Joe Grimm's News Jobs Café: Ask the recruiter

Must Clips be Original Copies?

Q: First and foremost, thank you for this excellent and incredibly helpful column.

I am a 24-year-old recent college graduate (non-journalism background) and am wrapping up my first internship at a mid-size daily.

The experience has been enriching but I'm looking to make the next great leap: a full-time job. 

While asking my editors for advice, they all cautioned me to send only original "newsprint" clips from my job. I was simply planning on printing off my stories from our internal computer library at the newspaper and mailing them. Some of my newsprint clips are bulky, messy or non-existent (foolish me, I forgot to clip them!). The printouts would not include any artwork and resemble your typical MS Word document but they are clean-looking and would make compiling multiple applications easier. They would mention where the clip was played (A01, B01, etc.) in the paper, as well.   

So, do I need send in the "originals" (i.e. my articles cut out as they appeared on the paper) or can I sneak by with the printouts? If the former, what should I do about my "lost" clips? Steal them from the local public library?

Any advice would help.

Frank

A: I'm afraid I have to disagree with your editors on this.

Most of the editors I know would prefer copies or printouts.

Originals have their problems. For one thing, they are scarce. We do not want to be responsible for returning one-of-a-kind clips to you. We feel better if we know we're working with copies and nothing you expect to get back.

Second, the convenience factor is considerable. If you have neatly ordered clips in a standard size -- as you get when you photocopy them -- they are easier to handle, file and for making additional copies.

Printouts are as acceptable as photocopies. But don't dare change them, not even to correct someone else's error. They have to be true representations of what was published.

Note: "Ask the Recruiter" has moved to Poynter's new Career Center. The new home is here. Don't forget to change your bookmark.

Are Unedited Clips Proprietary?

Q: As an assignment editor looking for other similar jobs, I often come across requests for "editing clips." What's the best format for these, because what I would consider an editing clip - drafts in a prepublished state, allowing for comparison to a final product - would seem to be proprietary information owned by my company.

Alan

A: Great question. Showing someone's unedited work can seem a little cruel, too. (I am so happy to have an editor!)

Unless an editor specifically asks for before and afters, I think I would submit a clip where you have done good editing and written a smart headline. In the margin of the clip, I would tell a little about what you did to help the article. You'll want examples where you have done relatively big stuff: new lead, restructuring, combining, a huge trim, meeting a hard deadline.

Your line editing skills will be demonstrated in your cover letter, resume and e-mails.

 

Note: "Ask the Recruiter" has moved to Poynter's new Career Center. The new home is here. Don't forget to change your bookmark.

How Old is Too Old for Clips?

Q: How old is too old when it comes to clips? I am currently in the military and by the time I finish with active duty my most recent clip will be over four years old. (I plan on leaving the Army in three years.) I’ve had a few things published over the past few years, but nothing I feel are “clip” quality. When I get back from deployment I plan on contacting the local newspaper for some freelancing opportunities but I’m not counting on too many clips coming from it because of my current job responsibilities.

When I start the job application/interview process, how are papers going to look at me with the four-plus year break from writing? I graduated in from Montana’s J-School two and a half years ago and held several internships/freelance jobs during school.

I know breaking into the print world again will be tough with my absence, but I am willing to try anything to make it easier. Thanks for the help.

Platoon Leader

A: Those clips will look pretty old in 2009, so safe your self some trouble later by trying to find any opportunities you can in the meantime to write.

I have hired people who did writing and photography in the service, so I know there are some opportunities there. There is still the matter of getting into position to take advantage of them.

Your military experience will be a valuable addition, but it has to come with recent writing experience, too.

Thanks for serving.

Note: "Ask the Recruiter" is moving to Poynter's new Career Center. The new home is here. Don't forget to change your bookmark.

Using Reference Letters?

Q: The managing editor at the paper I interned for last summer wrote me a glowing letter of reference. I'm hesitant, though, to include it in applications to papers which have not specifically requested letters of reference. What should I do?

Thank you as always.

Daniel

A: Clearly, you have an ally.

But I would not send that letter out with my resume and clips. It can seem a little, well, amateurish. Hold onto the letter and list you rold managing editor as a reference, for sure. If asked to furnish references, then send the letter along.

Note: "Ask the Recruiter" is moving to Poynter's new Career Center. The new home is here. Don't forget to change your bookmark.

Types of Clips and References?

Q: Do you find most recruiters prefer tear sheets or downloaded articles--or is either acceptable? By reference sheets, do you suggest one sheet with three-five names, titles, and contact info or actual letters of reference?

Wondering

A: Editors will accept either photocopies of published articles or Web printouts.

When we ask for references, we almost always mean names and contact informatoin on 3-5 people we can call. An editor who wants reference letters will probably say it just that way. The JobsPage tells you more about clips.

Note: "Ask the Recruiter" is moving to Poynter's new Career Center. The new home is here. Don't forget to change your bookmark.

E-mail or Snail Mail My Resume?

Q: I have recently returned to the United States after working at a newspaper in Central America for the past two years. I am trying to enter the job market in Washington, D.C. and want to know the latest and best ways to apply and send clips via e-mail. I understand that some editors prefer résumés and clips sent via e-mail, and others prefer them sent via postal mail. Some associates have therefore suggested I send my portfolio both ways when I am applying for a job. I worry that this inundates editors needlessly with my documents. Should I call the editors and ask what they prefer, if it is not indicated in the job descriptions?

Also, if I send them via e-mail, I read that I should not send 10 different attachments with my résumé, cover letter and clips. I worry if I just paste my résumé in the e-mail text box the format will not make for clear reading and things like bullets and indentations will cause chaos in the text on the receiving end. Is this ever a problem? Is it ever OK to send it as an attachment, for example as a PDF? Also, in sending my clips, should I put them all in one 20-page document? Is it best to send the PDF versions or jpg versions of the scanned clips as they were cut from the print editions. All of this is making me think I should just stick to regular postal mail, but this isn’t even an option in some cases.

