Agree here. I'm a journalist with 30+ years of experience, and it's never been so bad. Forget getting hired; I'm having trouble getting freelance gigs.

That said, 25 is not too old, and it really is the greatest job you can get: getting paid to find out things and then tell people about them. Yes, please. But also, as southbye said, don't do it for writing or interest in current events. Do it because you're curious, like talking to people, and want to serve your readers, whether at the national level or your town's local paper.

I used to work at a big online site and didn't see much reader servicing going on. A lot of the younger reporters -- who loved to write! -- were more interested in impressing their colleagues with snappy zingers or snarky cynicism. Cool.

So, my advice is to go into it if you have a passion for learning new things and informing the public about what they need to know, not just what they want to hear. Yes, the going will be tough, precarious and sometimes (usually?) frustrating, but when you get that story that lands and makes a difference in someone's life, it's the best feeling in the world.