Ben Nicholson-Smith
Master of Journalism (2010)
- What field of work are you in, and what duties are required in your position?
I work in journalism, where the demands of the job vary pretty significantly from day to day. Some days I’m at my desk in Toronto, editing and planning our Sportsnet.ca baseball coverage. Other times I’m on the road covering the Toronto Blue Jays or in one of our radio or TV studios. That means my to-do list can look very different from one day to the next, but I’m always relying on writing and communication skills regardless of where I am and what I’m doing.
- What challenges did you face when looking for work after graduating?
I was lucky not to search for too long, because I started working for a Chicago-based baseball transactions website while still studying at Carleton. Working at MLBTradeRumors.com was a great experience because the standards were high and we had a big and knowledgeable audience. There were still challenges, such as proving to people in the industry that I was capable and respectful. Some of that understandably takes time, because building legitimacy and trust are real challenges as a new journalist.
- How did you arrive at your current position?
After four and a half years working for MLBTradeRumors.com, I started working at Sportsnet.ca in my current role as baseball editor. Over the years, my coverage of the team has expanded to include some radio, TV and podcast work—really an incredible opportunity to work with and learn from some of the most talented sports broadcasters in North America. I definitely feel fortunate to work in an environment where people set and reach high standards.
- What advice would you give to a graduate student looking to follow a career path similar to yours?
To be honest, I think the advice I’d give would apply to students in most fields: show up on time, be humble, learn whenever possible, stay patient, be considerate, listen to yourself and others. As for advice specific to journalism, I’d suggest reading and writing as much as possible. So much goes into a great piece of journalism, but if you can identify the small building blocks (an observation, a follow-up question, some telling background research) that lead to the end result, then you’ll be closer to replicating that in your own work.
Ben Nicholson-Smith has been involved with Carleton’s Alumni Mentoring program. The Alumni Mentors program pairs motivated upper-year students and recent graduates with an alumni mentor. Mentors are established professionals who help students and recent graduates develop skills for the workplace and expand their professional networks.