Thank you very much for your time. I am very grateful and impressed that this service is offered.

Rebecca

A: You have good instincts.

Of course, editors vary and your best bet is to ask how they would prefer to receive the material.

Because we still get applications in multiple formats but generally like to keep applications in just one, we usually go to hard copies (paper).

I advise against sending e-mails with 20 attachments (picture the poor editor opening each one in succession) or as PDF's (picture the editor's poor e-mail basket). Those methods are convenient for the job-seeker, but not for the editor.

In cases where you do not know the editor's preference, send by regular mail, unless the opening will be short-lived. Then, e-mail a cover letter and a résumé and ask how the clips should be sent.

Shared clips?

Q: Love the advice column. I'm a reporter at a fairly-large daily and am trying to get in at a NYC tabloid. I cover police and court so it should be a great fit, right? My problem is that a lot of my biggest spot news pieces have more than one byline -- we team up, and give credit where it's due.

Should I dump these, or include a note indicating what I did for the story, or what? I don't want an editor spending more time trying to read explanations than the story itself.

Thanks, and keep it up!

Anonymous

A: Don't dump all your best clips. But show mostly solo work. Pick one or two with shared bylines, always in cases where you were the lead dog, and mark the clip to show which parts you reported or wrote. Make the rest individual efforts.

Editorial writing as clips?

Q: I had a quick question about what clips I should include in applications for a summer reporting internship. I spent last year as opinion editor for my student newspaper. Each issue, I wrote the staff opinion, and I think at least a few of them would be good enough to send to recruiters, but I'm not quite sure if that's kosher. My concerns are that the editorials are a) unsigned and b) show opinion when I'm applying for a reporting internship. But then again, I think it might be a good way to include some variety and showcase another writing style.

What's your take?

Lee

A: It's OK to send one or two. The lack of a signature is a minor problem; the lack of similarity between editorial writing and straight-news reporting is a bigger deal.

Some editors appreciate seeing a clip of personal writing, such as a clip. But sending more than one might imply that you're looking to do more opinion writing on your internship.

Varied clips or best?

Q: I'm putting together my clips and realizing this: over the years, I've heard that I'm supposed to submit my "best," most interesting clips. I feel like most of those stories fall in the same genre: profiles.

However, I've also heard that I'm supposed to submit a range of clips -- breaking news, enterprise, feature, etc. Should I submit less interesting stories that fit in those categories?

Alice

A: For most newspaper jobs, the advice you've been hearing is correct. Newspapers hire generalists. Even within some beats, such as fairly commonplace geographic beats, newspapers need people who can do a variety of story types.

If you are applying for a topical beat, however, or, in your case, a profile-writing job, a more focused batch of clips would work.

Work samples in mixed formats?

Q: With almost two years designing pages for a weekly and a local business publication, I'm looking at a design job with the nearby daily. Because of a catastrophic server failure, some of my design clips are on CD and some are hard copy.

First, is it OK to mix and match media if a brief explanation is given?

Second, what's the best way to display hard copies?

Looking

A: Yes, the explanation is certainly understandable. I'd hate to see you omit some good work because it was in a different format.

The best way to display hard copies of news pages would be as photocopies -- in color if you used it. They need not be full-size.

What color clips?

Q: When we spoke of sending out clips to prospective employers, I got the impression that standard letter sized 8.5x11 paper is okay. Do clips start to look cheesy or harder to read if they are submitted on colored paper? Would that help someone stand out, or is just annoying?

Paul

A: They could be annoying if the color is so dark the clips can’t be photocopied clearly. If you want to stand out, use a slightly heavier paper or something with a little texture to it. Stick close to white or cream-colored. No speckles, either.

Typos in e-mails

Q: I found your site recently, and I want to say that it's been quite helpful as I am figuring out how to enter this field (I just graduated in May), so thanks for doing all this.

Anyway, I'm wondering about typos in cover letters for reporting jobs. Of course they should never happen, but when they do, and you notice it shortly after sending it, what is the best course of action? Should one admit the error and/or claim the version was unfinished (especially when sending via email?), or say nothing at all? How do editors tend to view these? As a college editor, I became much more sympathetic to typos once I realized how some of them are just impossible to spot!

Thanks

Eliot

A: As someone who occasionally goes too fast and makes mistakes, I feel your pain.

Having been an editor, though, you know how scary it is to have staffers like me!

I am seeing a lot more mistakes in e-mails than in letters on paper. Ideally, the standards should be high for both, but reality and the ideal seldom coincide. Do not compound your error by fibbing that the letter was sent before it was finished. Mistakes are bad. Lying is worse. Own up in a letter-perfect way and adopt the new standard for important communiqués. Admit your mistake with a little -- just a little -- humor and promise to be more careful.

People like you and me would be better off to be careful and to buddy up with someone so we could have editors on every important thing we write. Get yourself an editor. The Internet makes it possible to have a long-distance editing buddy.

Are work samples too old?

Q: I've worked at three dailies in this state, each one bigger than the previous. I've done work I'm proud of at my current paper, but also did some great work at the previous paper but that was three years ago. I want to send some of those older clips because I won awards for a few of them, but I remember you saying that clips shouldn't be more than a year or so old.

What do you think?

Katie

A: I think three years is pretty old.

It begs the question why you haven't topped that clip at your newer, larger newspaper.

Something old, something borrowed?

Q: I recently graduated from J-school and have am currently looking for a job. After three internships, two of which were at major metro dailies, I've got a stack of very strong clips to choose from.

My first question relates to how recent clips should be. One of the stories I'd like to include was almost three years ago. It's a long feature story for a large weekly paper. The story broke news, which was picked up a few weeks later by one of the metros I later interned at. I've been told not to use this clip because it's so old, however it's a stellar article and is a good example of my investigative reporting skills. What is your recommendation on using this story in job applications?

