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Collect and analyze facts about newsworthy events by interview, investigation, or observation. Report and write stories for newspaper, news magazine, radio, or television.

Artistic occupations frequently involve working with forms, designs and patterns. They often require self-expression and the work can be done without following a clear set of rules.

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Job Zone Four: Considerable Preparation Needed

News Analysts, Reporters and Correspondents

Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media Occupations

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Report news stories for publication or broadcast, describing the background and details of events.

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Investigate breaking news developments, such as disasters, crimes, or human-interest stories.

Receive assignments or evaluate leads or tips to develop story ideas.

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Check reference materials, such as books, news files, or public records, to obtain relevant facts.

Revise work to meet editorial approval or to fit time or space requirements.

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Present live or recorded commentary via broadcast media.

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Edit or assist in editing videos for broadcast.

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Write reviews of literary, musical, or other artwork, based on knowledge, judgment, or experience.

Research a story's background information to provide complete and accurate information.

Establish and maintain relationships with individuals who are credible sources of information.

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Participate in community events, make public appearances, or conduct community service.

Compact digital cameras

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Sports Writer

<p>The Roadtrip Nation team spends time in New York, interviewing graphic designer Stefan Sagmeister. Then they head across town to meet with Thomas Kale and Anthony Veneziale of theatre company Backhouse Productions and get to freestyle rap. In Boston, sportswriter Joe Haggerty reminds the team that paying your dues plays a big role in getting to do what you love.</p>

New York City - Boston

Was it like your ultimate goal was to be where you are right now? >> I didn't think that this was at all possible. >> Really? >> When I graduated from college, no way. >> [LAUGH] >> No, you're writing. You're covering stuff, high school sports, doing features here and there. You don't think for a second that you're gonna be covering the most beloved team in the entire city of Boston at some point and hanging out at this park every day. And it's an awesome, fantastic surprise every single day. You're realizing that you are doing it. [MUSIC] I actually started at Northeastern University here in Boston. And I went for a semester, realized I wasn't gonna be able to go back because of kind of financial hardship. And took two years off from school and was working. At night I would work at a supermarket, and I was shagging carriages for two years. I was I can't do this forever. This is not where I wanna be. I felt my talents were kinda not being utilized. And I felt a lot of sort of creative energy was there, and it wasn't getting expended. So around 20, 21, I had just gotten back into school. I was either second or third year in and at that point, had started getting involved in the newspaper up there. And was starting to write for a daily newspaper in the suburbs of Boston, covering sports and all that. So I had already sorta started laying down the groundwork for what I was gonna be doing later. But it was an interesting path. I mean, there was a couple years there, where all of my friends were in school and a lot of people I knew were almost done with school or three-quarters of the way in and I was just sort of getting started. >> How did you start your interest in newspapers and all of that? >> I'd pretty much had always realized that I wanted to write from a pretty young age. I mean, I had always enjoyed writing. And I actually went through a period, I did sports for a while and then I actually left sports. Cuz I wasn't sure if writing definitely was what I wanted to do, and I feel like I wanted to test myself, to see how much I would miss it. I actually worked at a bookstore for a little while, and I booked all the bands that played. They had a cafe. They would have live music there every weekend, and I worked in the cafe making coffee, and doing all that stuff. And I realized at the end of maybe a year, year and a half, that I totally missed writing, totally missed sports, totally missed everything that I'd sort of been building up towards that point. And ended up going back to it after about a year and a half. It was probably one of the most valuable lesson that I learned in my life was just going away from it for a little while to see how much I would miss it. And I found out that I missed it more than anything and figured out that that's what I wanted to do for the rest of my life. >> So what was your guiding force, I guess? >> Taking opportunities when they are presented to me and running with them. And not either taking them for granted or casting them aside, even when you called me to do this. So this is a perfect example of just doing stuff for people or doing stuff because an opportunity is there, because you wanna do it. >> What about when you're playing the game, having to write about stuff that you're not interested in at all, in order to be able to eventually write about something that you're interested in? >> Absolutely, I would say it's worth it because I'm on the other end of it, and it worked out. I mean, I guess it would all depend on who you talked to. But I think doing enough of that stuff and covering a soccer game between two teams you're really not interested in. Or doing a story on some sport that you're really not into, maybe a diving team or something. Just something that you've never experienced, you really have no interest in, whatever. That stuff does lead to somewhere if you do it and you do a good enough job with it. I think the biggest thing that you have to keep in the back of your mind when your doing things like that is that's not the end game is covering this for the rest of your life. It's a mean to an end. It's not the end itself. I've seen so many people just coming out of college like yourselves and they want it right away. I know a couple people right now that are like that and they are having a hard time waiting to get to a certain point. They want it yesterday rather than being able to wait for it. And that's just a part of any profession is getting the experience and sort of getting up to that point and working up to that point. >> Sometimes you have to probably go through that hard time. He said pay your dues. And that might be something that's just hard to grasp because you are like well, if I'm not getting gratification out of it right now why should I continue it? But he saw past it and saw where it could take him. >> I'm at a certain point now, but it took me five or six years to get there. And I know people that I talk with on a regular basis, they're like, well, why can't I be there? Why can't I be doing that? You can. You just kind of have to stick with it for a little while. If I never did another thing past what I'm doing now, I would be completely happy. It's the best piece of advice I could give to anybody. It's absolutely the piece of advice that I followed. And I hope you guys do the same. [MUSIC] Do or do not, there is no try from the wise, the wizened old sage Yoda >> [LAUGH] >> Star Wars. >> [LAUGH] 

