanka Vohra (VP; Axios), Sabrina Malhi (former President; Washington Post), Mihir Zaveri (former President; NY Times), Allana Akhtar (Secretary; freelance).


See an album of photos from the mixer here: https://photos.app.goo.gl/k1miEDSd9GVyy9PJ7