My second question relates to using clips that contain information from the Associated Press. During my most recent internship, I worked the night shift and was often assigned stories at the last minute. It was the paper's policy that reporters could include whatever information they needed from the wires as long as they put a tagline a the bottom of the story stating that some of the information came from the AP. Normally I would skip using articles of that nature in my clip packet, but there's one I'd like to use. The story is 27 inches long and contains two quotes from industry analysts and about four inches of rewritten AP information. The story was also written on an extremely tight deadline and included some very creative reporting on my part. Again, what is your recommendation on using this story for job applications?

Buried in clips

A: You seem to feel strongly about the three-year-old clip. So, include it. But make sure all the others are fresh.

As for the one with an AP contribution, attach a short note telling the editors you interview with just what you told me. You might even indicate the small portion that came from AP so they can tell which parts are yours.

Road trip or Web printouts?

Q: I am looking to reenter the journalism scene after a year hiatus, and find myself at a severe disadvantage, having misplaced the hard copies of the newspapers in which my work has previously appeared.

Which option do you think would serve me best- making a trip to the city where I worked (7 hours away) to photocopy several pieces of my work, or work with what I have from here, which is access to a smattering of print archives whose text is interrupted several times by large ADVERTISE HERE web banners? Do editors frown upon work printed from website pages, if there is no way to make them look more professional?

Virginia

A: All successful newspaper Web pages seem to look about the same -- with ads on them.

Use Web page printouts and save yourself the seven-hour drives.

If they have a "printer friendly" option, use that.

OK to use archives for clips?

Q: With my paper's archive system (Olive Active Paper), I am able to print off my articles by themselves, formatted as they looked on the page. This seems to me much easier than digging up the actual newspapers my stories ran in, and the page prints cleaner on a laser printer than it would on the copy machine. In the electronic age, is this an acceptable method of printing off clips, or is it still necessary to physically cut them out of the newspaper and make copies?

Thanks for your help,

Jared

A: This sounds great. Remember, photocopies are acceptable, as are pages printed from Websites, so these should be dandy.

What type of clips portfolio?

Q: I have somewhat of a specific question about the best way to assemble clips packages.

Not too long ago I discovered that our ads department saves a lot of our paper's bask issues in PDF format, so I asked a friendly woman there to burn me a disc of stories I wanted to use as clips. The cool thing about this is I can go into Adobe and make very clean-looking clips by printing out specific columns. The advantages were obvious. Not only is this method much cleaner than the standard cut-paste-photocopy approach, but I could also include a printout of how my story was placed on the front page on a simple 8.5x11 page.

The catch to this is not all of the clips I plan to use are available in this PDF format. And frankly, I wonder if this is what recruiting editors really want to see. A recent job opening called for 10 clips, and I felt like my clips package was quite voluminous, as many of my clips are long investigative stories.

So here's what I'm wondering: Gannett just launched a digital archive service that works quite well. I get very clean printouts of any story I've ever written. So is it okay to simply send these out as my clips, without photocopying anything to show how my story was placed in the paper? This approach is very similar to copying and pasting the text of a story into Word, printing that out and sending that along.

I can understand that an editor may want to see how my story was played in the paper and how important it was, but all of my clips ran A1. I want the focus to be on my writing and reporting, and I find that using the Gannett library print-outs is a very clean, simple way of doing things. What are your thoughts?

James

A: It is OK to mix clip formats.

Editors are mostly interested in the content of your clips, and we are used to seeing mixed portfolios that may include clips from more than one newspaper.

Any format -- photocopies, PDFs or printouts like one may get from Nexis are acceptable.

Clips are meant to be examples of your work as published so do not, under any circumstance, change your clips, even to correct an error made by someone else. That crosses the line.

Staple my work samples?

Q: I have been reading your articles on internships, and I have two questions about clips packages for different newspapers.

First of all, what if you have an article that is longer than one page?  I photocopied the rest onto the back of the page and put a note at the bottom of the front that the story was continued.  However, you say this is wrong.  Why is it not okay?  What should I do with that long article?  Should I staple two pages together?

Also, you said not to include articles older than one year. Would it be okay to  include just one story that is older if I really believe it is strong?

Thanks!

Roy

A: Don't worry. The problem with using two-sided clips is that they become cumbersome when an editor tries to feed them to the copy machine. So, it is most convenient to use one-sided 8 1/2 by 11 sheets.

Paper clips are easier than staples for me to work with.

One really good clip that is more than a year old should be no problem. A bunch would be.

How to prevent calls to employer?

Q: I don't want to let my bosses know about my job search yet. So when I send out résumés, should I put a line on top that says "please keep this confidential"? Or how do I go about sending that message?

Looking

A: Most potential employers should understand that they shouldn’t contact your present employers until you tell them it’s OK. But, for peace of mind, you could put a line on the bottom of the résumé that says, “Please do not contact employer until references are furnished.” That makes the point and is more helpful than the strangely ubiquitous and obvious, “References supplied upon request.”

How to write a negative critique?

Q: I'm in the beginning stages of applying for a job at another daily. The recruiter sent me a week's worth of papers to critique. What do you say when the paper sucks? Do you lie and just point up the positives? Or do you let loose and hope the editors recognize the paper's challenges and want to improve?

I've already decided I'd shoot myself if I had to write the drivel this paper prints. But, since I'm always up for a challenge, I would consider going there as an editor to raise the paper's standards. Plus, I really want to move to a larger market that puts me within a reasonable driving distance of my hometown. What to do?

Conflicted

A: It sounds as though you'd almost rather withdraw from consideration.

Almost.

Be honest, of course, but frame your criticisms as suggestions. Tell them what you would do or what could be done to improve things. Use phrases like, "This would work better if ...", "This needs ..." and "The paper would be improved with ..."

Show, rather than tell, and see if they want to bring you on.

Big mistake?

Q: When I sent off my application packet, I mistakenly skipped two lines between two of the paragraphs in my cover letter but skipped one line between all the rest. Do editors consider this an error, as in something that could hurt my chances of getting an internship?

