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appoint as; be senior to; approve of; set to work; be supposed to; in process; ahead of; pass on; get sth straight; smile with happiness |
Walk into a newsroom of journalists and you will smell coffee brewing and see people rushing for their 14th bathroom break of the day. You will see a business "about people and why they do what they do, and what it all means".
That's how Jack Smith, a 72-year-old former newspaper reporter and editor, described it to 30 visiting students from Auburn and Opelika high schools on the Auburn University campus.
While growing up, Smith waited every day for the mail carrier to pull up in his 1939 Ford and drop the newspaper off. "I'd read and study every issue, sometimes for hours on end," he said. The stories and design of the paper began his love for journalism.
His first route when he went to college wasn't journalism though. He first wanted to become a civil engineer until someone told him the amount of maths and physics involved. He then changed to the business school, eventually making the move to journalism. Paul Burnett, standing on the same place as Smith did during his speech, inspired him while he was in college.
Smith walked up the steps to his first job at the Montgomery Advertiser earning $50 a week. His first task was to rewrite an article on Martin Luther King Jr.
"Those seemingly meaningless stories could be just as important as a story on the front page." He told the students that it is a job that needs hard work and they have to be eager to go and do all again the next day.
"I'm glad I didn't decide to build the Golden Gate Bridge or take Wall Street by storm," Smith said. That wouldn't have landed him a job that is so near his heart. For him, the sweat and pain in the life of a journalist was worth every moment.
What should you think about in trying to find your career? You are probably better at some school subjects than others. A boy who is good at mathematics can use that in an engineering career. A girl who spells well and likes English may be good at office work. So it is important to do well at school. On the other hand, you may not have any specially strong or weak subjects but your records show a general good result. Knowledge of history is not required for most jobs but if history is one of your good subjects you will have learned to remember facts and details. This is an ability that can be useful in many jobs.
Your school may have taught you skills, such as typing or technical drawing, which you can use in your work. You may be good at metal work or cooking and look for a job where you can improve these skills.
You may have learned how to get to work on time and get on with older workers. You may have learned to give correct change in a shop, for example. Just as important, you may become interested in a certain industry or career you see from the inside in a part-time job.
You may be all thumbs when you deal with tools; perhaps you are a poor speller or cannot add up a column of figures. It is better to face any weaknesses than to pretend they do not exist. Your school record, for instance, may not be too good, yet it is an important part of your background. You should not feel sorry for it.
A. This does not have direct value for future job hunting.
B. These may show strengths that you can use in your work.
C. Facing your weak points is also part of knowing yourself.
D. Having a part-time job is a good way to find out your weak points.
E. Instead, you should recognize that you will have a chance of a fresh start at work.
F. Although not all subjects can be used directly in a job, they may have indirect value.
G. If you have had a part-time job on Saturdays or in the summer, think what you gained from it.