Education

Experience

Exploration

Opportunity

Passion

Perseverance

Struggle

Interview

What about playing the game and you have to write about something about stuff you're not interested in at all in order to eventually be able to write about something you're interested in? >> Absolutely, I would say it's worth it because I'm on the other end of it and it worked out. I guess it would all depend on who you talked to. I think doing enough of that stuff and covering a soccer game between two teams that you're really not interested in. Or doing a story on some sport that you're really not into. Maybe like a diving team or something. Just something that you've never experienced. You really have no interest in whatever. That stuff does lead to somewhere, if you do it and you do a good enough job with it. And that's I think, the biggest thing that you have to keep in the back of your mind when you're doing things like that, is that's not the end game, it's covering this for the rest of your life. It's a means to an end. It's not the end itself. I've seen so many people just coming out of college like yourselves and they want it right away. I know a couple right know who are like that, and they're having a hard time waiting to get to a certain point. They want it yesterday, rather than being able to wait for it. That's just a part of any profession, is getting the experience and sort of getting up to that point, and working up to that point. 

It's The Means to an End

So what was your guiding force, I guess? >> Taking opportunities when they're presented to me and running with them and not, either taking them for granted or casting them aside. You called me to do this, so it's a perfect example of just doing stuff for people or doing stuff because an opportunity is there because you want to do it. 

Taking Opportunities

I at a certain point now but it took me five or six years to get there, and I know people that I talk with on a regular basis that are like, well, why can't I be there? Why can't I be doing that? You can you just had kinda have to stick with it for a little while. If I never did another thing past what I'm doing now, I'd be completely happy. 

Stick With It For A Little While

I actually started at uh, Northeastern University, here in Boston. And uh, I went for a semester, realized I wasn't gonna be able to go back because of kind of financial hardship, and took two years off from school and was working. I pretty much had always realized that I wanted to write from a pretty young age. I had always enjoyed writing. I did sports for a while, and then I actually left sports 'cause I wasn't sure if writing definitely was what I wanted to do, and I feel like I-I wanted to test myself. At night, I would work at a supermarket, and I was like, shagging carriages for like two years. And I actually worked at a bookstore for a little while, and I booked all the bands that played-- they had like a café that would have live music there every weekend, and I, you know, worked in the café making coffee and doing all that stuff. And ah, I realized at the end of maybe like a year, a year and a half, that I-I totally missed writing, totally missed sports. It was probably one of the most valuable lessons that I learned in my life, was just going away from it for a little while to see how much I would miss it. 

Joseph Haggerty

Sports Writer

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Joseph Haggerty

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