Thanks for all your help on this site.

Fretting

A: You've answered your own question. It is an error. But not a huge one.  There's nothing you can do about it and it's not a big deal. Forget about it. (But check your work over more carefully from now on.)

Include photos with writing samples?

Q: As a newspaper writer, when I prepare clips, should I try to keep the pictures with the story, or cut the pictures in cases where I have to get a story to fit on an 8 1/2 by 11 sheet? What about big feature stories with 3-4 pictures and 20-30 inches of copy -- how can I get a story that dominates the front page of a B section to fit on an 8 1/2 by 11 sheet. Is it OK to cut out columns and rearrange on the sheet, as long as it's neat?

Thank you for your help. I'm sorry if these questions are addressed on the Freep site, I looked, but didn't see anything that helped.

Beth

A: Do only the things that will enhance your work. That includes cutting out and rearranging article and columns to fit on a sheet.

If including the photos invites editors into your articles -- just as photos do in the daily newspaper, they may be included. If, however, to include the photos you must reduce your clips or copy them onto big, unwieldy sheets of paper, you should start cutting them out.

Fortunately, we have more choices for our clips that we did a few years ago. You may reduce newspaper pages to fit onto 8 1/2 by 11 paper to show an article within its environment and then back them up with actual-size copies or printouts of the articles, using the best of both formats.

 

A bad mistake?

Q: I am in a bit of a dilemma. I have been at a paper for a year now, and like to think I have done some solid work. I don’t really like the town though, and am ready to start applying at other newspapers. I have some good clips, but some of my best work was devoted to a package about methamphetamine.

Included in the package is the work of a well-intentioned copy editor who changed Drug Enforcement Administration to Drug Enforcement Agency. In all honesty, I bet I bet I made the mistake once and it was repeated in all three stories. Should I just cut my losses and not include these in my clips, or could I salvage my (three best) articles and interviews? Any advice would be appreciated.

Thank you for your time. Most of all, thank you for the Web site you maintain — you include some really good advice that I could not have found elsewhere.

Smarting

A: Ouch!

That is a very noticeable mistake that you have honestly taken some responsibility for. I like your honesty and hope you have made some changes to improve your accuracy.

I would try for new jobs without those clips. Rather than showing them, they might be stories you talk about in the interview where you can describe the work you did and the lessons you learned without showing that glaring error.

Got editing?

Melissa Jordan, senior editor for recruiting and training at the San Jose Mercury News, reports an internship application with an extra sheet attached to the clips package. It says: “Misspellings and grammatical errors that appear in the following articles were not done by the author.”

References within the company?

Q: Does it help to have references from within the company?

Pat

A: Yes.

While it is certainly not necessary, editors consider the source as well as the content of the reference. If the reference is someone they know and trust, so much the better.

References from within the company also have the advantage of knowing the company's culture.

The biggest plus, though, might be serendipity. Here's what I mean:

I received an application from someone whose references included one of his former editors who was working at a newspaper that was in the same company as mine. I normally would not make a reference call so early in the process, but I knew this reference and, as the candidate no longer worked there, no harm would come from calling.

"That guy's great," the editor said. "I would hire him back. In fact, I tried to."

This rapidly advanced the process for the candidate. I called him next, which normally would not have happened, and he said he needed to make a decision quickly, as his own editors were thinking about promoting him to an assigning editor's position. I told him to jump in the car and start driving to the Free Press for an interview. I told him I would call his cell phone with information about accommodations and his interview schedule. By the end of the week, he had his offer.

Work samples without bylines?

Q: I work for a company that publishes a monthly newsletter and website. I write short items for the website and longer articles for the newsletter, but no one on the staff gets bylines. I have a journalism background and have bylines from different publications, but they're three years old.

When it comes to applying for jobs that ask for samples of your work, how do you tackle the issue of not having recent bylined work? Should I even bother submitting the stories I write at my current job? Sincerely,

Ghost writer

A: If your recent clips are good, I'd submit them. Your situation is easily explained. It happens to editorial writers all the time.

My larger concern would be that your work is similar enough to the work done at the jobs you're applying to.

An angle to consider: pursuing beats that might crave the subject-matter expertise you've developed at the newsletter.

Original clips, or copies?

Q: I am interested in applying for an internship position for next summer. However, I was wondering if the six required article clips for need to be the original articles, or could they be photocopies of the originals? Also, if they must be originals would they be returned?

Erin

A: The clips should be photocopies or printouts, not the originals. It is unlikely the originals would be returned.

Clever cover letter?

Q: I begin my internship application cover letter with a humorous anecdote. From its punch line, I proceed to discuss my journalism experience. Only after this do I explicitly say that I am looking for a summer reporting internship.

My question: is it necessary to do so earlier? The letter flows very well as is, and I think the anecdote is funny. It would no longer be effective if I preceded it with a line like, "I am writing to apply for a summer reporting internship." In your opinion, how quickly must "anecdotal leaders" make clear the reason they are writing before they lose you? And is there any way to make this clear outside the bounds of the letter body - like a "Re: summer internship" or some such thing at the top? I want to be creative, but I don't want to get my application tossed out.

The cover letter is attached.

Daniel

A: Your question is timely. Yesterday, I opened, read and entered information for about a hundred internship applications.

I live in some dread of sending internship-rejection letters to job candidates (I once sent an internship rejection letter to David Halberstam, but that's another story), so I appreciate it when I can quickly tell what someone is asking for. (Believe it or not, some internship applicants never say. One confused the hell out of me by not stating that -- and by having her graduation date one year too early.)

Your letter does not say till the fifth graph what you are looking for. I think some editors might say you buried the lead. I'd try to find a prominent way to say what you're looking for. I know it would spoil the lede on your cover letter. Maybe you could try it with a precede:

Here's why I want an internship:

Or an objective line (though I don't usually recommend them.)

Or a Re: line, as you might do in a memo.

If you decide to keep the internship reference low, position it where it will be prominent on the page.

