Joe Grimm's News Jobs Café: Ask the recruiter

Writing My Own Job Description?

Q: I was glad to see your columns on the Poynter site. They are a great way to talk about journalism jobs and job-related issues.

I have a situation that I need some help with, but have a hard time putting it out on a discussion board. My job is changing and my boss has yet to write a job description or tell me all the details. He has told me to tell him what I want to get from the job. So, my question is, how do I write a job description and what should be in one?

I see the position as a hybrid between the metro and the copy desks. (I currently work on the copy desk.) It's not clear who I would report to -- the ame in charge of the copy desk, the ame/sunday or the ame/metro -- and I think that issue should be cleared up before the position starts.

So, this is my dilemma:  I have a boss who has been talking about doing this job change since I came back from the ACES conference in April, but who has not written the job description and has tossed it back at me. The sketchy outline is all that I have. I'd like to write a job description that meets the company's immediate needs, but also allows me to grow and develop the position into one that has more influence and less gatekeeping than my boss currently sees it having.

A: In some ways, this is an ideal situation.

You are lucky to have a role in describing and defining your job.

You're approaching it in the right way. This description, to work well for the paper and for you, needs to serve the paper's immediate and strategic needs and your own career interests.

Learn what is most important to your editors by asking or by observing. If you can work on the things that are most important to them, you'll be of greater value. If you can learn the skills that will be important in the future, so much the better. As an editor, part of that should no doubt be how well you develop your team or work with other editors.

In my appraisal, my editor weights my different responsibilities. This gives me a clearer set of priorities than a laundry list would have. When I am deciding where to put my attention, the appraisal tells me what is valued most. The trick, always, is to have the things that are most valuable to you be the same things that are most valuable in your position. It sounds like you and your boss are not in full agreement on the gatekeeping issue.

Your best strategy in changing that is to satisfy his need for gatekeeping with other people or a change in the system and to replace your gatekeeping responsibilities with things that he needs even more.

 

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

One Month and Out of Editing?

Q: I'm a reporter who recently accepted a promotion to an editing position. I've been in the position for about a month, and for various reasons, I don't believe the new job is a good fit. My question is: Is it OK to start the job search right away, or would it be best to stick the job out for a certain amount of time before hunting for a new one?

And, if it is OK to begin the search, what advice do you have for how to address the situation in job interviews?

Itchy

A: We have a third option here. That is to go back to your editors, tell them that you think this job is not for you and ask to be moved back to reporting.

But, if you've decided it's time to get a reporting job at another paper, you're in a decent position. Your clips are fresh and even a little experience as an editor gives you a wider perspective. Other editors should appreciate that. In the back of their minds, they'll be thinking that you might one day be an editor for them, too. But that will be your call.

The only danger I see is in moving to another job that makes you unhappy. Two short, unhappy experiences in a row could mean trouble. One so-so job followed by a great one is no problem at all.

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

Announcing a new hire?

Q: I'm new to managing and hiring, and I just offered a position to my first hire (and he accepted). How should I let the other candidates and applicants know the position has been filled? We only interviewed one other candidate, though many others had been in contact by e-mail and phone. Should I call the other interviewed candidate and e-mail the others?

Jessica

A: Good stuff! Let's hope this is the first of many.

After you have an agreement from someone, tell the other in-house candidates personally. They are, after all, staff members with something at stake. Do not tell them by e-mail. Tell them by phone only as a last resort.

Then tell your staff in a posting.

Then tell the external candidates. You can e-mail them, write them, whatever you want, depending on your interest in them for future openings.

This will keep you out of a mess in which your staffers hear from people outside the newsroom about what is going on with your staff.Follow: Thanks very much for your answer. One thing I wanted to clarify -- none of the applicants were in-house staff. Some were from other papers owned by our parent company. Most were completely external, and most had not been asked for interviews. That's where I wasn't sure how to notify them. I ended up e-mailing most of them, with longer notes and follow-up phone calls to the ones who seemed to have potential for possible future openings.

From the grateful responses I received to my notes and calls, it seems that many papers don't bother responding in any way to applicants they aren't interested in interviewing. Having been there myself not that long ago, I decided some feedback was better than none. Even in the cases where it was clear we were one of many papers applied to, it couldn't hurt (and could only help) for us to have some interaction with interested applicants, even if they were unsuccessful this time around.

Thanks again for your advice.

Jessica

Salary range in job posting?

Q: As a hiring manager, where do you stand on listing salary range in a job listing? Normally I don't out of respect for the people currently on staff, but we have a new opening and the two people currently in the same position said a lot more people would apply if people realize how much we pay.

Since we're not a traditional paper, applicants assume our pay is crumby, but compared to some bigger chains we've always found that our salary scale isn't just competitive, but can sometimes be a huge jump, depending on the company.

