Building a career in the media industry doesn’t always mean following a straight path. Sometimes it means taking chances, learning something new and being willing to try just about anything.
That was the message Sarah Jindra, co-host of WGN-TV’s “Spotlight Chicago,” shared with Saint Xavier University students during a visit to campus Monday, Nov. 9, at 3700 W. 103rd St. in Chicago.
Sponsored by Saint Xavier’s Department of Communication and Student Media, the presentation, titled “How to Get Your First Job in Media,” gave students an opportunity to hear about Jindra’s career journey and learn what it takes to break into the competitive world of journalism and broadcasting.
Jindra, who has worked in Chicago television and radio, encouraged students to be persistent, work hard and take advantage of every opportunity that comes their way.
“Put yourself out there and work really hard to learn everything you can to become an expert in that field. Try everything,” Jindra told students.
She also stressed the importance of putting their work out into the world, even when they aren’t sure where it might lead.
“You never know what’s going to catch people’s attention — just write it — it could be the thing that gets you in the door,” she said.
Jindra knows firsthand that a career in journalism can take unexpected turns. Her first job in the Chicago area was as a traffic reporter for NBC Chicago, a position she said was outside her original area of expertise.
“I didn’t know anything about traffic, but you know what, I was determined to learn,” she said.
That determination opened doors to other opportunities. Jindra eventually also became a fill-in helicopter reporter and went on to work for WBEZ and CLTV and as a traffic reporter for the “WGN Morning News.” Although she gained experience in different areas of broadcasting, she realized that her passion remained rooted in journalism.
“I knew at my heart, though, I was a journalist and I missed telling people’s stories,” she said.
Wanting to return to storytelling, Jindra developed a blog called Inspire Me Chicago, where she found an opportunity to combine her love of journalism with stories about the people and places that make Chicago special.
Today, Jindra co-hosts “Spotlight Chicago,” which airs at 1 p.m. weekdays on WGN-TV. She joined the station in August 2012.
A native of the Chicago area, Jindra grew up in Westmont. She earned a bachelor’s degree in broadcast journalism from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and a master’s degree in broadcast journalism from Syracuse University.
Beyond the demands of a broadcasting career, Jindra also spoke about finding balance between her professional and personal life. As a mother of two children, ages 10 and 7, she has learned how to manage the responsibilities of raising a family while pursuing a career she loves.
“Everything I have done during my career has been a dream to me. I feel very lucky to be living my dream job,” she said.
Following her presentation, Jindra spent considerable time with students during a question-and-answer session. The discussion gave students an opportunity to ask questions, hear more about her experiences in the industry and gain additional insight into pursuing careers in journalism and broadcasting. Her willingness to engage with students made the visit more than just a presentation, allowing them to have a personal conversation with someone who has navigated many of the same career paths they hope to pursue.
Jindra’s message to students was simple: Don’t give up on the career you want, even if the road to get there looks different from what you originally imagined.
As her own career demonstrates, getting a foot in the door often starts with a willingness to learn, work hard and take chances. Whether writing a story, trying a new assignment or exploring an unfamiliar area of the industry, every experience can become an opportunity.
Sometimes the opportunity that changes everything comes from simply being willing to try, she said.