Mentorship Gap, Poor Career Planning Hinder Journalists’ Growth – Otufodunrin

The Executive Director of the Media Career Development Network, Mr. Lekan Otufodunrin, has urged media practitioners in Nigeria to embrace mentorship, continuous self-assessment, and deliberate career planning as critical steps toward sustainable growth in the industry.

Otufodunrin made the call during his welcome address at the Media Career Check-up/Media Career Fix programme organised by MCDN and supported by Nigeria LNG Limited (NLNG), held at the International Press Centre, Ogba, Lagos, on Thursday. The initiative aims to provide personalised recommendations, access to mentoring, and career development support designed to meet individual needs.

He highlighted major challenges facing journalists, noting that many practitioners lack proper guidance and structured career development.

According to him, “In life, you need guidance from someone that has walked through the path to guide you. Lack of access to mentorship affected my ability to get the right information at the right time and shaped my career.”

Otufodunrin explained that findings from a career check-up initiative conducted among journalists revealed deep-rooted issues, including poor career direction, outdated professional documents, and limited access to opportunities.

Recounting the response to the previous initiative, he stated that over 70 journalists initially indicated interest, but only about 15 completed the detailed assessment due to its “complexity”. However, with NLNG’s support, participation later increased significantly.

“This time around, we got over 150 people responding,” he said, attributing the improvement partly to institutional backing.

The media expert stressed that many journalists neglect basic but crucial aspects of career growth. “The CVs that some of them sent to us cannot qualify them for the position of assistant editor,” he said, adding that some professionals fail to update their profiles in line with their current roles.

He further emphasised the importance of setting clear goals, “People could not update their short-term goals. They know them in their heads, but writing them down was difficult for them.”

He warned against passive career progression, stating, “unfortunately, many of us just work until we burn out.”

Otufodunrin also cited structural deficiencies within newsrooms, noting that many journalists are left to navigate their careers without guidance. “Many people said they were left to figure out their careers on their own, relying on trial and error,” he said.

On access to opportunities, he noted that information is often available but underutilised, and recounted how he travelled abroad after learning about an opportunity in a printed newsletter that others ignored, highlighting the importance of awareness and initiative.

Addressing the issue of qualifications, he stressed the need for continuous education. “I could teach that course with ease, but what they required was a Master’s degree. I didn’t have one at that point,” he said, recounting how this gap once limited his opportunities.

The findings from the programme also highlighted broader systemic challenges such as lack of tools, inadequate training, poor regulation, and financial instability within the media sector.

Despite these challenges, Otufodunrin encouraged journalists to take responsibility for their growth and leverage available support systems, including mentoring, coaching, and training.

He added that while the challenges in journalism are real, proactive effort and informed decision-making remain essential for career advancement.

ThelensNG