Ron

A: You have listed several good reasons for putting a salary range in your ad. Go ahead and do it. I can't think of any downside.

Bad advice on weeklies?

Q: An answer you gave to a youngster with experience working at a weekly troubled me ("Weekly to daily," Feb. 8, 2006).

I became a reporter  for a small weekly (then editor, then publisher and now publish a small daily) at mid-life, about 15 years ago and know that  young reporters or editors can gain valuable experience in these situations ... but even the best of them often have difficulties finding positions with larger publications and find their experience simply doesn't count for much.

With most metros cutting newsroom jobs, it is likely many of those graduating college right now will have to put in at least some time at weeklies if they hope to gain any experience (and a paying job in journalism).

It would make sense that editors at these larger papers pay a bit more attention to this experience but, as your response indicated, this doesn't appear to be the case.

Any thoughts?

Publisher in Texas

A: I'm glad you wrote.

The question of weekly vs. daily requires a more complex answer. Certainly, we are not in a one-size-fits-all business. And thank heavens not everyone has to work at a major metro to be successful and happy.

Individually, we do best to have some notion of what we'd like to wind up doing and then pay attention to what happens along the way to getting there.

Most people, right out of school, aspire to dailies. They'll get there faster if they can start with dailies. If they can't, they shouldn't just give up. Weeklies can be a next-best option. Once there, it pays to pay attention to the kind of editing and work you get. It can be some of the most rewarding journalism there is.

I should have thought a little harder about my part-time job at the Croswell Jeffersonian before writing that too-brief answer.

Career detour?

Q: A friend of mine has asked me a recruiting-related question and, having less than a year experience as an editor, I don't feel qualified to answer. I thought I'd ask you.

She has been a reporter for a small daily for about 3 years and she's been tentatively offered a job at a university writing about health care and science-related research for one of the professional schools.

Her concern is whether leaving reporting for such a job would be looked at unfavorably in years to come if she wants to get back into journalism.

I know you've answered questions about the switch to PR and back, but this strikes me as being a little different.

Any suggestions?

Baltimore

A: This is different than PR, but there is no getting around the fact that working outside of journalism for a few years will set her back compared to folks who work inside of journalism.

Ask her to think about it this way: When we take a detour, it is always with the intention of getting someplace. Will this position lead her in the direction she wants to go? I should think that this could be a good way to get to a job writing about health and medicine, whether that be in a business, news or features department. If she is thinking she would like to come back one day as a features columnist or a sports beat writer, this detour seems to be taking her out of her way.

Path to publisher's job?

Q: I've been working hard in the newspaper industry since I got out of the Air Force and have quickly advanced my career. From starting at a small newspaper as Lifestyles Editor, I have managed to move up to a multi-publication company as managing editor in eight years. I have completely redesigned a newspaper, and have managed to rack up experience in sales, graphics design, and have even trained on running a press giving me insight and experience into all aspects of the newspaper business.

So, why is it that despite all of these strengths and a publisher who wrote me the best darn letter of recommendation I've ever seen, have I been told when applying for a publisher's position that I don't have the qualifications they're looking for?

I am confident in my ability to do the job well, and the only way I see for me to change my "qualifications" is to step away from a managing editor's position and take on sales full-time. What happened to news guys (or gals) running newspapers?

Shawn

A: Well, I can sure feel your frustration.

I think the answer will have to come from the people who have passed you over. It seems to me that they have the critical piece of missing advice. Before you get a job in sales, find out what they mean. I still see many people from newsrooms becoming publishers and hope that the trend holds up. Many of them have less sales and production experience than you have, so it must be something else. It could be a lot of things. It could be that the particular job you applied for requires another kind of background. It could be that while you are broadening your experience, they are looking for someone with deeper experience – more budgeting, more strategic planning. You don’t know until you ask.

So, I would pursue two tacks: keep applying, looking for a paper where you might find the right fit, and get some frank advice – perhaps from that reference – about the kinds of experiences you can get now that will set you up for the publishers office. Study ads you see for publishers and see what employers are looking for. Although publishers are in charge of newsroom, sales force and production team, they seldom write stories, sell ads or run the presses themselves. Knowing those things is a benefit, to be sure, but they are not likely qualifiers.

Editor with no reporting experience?

Q: I'm in my late 30s with 15 years of newspaper experience. Starting out, I wanted to be a reporter, but hiring editors offered me copy editing jobs instead, and I quickly became pigeonholed. Applying for reporting jobs led only to offers for more copy desk jobs.

Finally, two years ago, I quit my job as a copy editor at a large major metro and took a huge pay cut to be an assistant city editor at a 40K-circulation paper. People said I was crazy, but I feel much more comfortable in my new role.