Does bad copy editing ruin clips?

Q: One question on clippings.

I am a staff writer for a campus newspaper. I've written about ten stories for the paper this year. The problem: virtually every one has been butchered in some way by a copy editor. I don't mean "butchered" in the way ever-complaining reporters usually use the word - I don't mean that the editors have "cramped my style" or "killed my flow" or any such thing. I mean that the editors have made much of the copy in my articles objectively incorrect. For example, they'll insert apostrophes where I correctly put none ("The Wildcats dominated the first half" became "The Wildcat's dominated..."), alternate the present and past tense in the same paragraph, and cut passable sentences down the middle to create two obvious sentence fragments.

Many of these mistakes are elementary and embarrassing. They'd be immediately obvious to a trained eye. If I were the person in charge of screening applications, I'd instantly remove from consideration any application in which they occurred. The problem is that I do not have enough error-free clippings to completely avoid using the ones that contain errors.

The question: is there any way whatsoever I could make clear in my application that I was not responsible for the stupid errors without coming off as a liar/a troublemaker/a whiner? I've thought long and hard about it, and I don't think it's possible.

Is there a way out? I'd hate for incompetent superiors to ruin my chances.

Daniel

A: I agree. Those clips will reflect poorly on you or on the publication you write for -- still not a good thing.

And an interview based on the mistakes in those clips is not headed anyplace good. We rarely want to talk to editors about how incompetent our superiors are.

Some strategies:

• Write for another publication.
• Baby-sit your stories as they go through the desk.
• Work with the editors at the paper to improve the hiring or training of the people doing the copy editing. Sometimes, I find that college papers place so little importance on copy editing it is done by people who have no interest or time for it. It sounds as though your paper actually doesn't have any real copy editors.

I can't resist a final word: I started my career as a copy editor -- and then I started at the Detroit Free Press as one. (And I wish I had one on this blog!) So, I know good editing and good editors. Don't let the bad editing that you get now sour you on some of the biggest allies you'll ever have if you're every really going to make it big.

Others? (Ne nice.)

Mistake in my clip?

Q: I've found your Freep JobsPage really useful over the years and I thought you'd be just the right person to answer this question.

Let's say you've just spent weeks reporting and writing a really great story, and it goes into print, and everyone raves about how wonderful it was, but a source calls and says you misquoted him, and you realize he's right, and the paper runs a correction, and it's fairly insignificant in the grand scheme of the story, but it hurts you to your soul nevertheless.

So, the question. Does this mean this story can never be a clip? No matter how great the story was, or how small the error was in comparison?

Would you simply not send the story? Send the story with the correction appended? Without the correction?

What if it was a clarification instead of a correction? Does a clarification kill a clip, too?

I'm thankful for any insight you could give me on this.

Tom, a crestfallen reporter

A: I appreciate the agony you're going through. It shows a good conscience.

I'd use the clip, with the correction, and be ready to explain. I think your story will speak well for you and that any discussion of your reaction to the error will, too.

E-mail or snail mail?

Q: Would job contacts prefer getting a letter in the regular mail or an e-mail?

Patty

A: For most formal letters, hard copies are best. If the job contact invites e-mail, if it is someone with whom you have already built a relationship By regular mail, I think.

Once you have established a relationship, e-mail is fine.

Out of the business too long?

Q: I am stuck.  I'm not sure what my next step should be. While in college and graduate school, as well as the interim period of a year, I had published quite a number of articles -- hard news, features, etc. Seven years ago, I interned at the Queens edition of New York Newsday, from which I have a good 40+ clips.  I have worked for a financial news service as a foreign exchange reporter, while at the same time interning (and publishing) at a national magazine geared toward entrepreneurs.  I then went on to get my master's in Middle Eastern studies because my ultimate goal is to become a Middle Eastern correspondent. While working on my master's I was given the wonderful opportunity to work as a journalist in Cairo for one semester. That was in five years ago.

Here is the problem, as you can guess.  My last published piece of work is five years old. Since then I have been basically working to complete my master's, which I received a year ago, while managing my family. I have been searching for jobs in journalism since last year.

I know that my experience is old, but I am a good writer and reporter, as my clips will surely testify. In light of that, I have been searching for jobs more on the entry-level side in local small papers and publications here in the Chicagoland area.

Unfortunately, as I mentioned above, my job search has not been successful.  I was recently rejected by a suburban daily for an entry-level position. I was in constant contact with the editor who revealed to me that, because of the tight job market, many people who have had significant working experience (but were let go) also applied for this entry-level position. It's pretty obvious which way they decided to go.

So, my question remains: What do I do?  How do I get back in there? I am determined to have a career in print journalism. I understand that there is the option of freelancing, but how does one freelance for hard news?  Any advice you can dispense will be greatly appreciated as I am without a mentor, something which you have exhorted as very important for a budding journalist.

S. A.

A: You've been working hard to make things happen, and I sympathize.

It sounds to me as though a key hurdle is the age of those clips. Another may be the subject matter. If that is pretty different from what the newspapers you are applying to have in mind, this will compound the problem with the age of the clips.

Keep looking, but freelance for some fresher clips that more nearly match the editorial needs of the newspapers you're going after.

Size and age of clips?

Q: Just read your advice on preparing clips. You said you prefer 8.5 x 11. My question: A lot of my clips are on 11 x 17 paper so I get in the masthead and/or all of the story.

In order to go 8.5 x 11, I would need to reduce the copy so that is is harder to read, or else break up pages so that the editor has to match the sheets to continue reading.

Do you have any suggestions on this?

I am preparing a package as we speak, and used the 11 x 17 clips. If I go that route, is there a problem with folding the clips and inserting them in a 10 x 13 envelope or should I use a large 14 x 18 envelope.

If I choose the folding avenue, does the envelope have to look smooth, and not wrinkled because of cramming.

And finally, is it acceptable to print clips culled from the paper's online site? They don't look like the story as it appears in the paper, but it does come out on 8.5 x 11 paper. And my more recent stories only exist in that format. I did not get hard copies yet.

