New Wednesday feature: Job Post of the Week

Happy New Year! January is always a time for reflection and anticipation for me. I managed to get a lot of fairly important things done in 2007:

1. In April, through my Online Media Production class, I revamped my personal Web site with an updated resume and bought my domain name. (I'd really like to do a new TextPattern redesign, but I don't want to half-ass it so I'm taking my time.)

2. Spent the summer at the High Springs Herald as an intern and came away some clips that I was pretty proud of.

3. Built my first all-Flash Web site for my sister's photography business and started to get my footing in working with clients.

4. Learned how to use a TextPattern content management system through JOU4946. (I just have to implement it on my own site next!)

5. Invested in an Olympus USB digital voice recorder and a Nikon D40x SLR camera and feel fairly comfortable using both. (Money very well spent!)

Now that 2008 is here with a vengeance, I've made two resolutions that I hope will be easy to maintain and fulfilling to my soon-to-be professional career. (Graduation is May 4 and my job-hunting fingers have been firmly crossed for quite some time.)
First, I'm going to read more books. I'd like to make a habit of putting down the cute but purpose-less dress at the mall and using that money to build a nice library of reference books for what I'm doing on the Web. On my wish list so far? A good book on ActionScript and a beginner-level guide to PHP or working with databases. I'm an self-prescribed novice who looks forward to soaking up a ton of knowledge this year.

If I can't keep up that resolution (some dresses are just TOO cute to put down), then I'd like to start the new year off by blogging more, and using my blog more as a networking tool in the blogosphere. So often are we instructed to do this from professors at UF's J-School, and from the wise words of industry professionals, but I don't do it enough. And after hours of obsessive browsing on JournalismJobs.com and my excitement about getting a REAL-LIFE job pretty soon, I've come up with something to keep me on track. Wednesdays at this blog will now feature "Job Post of the Week." I'll link to and describe a job opening I've spotted during the week that I would jump at. Some may have requirements that are way out of my reach (It seems like 3+ years of newsroom experience is always hiding on the post somewhere), or deadlines that don't work, etc. but just checking in on exactly what editors are looking for and knowing that there really are positions out there for us keeps me motivated. I only hope that it can do the same for whoever may read this thing.

Best wishes for a prosperous and healthy new year to all!