Personal Branding and a Strong Network Can Help Us Adapt By Kolleen Edwards Chesley Photography by Salz Studio
Kristin Longley reflects on the first time she remembers a real change in her path. As a young woman, she aspired to be Barbara Walters, the image of a successful female broadcast journalist. Kristin would intently watch Barbara’s respected interviewing ability and popularity with viewers and would enhance her own writing, hoping one day to be that woman on TV broadcasting the news. Kristin was on her path. She was in journalism school at the University of Missouri School of Journalism and learning broadcast journalism, while covering floods and local stories. She was at the studio at 4 am, recording promo spots and writing stories for noon newscasts. She quickly realized there was much more to this role than the final product she saw on TV. She asked herself if this was for her, and rethought her plan. “I’m not sure if this is exactly what I envisioned,” Kristin admits. She knew she was close, and asked herself, “well if THIS is not exactly it, what does IT look like?” That was the first time she remembers making a real change in her career path. Instead of starting from scratch, she asked, “How can I use my journalism skills, which are basic questioning, leadership, writing, and communication skills to do what I want to do future tense.” She knocked on a door and asked about an intern position at the TV station promotions department while she continued journalism school. A year later, she August 2020
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