These sound like inane questions on which to be judged for a position.

One final question about clips from your advice column. You mentioned using only recent clips. What if clips two, or three years old are really good?

Bill

A: My advice on the size and age of clips are generalities. The size you suggest for clips is not hard to work with -- it is standard on copy machines -- and one or two older clips in a package will not hurt you.

To clarify, avoid non-standard sizes and non-rectangular shapes -- anything that won't feed through a copy machine, and make sure most clips reflect decent and recent work.

And on-line clips are fine.

Getting published?

Q: Recently, I graduated with a B.A. in English. I moved back home and after a couple months of searching for a decent job I was hired by the daily paper where I live as a librarian (keeping news databases in order, helping reporters, that sort of thing).

I really did not think of working as a reporter while I was in college, but being in the newspaper environment has sparked my interest in journalism. I've talked to the owner of the paper, who also owns another smaller daily and a few weeklies around the area, and he told me I need more experience in journalism before I could be considered for a reporter position. He then suggested I start at a weekly paper.

A week ago, I saw that one weekly was looking for an entry-level reporter. The problem is the editor asked to see clips, which I do not have. So I sent him a sample of writing and explained my situation in the cover letter. I do not know if it's too soon to tell, but it's been a week and I've yet to hear anything.

Basically, my question is: should I be worried about never being able to get a reporter position? I really don't have any desire to get a master's degree in journalism, but if I had to I would. I know I just published clips to be considered to these jobs, but I'm not sure on how to get them. Should I try to do some freelance writing to get published clips? And if so where would I start? What are some reputable ways of getting published clips without going to graduate school?

It seems like too much to go back to school and building up more school loan debt just to get a few news clips. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Ben

A: I would not be surprised if your lack of clips is the reason for the no-call.

So, let's start getting some clips. I'd wager that you work within 50 feet of the local news desk at your present paper. Let's walk over there, talk to the editors and tell them you'd like to pitch in and write some stories. This will be a test of your initiative. Try sports, too. And business and features. If you work inside the paper but cannot wrangle some story assignments, that will be a bad sign.

Once you have a hatful of good clips, take them back to the weekly, demonstrating your determination to become a reporter.

In the event that the weekly pays reporters less than the daily pays librarians, start backing some money for a potential wage cut.

E-mail queries?

Q: Is it OK to start out a job search by e-mailing recruiters with what are in essence shorter, more terse cover letters? I just wrote a recruiter a note simply asking if there are jobs and introducing myself. I said I'd send clips along.

Is this legitimate? I figure everyone uses email all day long and it might save time. If I know they're not hiring, I'll still send a clip packet but focus my efforts elsewhere.

Katie

A: This seems fine to me, provided you don't, in a short paragraph, ask questions that it will take me two screens to fill.

It doesn't sound like that's what you are doing, so I'd go right ahead.

What are bylined clips?

Q: I am a finance student applying for an internship that requires byline clips. What are byline clips? Any information on byline clips would be appreciated.

Eduardo

A: A bylined clip is a photocopy or web printout of an article that you have written and that has your name (byline) on it.

Showing large work samples?

Q: I avidly read your tips on the "Toolkit" section of the freep.com site, and am writing for some quick advice.

I'm looking for a new reporting job while working as the main reporter for a small weekly. This is my first full-time journalism job, and I'm proud that some issues feature all my articles (up to three) on front page.

I want to show this to the editors. Is it acceptable to make neat copies of the whole front pg (tabloid) on 11x17 paper, and include it folded, together w/ regular-sized clips?

Masha

A: It sounds as though you're ready to move on. Good for you.

Your plan sounds solid, provided all three clips on the page are strong or show your range. Include actual size copies of the clips you want editors to read, too.

What if bad editing spoils clips?

Q: I have been working as an unpaid stringer for about two months. I have written six pretty good articles. In my first few stories, the editor made some changes. I know that this is part of his job and I don't have a problem with it. However, the changes caused grammatical, punctuation and agreement errors in the articles when they appeared in print. They are minor but they are noticeable. Should I still use the stories as clips? And if I do use them, should I tell my perspective editors about the errors? My instinct is not to use them, but I really like the the stories.

Joe

A: Trust your instincts. If there are errors in the clips -- your mistakes or someone else's -- they reflect on the publication. Editors like to hire people who come from quality. Keep working to get more clips and try to baby-sit your stories through the editing process so they come out well.

We all need good editors, as your question shows. We hope for good ones. Keep writing. You'll get an even better set of clips that are letter-perfect.

A talent pipeline?

Q: I have a question about networking with recruiters. What is the best way to write a 'thank-you' note after speaking to a recruiter who says, "You're too inexperienced, but keep in touch"? Do I even mention great anecdotes that I normally reserve for a cover letter? Here's some background on the situation. I have one year of experience at a 50,000-circulation daily newspaper and strong internships. A long-time reporter at a large well-known paper referred me to the recruiter. The recruiter said I wasn't qualified enough to be considered for the large paper. But the recruiter referred me to another recruiter within the conglomerate newspaper company for a more-than-one-year internship for reporters who have daily experience.  Recruiter #1 also told me to e-mail a resume and give an update on what happens with Recruiter #2. It just so happens I may be overqualified for the extended internship. That's OK with me. I'm just glad I got in touch with recruiters at papers I really respect.

Network

A: These are positive signs. People seem to like you and your work. You are being encouraged to stay in touch and being referred to places in the pipeline. Be happy. Do stay in touch. Recruiter #1 will be watching to see if you do. And make your cover letter honest and natural. Your standard anecdotes may seem a little too stiff. You can move your correspondence toward natural talk about your growth, development and progress. You have crossed a threshold of sorts. Keep going.

Show competitors' clips?

Q: I've had internships at papers with direct, cutthroat competition. Do you think it's a good or bad idea to include clips from the competing paper about the same stories I covered, you know, for comparison's sake?

