When I graduated from college five years ago, I didn't know I wanted to be an Editor for Rewire.org.
Mostly because the website didn't even exist yet.
That's a strange concept in public media, full of legacy orgs that have been around since before my parents were born. But it's an example of how quickly public media is changing - and to me that's pretty exciting.
Come to think of it, none of my career path has been what I'd predicted.
I graduated with a degree in communication and a local TV internship under my belt, and landed my first real job in news - as a crime reporter for a rural Minnesota daily newspaper.
While my college writing experience had been writing feature articles for my college newspaper about monks and review of breweries, I suddenly found myself covering murders and drug busts in my tiny town.
It was better than grad school would have been; just the experience I needed to know what it took to be a real reporter - and get some guts while I was at it.
I broke into public media next, when I became a producer at Wisconsin Public Radio, producing a two-hour live talk show each afternoon.
And then, almost two years ago, I came to Twin Cities PBS in St. Paul, Minnesota. It felt - and still feels - like a dream to work for the station I grew up watching, in a job that's a perfect fit.
At Rewire, I write a few feature articles a week about things that matter to our core audience - young adults in their 20s and 30s. I also work with a few of our freelancers to help get their stories publish-ready.
This means I might write about dating on Tuesday, interview young voters on Wednesday, write about student debt on Thursday and structural racism on Friday.
I love it because I get to learn something new with everything I write. As a young professional and genuinely curious person, it's the perfect job for honing in on my interests and growing as a writer. Because we're a small team, and a start-up of sorts, I have a lot of freedom.
It can be difficult to be a jack of all trades - there's so much to learn, and a responsibility to get it right. I owe it to our readers, and our sources, to represent things in a fair way. If I don't, I hear about it from PBS's vocal audience on social media.
Some criticism might not feel fair. But it's worth it to listen regardless.
After I wrote about my experience with anxiety over googling my medical symptoms, some folks with chronic illnesses commented on social media that research was a way for them to feel like they had a hand in their medical care.
These were valuable perspectives that I had missed in my original reporting.
I reached out to the commenters, and several agreed to interviews. It resulted in an article about how to advocate for yourself at the doctor's office.
Listening to our readers helped me fully report on the issue in a way I wouldn't have been able to if I only read the good comments. That won't be the last time I use the comment section to find sources.
Trying on all these hats early in my career has been the best thing I've done for myself - not just because it gave me a well-rounded set of skills, but also because it gave me a bit of resiliency for inevitable bumps in the road.
I'd advise anyone against having a right view for where you can go or where you might end up. And don't be afraid to fail.
While I've always loved public media and hoped to break into the field eventually, I wasn't sure what that would look like. I certainly never pictured myself as a crime reporter, but I'm so glad I took that first gig. I might not have ended up here. I'm still early in my career, so thinking about the future is exciting. I'd love to help with digital content efforts on a larger scale across the PBS system.
In the meantime, I'd like to keep developing my skills as a reporter and editor, and helping Rewire continue to grow - while learning from the talented folks I work with at Rewire, and our sister website, Next Avenue.
My future job in public media? It probably doesn't exist yet.
Looking to connect with Gretchen Brown to learn more about her experience or obtain additional career advice? Email her today at: gbrown@rewire.org
