Building My Career in Print and Web Publishing

By Kay F. Davis

What can I do with an English major?

As a shy nerd with public speaking worries, I knew I'd have to make a living other than teaching.

For a decade, I sampled museum, magazi

• Language: English
• Publisher: Independent
• Release date: May 11, 2024
• ISBN: 9798869382528

Kay F. Davis

Kay F. Davis is a print, Web, and social media editor in Central Virginia.

Book preview

Building My Career

in Print and Web Publishing

by Kay F. Davis

Copyright © 2024, Kay F. Davis

All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without prior written permission from the publisher, except for brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law.

This book is dedicated to my college professors, who taught me to see the world from new and interesting perspectives.

Contents

Foreword

Career

True Colors Temperament Test

Myers-Briggs Type Indicator

Pathfinder Career Analysis

Humanities

Education Makes a Difference

Virginia Commonwealth University

University of Virginia

Publishing

Magazines

Proposals

Technology

Web Sites

Salaries

DC Web Women

Women in Film and Video

Cultural Studios

City Life

Richmond

Falls Church

Reston

Generation X in the Workplace

About the Author

Foreword

I was born in 1970, just as the women’s rights movement was beginning. Women were becoming more aware of their sexuality, learning to express themselves creatively, and asserting themselves intellectually.

The 1970s was a time of great social change. Women learned to advocate for control of their bodies. They began to experience their sexuality without fear of negative labeling or ostracism within their communities. They were able to choose their partners without fear of repercussion.

If their ability to choose was taken away, they could prosecute the rapists who had taken away their right to choose. If impregnated, they had the right to have abortions legally.

In the 1980s, women adopted the power suit and entered the business world. They worked in the health and fitness industry and became advocates for their beauty, to make money and show off their beautiful bodies.

The two-income household appeared in the 1980s. Women obtained business degrees and ran large companies. They established themselves as homeowners and breadwinners for their families.

In the 1990s, women continued to rise in the business world. Some branched out on their own and started small businesses. Women entered the information technology industry. By the 2000s, they had become leaders in Web publishing.

In the last 20 years, working women have become accepted as a normal part of our cultural evolution. Women now hold political offices and are able to own homes. They have same-sex marriages. The days of Jane Austen, when sons inherited everything, regardless of circumstances, are over.

Geography seems to play a role in the evolution of women's careers. When I lived in Richmond, Va., in the 1990s, women held mid-level positions, but rarely obtained senior-level jobs. Coordinators of departments and, sometimes, directors, were common. There was a sizeable administrative pool of women, as well as nursing, banking, and retail workers.

In Richmond, many women stayed at home. Because the cost of living was low, women could afford to take care of their children while their spouses worked. It was common to see women walking their babies in strollers in the West End.

In Northern Virginia, in the 1990s, women took on positions as directors of departments and vice presidents of companies. However, there were rumors of pay discrepancies. Women held those roles, but did not make as much as men in the same positions.

Due to the high cost of living in Northern Virginia, most women worked full-time. Dual-income families were the norm. The only people visible during the business day were workers on