Chicago intern

A: It’s a gutsy move and a smart one – especially if you’re at an underdog paper or were outgunned on the story. It shows your keen competitiveness.

However, it also means you’re loading up your clip package with stuff you didn’t write.

Instead, attach a not to some clips (not all of them) saying how you beat the competition. This also is good material for the cover letter. I would provide the evidence only if editors ask for it. So hang onto it.

An honest critique?

Q: I'm in the beginning stages of applying for a job at another daily. The recruiter sent me a week's worth of papers to critique. What do you say when the paper sucks? Do you lie and just point up the positives? Or do you let loose and hope the editors recognize the paper's challenges and want to improve?

I've already decided I'd shoot myself if I had to write the drivel this paper prints. But, since I'm always up for a challenge, I would consider going there as an editor to raise the paper's standards. Plus, I really want to move to a larger market that puts me within a reasonable driving distance of my hometown.

What to do?

Conflicted

A: Before you start lying or being unkindly honest, ask yourself a question: Do you want to work hard to get a job at a paper that sucks? Maybe the best option is to keep looking. If you want to work at the paper, tell the truth and be as tactful as you can.

Instead of saying, "Here's a mistake," say, "This would be better this way." Propose solutions. It does not take a genius to spot errors. It takes smarts to suggest better ways to do things. Take advantage of the invitation to show how smart you are.

It sounds as though there are issues outside of the paper that compel you to want to be there. I would write a critique that is honest enough to let me sleep at night, but tactful enough to get me in the door to see the place.

First resume?

Q: My 14-year-old son, wants to apply for a summer job, but the place we went to does not have application forms, they asked for a résumé. What do you put in a résumé for a 14-year-old boy, who has not had any job experience in the past?

Linda

A: Lacking work experience, your son will have to build a résumé on the basis of his school and extracurricular activities.

Material might include sports, service projects, travel and interesting experiences.

It is wise for young people to build work histories by taking on experiences and activities that will help prepare them for later careers. These activities should not be mere superficial résumé-builders -- we see through that -- but genuine projects that contribute to the community and help the person learn and demonstrate work skills.

Overcoming weak job test?

Q: I'm a recent journalism grad looking to break into the copy editing business. I work the sports agate desk at a paper and didn't do so well on the copy editing test the first time I took it.

Is it worth it to take the test again and hope for a part-time copy editor job at this paper? Or should I start looking at smaller papers for an entry-level, full-time job?

CE wannabe

A: I wouldn't ask a person to retake a copy editing test because the second result would be influenced -- inflated, more accurately -- by the practice that came on the first taking of the test. If your work at the paper isn't leading to the promotion you desire, I would ask your editors whether they think you should move to a larger position at a smaller paper and whether they can help you accomplish that.

Work samples too big for portfolio?

Q: I need advice on mounting clips. I am having trouble keeping my clips to one page and legible even with 15-inch stories. I don't want recruiters to strain their eyes or leaf through two or three pages. Is it okay to include an electronic copy (either the online version or Lexis-Nexis print-out) with a hard copy?

Illini

A: One reason for using full-sized clips is that they show how your work was played, and they are legible. However, when your clips are SO big, you might try this: Send a reduced image of the entire page, with your byline highlighted, and for legibility, attach a web printout of that story.

Clips for portfolio?

Q: All right, I have a question that's been bugging me, Joe ...

It's the eternal "clips vs. clips" debate... meaning, are real photocopied newspaper clips better than the same stories printed from the web archives.

Of course, web copies are clean and neat and fit onto 8.5 x 11 paper very well most times. This is not always the case with snip and arrange paper clips.

Does it matter either way? Will editors scoff at web clips, or will they understand?

Marc

A: Use whichever looks better. Make sure the date and name of the publication is on there.

If a web clip runs to eight pages while a photocopied clip is just one or two legible pages, it might make more sense to use the one that requires less paper.

With the number of newspapers publishing online, most editors should be careful with web clips.

How to submit portfolio samples?

Q: I have to mail a few of my clippings to a paper where I am seeking an internship. How do you suggest that I mail them?

I think that folding them in a big envelope might be a little unprofessional. Don't you?

But then again, I am not sure how they expect them, really. Should I glue them on black construction paper as if they were inserts in my portfolio?

Oakland U. junior

A: Definitely try to send them in an envelope that is large enough so they can lay flat. The editor likely will want to read them and perhaps photocopy them for others.

Do not paste them onto black construction paper. You'll look like a rookie. Simple is best. Photocopy your clips onto 8 1/2 by 11 or 11 by 14 paper. Look for clean, complete and contrasty copies.

Corrections or mistakes?

Q: You said not to "clean up" clips sent through e-mail (and elsewhere.) But isn't it better not to use clips that have typos or wrong information?

I understood you shouldn't use clips with typos, even from an impressive metro newspaper.

Barbara

A: You are correct. Do not clean up your clips and do not use clips with typos or errors in them. If you simply must do one or the other, go the honest way and submit clips with mistakes -- but keep working to get clean ones.

Applying on-line?

Q: I'm seeing more and more ads that ask for applications online. I understand the concept, of course, but what do you do with your clips?

Aren't electronic versions iffy? Do you send PDFs of your clips? I would love to start applying this way, but I'm not quite sure what to do with the clips. Any advice would be much appreciated.

Liz

A: The landscape is changing, isn't it?

If the editors ask for digital clips, I'd go digital.

Now, what does digital mean? You have three choices. Easiest for me, as a recruiting editor, is links to clips that are posted. Next best is to include the articles in your e-mail. If you string them all together in the e-mail, I can scroll through them. If you send them as attachments, consider two things: I need to be able to open the attachments (Word is pretty universal) and you will have me clicking and opening and shutting a lot of windows to see your work. Pasting clips into the body of the e-mail is foolproof. (Even for me.)

