In the right spot at the right time

Well-known financial writer Jean Chatzky talked Tuesday with students at Southeast Missouri State University about her career in business journalism, according to a story in the Southeast Missourian.

Rudi Keller wrote, “In her early career, Chatzky said, she took a job at Working Woman magazine. But when she was ready for advancement, she said, major business publications such as Forbes and Fortune didn’t call for interviews. They didn’t consider Working Woman a serious business publication. One editor recommended she return to school for an MBA, Chatzky said.

“Unwilling to spend another two years in school, Chatzky worked as a freelance writer, publishing articles in Glamour, Cosmopolitan and appearing on ‘Wheel of Fortune.’ That was followed by a stint at a Wall Street financial firm, which gave her the background to land the job she wanted, at the Wall Street Journal-owned magazine Smart Money.

“The point, she said, is that a career can be a series of fits and starts, spurts and setbacks. ‘It can get a little demoralizing, but only if you let it,’ she said.

“The television opportunity came along when Smart Money made a deal to provide a writer every week for a segment on the NBC New York affiliate’s morning news show. After several weeks of rotating writers, the show’s producer asked Chatzky to take the position as a regular contributor. She met Matt Lauer, who landed a job at the affiliate and had a quick rise through the NBC ranks to ‘Today.’ She said Lauer asked her to bring the segment to the network.”

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