It’s important for me to receive compliments – but not for the reasons you think. My ego, or lack thereof, doesn’t require any stroking.

Compliments let me know I’m doing my job.

A career in journalism, especially in the beginning stages, isn’t based on hard numbers – it’s not black and white. It’s creative, interpretive and subjective. It receives judgment and criticism.

That’s what runs through my head every time I e-mail a completed assignment to my editor at The Fort Pierce Tribune, and I always slightly panic. Clearly I need compliments.

Usually an e-mail back from her saying she likes my story or it’s good suffices. But nothing beats praise from her through other reporters.

I received a message the other day from a former Scripps reporter telling me that I made a good impression as a reporter there, and he thinks they’d hire me as soon as the economic situation improves. Today a long-time Tribune photojournalist told me that he heard about me from my editor – in a good way.

But it’s also great to get compliments from those I actually interview. The main source for an assignment I covered today e-mailed me to tell me again how much she appreciated me taking time late the night before to interview her. I got the main information for the story before the program today so that I wouldn’t take away from her time teaching the kids.

All that matters is that I’m doing something right.