Worst way to send clips digitally: as image files. If you send me PDF's of pages, graphics, photos and even your clips, they will be huge. A huge e-mail shuts down my already stuffed mailbox. In worst cases, the computer bombs and I can do nothing at all until I first remove (unread) the huge e-mail. Stay away from analog (image) files and go, when you can, for links or small files.

Let's take this opportunity to remind everyone that, when you send digital copies of written clips, do NOT succumb to the temptation to make minor fixes. Send what was published -- errors and all -- even if it was an error inserted on the desk.

The word "clip" implies it was cut out of the newspaper -- even if it is digital -- and if you change the article one iota, you have crossed an ethical line. You might recall a recent flap over a newspaper that "cleaned up" its clips before submitting them for a contest. That is over the line.

Huge portfolio for a job interview?

Q: I have an interview and I was wondering how to present my work samples to the interviewer? I have a bulky, fake leather, large portfolio that looks great and presents my work in its original form, but I'm worried that I'll be bringing in this cumbersome thing and the interviewer won't know what to do with it. How should I present my work in an interview? Should I cut out the clips and copy them on to a less onerous page layout and give them in a folder, or should I stick with the original copies and the monstrosity of a portfolio?

Erin

A: Good question. Do not take a cumbersome clip package to an interview.

Edit your clips down to a select half-dozen that are well written and for which you have good stories to tell. Use the clips as a bridge to talking about your abilities as a reporter. Choose the best written ones as examples of your writing. The best clips for a job interview will be those that you generated yourself or where you had to go to extra lengths to get the story.

It is not unusual for an editor to ask "how many of these clips were your ideas?" or, "tell me how you got this story?"

One reporter we know makes a different clip package for mailing than she does for interviewing for just this reason.

A bulky batch of clips will prevent you from focusing on your shining moments.

And, yes, take copies rather than originals so that you can leave sets with the people you meet.

Books on résumé?

Q: I have a résumé question. You've addressed how to list freelance experience- but what about books?

Should I list them in a similar way to articles, and how would I indicate that a book is forthcoming from a press?

By the way, I dig the website- very informative!

E.A., Detroit

A: Good question. The body of a résumé is chronological, stringing together spans of time worked in different ways or for different employers. Books, however, tend to have just one time -- the publication year. That is hard to insert in the middle of a chronology. So, I would list the book -- even an upcoming book -- in a section that follows the body of your résumé You might call it "Related work" or "Related accomplishments," depending on what else you have to keep it company.

Incidentally, if you list individual articles, you'll either have a very long résumé or you'll be implying that you don't have all that many articles. I'd list the publications that have run them, instead.

Putting a future job on my resume?

Q: I recently accepted an internship, which begins at the same time as a deadline for another program I am applying to. Should I include the internship on my résumé, even though I won't have started working yet and don't have specifics on what kind of stories I'll be covering? The benefit of including it, though, is giving the reviewers an idea of what I'm doing now.

Rasha

A: You can certainly include an internship you have been accepted into but have not begun. Just be up-front about it.

It is rather like saying when you will graduate from college.

You could do it just by putting down the name of the paper, the start and end dates (which would presumably be in the future.) You could also make it clear with your wording: “I have been accepted for an internship at this XXX,000-circulation newspaper.”)

How many clips are too many?

Q: I am working on my internship clip packet and I covered a big breaking news story and have 5-6 clips from it that go together as a series.  Same goes for a three-part season preview I am doing and might want to include.  But I also want to include a few other profiles, game stories and features I have done and want to remain under the average limit (seems to be 10).

Do I count the series as one or just cut those down to a story or two so I can include other things and come out with exactly 10 clips?

Matthew

A: The key question is how the editors will count things. Chances are, they will count a dozen stories as a dozen stories -- even if three or four are related, connected or batched. Limit yourself to what they ask for -- even if it means sending just part of the series. If you're worried, you can tell the editor that you can send the rest of the series if requested.

The danger in exceeding the editors' expectation for clips is that they will think you don't adhere to length limits or that they will choose the parts they want to read, bypassing some things that you want them to read.

Application materials that weren't requested?

Q: Both ads that I've seen for a job don't ask for clips, just letter and résumé, still think I should send a few.

I thought it'd still be good to send a few (as in no more than four), especially for a reporting position.

Jeannie

A: Send clips. Only the most anal editor in the world will flip out  if you send something that wasn't requested, and that's not an editor you want to work for anyway. I suspect that most applications will arrive with clips. One without them will look sparse and force the editor to take an extra step to bring you up to speed with the other candidates. I can see the editor saying, "Doesn't this person know I want to see clips, too?"

Send clips -- especially if they're good.

Using work e-mail account to apply?

Q: Any thoughts on receiving job inquiries from a journalist's newspaper e-mail account?

Darren

A: Two. Shouldn't the journalist have a personal, non-work address and doesn't this person know that the boss could get access to e-mails sent through a work account?

Company stationery to apply for job?

Q: When sending out clip packets, is it OK to use my current company's stationary for my cover letter? After all, I do have personal business cards with the company logo on it. Or would that be inappropriate?

Kevin

A: That is a major no-no.

Using the company stationery for personal business (like getting a job somewhere else) is taboo.

It is also taboo to imply, by the use of the house stationery that you are on company business.

Using stationery to job-hunt can bring down doubts about your honesty and your ethics. Don't do it.

While it is common practice for people to swap business cards, they are not intended to be little helpers in the job hunt. Personally, I wouldn't mail out a company business card with my application, anyway. All the information on that card is on my résumé -- except for my business phone, which I wouldn't put on my résumé, either.

Use review when applying?

Q: I recently received a glowing annual performance review in writing. Is it ever appropriate to include something like that along with letters, clips or résumé when applying for a metro daily newspaper position?

G

A: It is appropriate on a limited basis.

This is, after all, a proprietary document from a personnel file. I would save it to use when you are engaged in serious talks with someone. I would not send it out with my clips.

Generally, that means you will not be bringing it up until the third or fourth stage of your job hunt with a particular place.

Congratulations on the nice review, by the way.