IPN Spotlight: Farah Mohamed (Managing Editor, The WorldPost at The Huffington Post)
Farah is the Managing Editor of The WorldPost, a partnership between The Huffington Post and the Berggruen Institute focused on global news. Hired to help launch The WorldPost, her role includes running the news and op-ed sections of the website, overseeing coverage and social media promotion of produced content and soliciting and editing features and analysis on a variety of international breaking news stories and trends, including the Syrian conflict, China in Africa, rising Islamophobia and the 2016 U.S. presidential election. Prior to The WorldPost, Farah reported for HuffPost Politics, McClatchy’s Washington Bureau and The Washington Post, where her coverage of young Muslim immigrants following the Boston bombings landed her a Washington Post Metro cover story.
Farah majored in journalism and earned a double minor in international studies and Arabic at American University in Washington, DC. She also lived and studied in Amman, Jordan soon after the beginning of the Arab Spring.
What skills have helped you in your career?
Persistence, passion and perspective. Though not skills by definition, these key traits are what make the difference between working in a job related to your desired career and actually nailing that job. While core skills of my profession have proven key to career advancement, I’ve found that some of the most meaningful and rewarding experiences come from the tough decisions made under pressure.
What do you wish you had known or done differently throughout your career?
I wish I had been a bit more flexible and realized that not everything you do has to be so tailored towards your desired career. Oftentimes, some of the experiences that come from taking a risk and going for an opportunity that might seem unrelated or less obvious prove to be the most valuable. At the same time, it’s important to stay focused and to make time to enrich yourself so that you stay fresh and continue to enhance the skills you already have for future opportunities and advancement.
What is next for you in your career?
Journalism is an interesting field in that it’s always changing and new challenges are always presenting themselves. Today is perhaps one of the most difficult times to be a journalist, but also one of the most important. Increasing worldwide polarization and negativity towards news media only inspire me to continue to hold leaders accountable and make sure the voices and stories of those whose views often go unheard and untold are no longer brushed aside. I’m also very much committed to expanding the way in which media outlets cover world news, be it including more on-the-ground voices, greater country and continent diversity or doing a better job at reporting on Muslims, Islamophobia and terrorism.
What do you do for continuing education and improvement?
I don’t like the term media diet, but I do try to have one. I have a variety of news outlets — newspapers, blogs, online media, cable news — that I check out everyday. I also listen to podcasts, follow other journalists on Twitter, subscribe to daily newsletters and bookmark longer pieces to read later on when I have more time. I think it’s crucial, especially in my field, to be caught up on everything and to know the latest media trend making an impact. I also think it’s useful to try to network with people in your field so that you know what people outside of your office are doing and have a group of people to go to if and when you want to make a change.
What advice would you offer to others?
Don’t be afraid to fail. Don’t be afraid to pursue a career that might appear less traditional or more risky. Don’t settle for something that pays better if you’re not really passionate about it. Don’t be intimidated by competitive or toxic peers and co-workers. Work hard and be resilient and creative. There will be a lot of circumstances in which you’ll find yourself having to fend for yourself without much direction. It’s easy to give up or be cynical in these cases, but figuring out how to fix or solve the situation, even when it seems above you, will give you immense confidence and satisfaction — and your superiors will likely notice.
Areas where you can help other Ismailis:
• Editing/writing advice
• Social media strategies
• Op-ed writing guidance
• Expertise in international affairs, especially in the Middle East
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