Now, after two years of success as an assistant city editor, I want to move up to a similar job at a larger paper (and eventually work my way back to a major metro). But I'm finding that many of those bigger papers insist on several years of reporting experience and want to see writing clips as well as editing clips. Editors seem to prefer hiring people who came up through the reporting ranks rather than the copy desk ranks. Any suggestions on how I can compensate for my lack of reporting experience and use my background to my advantage?

J.L.

A: I'm glad to see you made the move to editing. Those jobs are valuable, and I think you'll be able to work your way out of it.

Part of it will be mix. You'll find a desk that needs someone with your skills and will be happy to bring you on. In the meantime, use as clips some of the major projects you have run, or breaking news stories where you have coordinated coverage.

In cases like yours, I think it is valuable to have references from reporters who can attest to your ability to help them grow.

There is no need to apologize for what you have done, but be ready to show people that you can exercise news judgment, coach reporters and edit stories with anyone who ever carried a notebook.

Can exit interview be trouble?

Q: I will soon leave my position as a city editor and will have to go through an exit interview. That has me worried.

The primary reason I'm leaving is that my immediate supervisor consistently gets caught not doing his job. He enjoys passing the buck and on more than one occasion I've taken the fall for the good of the team.  He has made the comment several times that if he goes down, he's taking others with him. Now, the question is, do I reveal this in my exit interview or go quietly into the night?  I'm proud of my work and I want to be remembered for it.  I don't want to be emembered as the guy who flamed the metro editor on my last day. Got any advice?

Jay

A: First of all, I applaud your newspaper for doing exit interviews. They are a good way to find ways to improve the newsroom.

The proper timing for an exit interview is late in a person’s tenure, with the results released only after the person leaves, and to just a limited number of top editors who are in a position to evaluate the information in context with everything else they know.

Obviously, exit interviews should not be done by immediate supervisors and might best be done by people outside of the chain of command.

This process protects the person being interviewed to encourage honesty.

You’re leaving the paper, so you obviously have nothing to gain from an exit interview. You’re concerned that you may have something to lose. It sounds as though you fear this editor has friends in high places who may dog you into your new job – or if you try to get a reference for the job after that.

This would be pretty extreme.

When I conduct exit interviews, I ask people to be honest as one of the last things they can do to help the people they’re leaving behind. You could do that if your words expose this editor as a slacker or confirm the editors’ impressions.

These are things I ask in exit interviews – and impressions anyone can offer:

• What does the paper do well, and should do more of?
• What does it do poorly?
• What areas of improvement do you see in your department?
• In other departments?
• What worked or did not work well between you and supervising editors?
• Peers?
• Who are the unsung heroes you’d like to mention?
• Who will miss you when you’re gone?
• Do you have any unfinished work we should get after?

Most newsrooms do not have enough departures in a year to yield statistically significant data about the proportion of people who leave for money, location, culture or any other variable. Many departures happen for sensible reasons: a spouse takes a new job, children are born, there is a great offer with more money or a newspaper where the person would rather be. For those reasons, I looking for anecdotal data rather than data I can plug into a numerical formula.

In your case, I’d like out for myself, first, but I would try not to be paranoid. It seems you should be able to level reasoned criticism in a dispassionate way without being labeled a trouble-maker.

 

Sports editor to big-paper writer?

Q: You don't know me from Adam but I have used your site countless times in my career and you strike me as someone who has a genuine interest in helping journalists. That being said, here goes:

I am the sports editor of a suburban daily. The focus is primarily high school and the local pro team. I spent three years as the beat writer on basketball and football and broke countless stories despite direct competition from the major metro here. That earned me a promotion to editor, which I took for the bump in pay.

I've been the editor for almost two years and have fared well. My total daily experience is around 4 1/2 years. I also spent 1 1/2 years at a weekly prior to that. I currently do freelance work for a Web site and a weekly sports magazine. I even host a weekly cable access television show during football and basketball season.

But I feel like I am at a crossroads. I would rather write and have done all I can at this level. There is not a doubt in my mind I could thrive covering high schools at a big daily. My superiors and competition have told me as much.

But there are other factors: wife, child, salary, opportunity.

What would you suggest as a process to determine if there are other papers out there that would desire my services? It does not have to be a huge paper like yours, but one that is a clear step up. Are there a few papers you know of that would be a good next step that would take the time to review my credentials?

On the Fringe

A: You seem to have reasonable goals. I should think you could move back to reporting while moving to a major metro and still be able to keep that kid in shoes.

Your editing experience could actually be a big plus. It implies you can manage yourself well, that you would understand the paper's big-picture needs and you might be an ace-in-the-hole someday when the metro needs an editor and you want to go back to that.

I'd take a shot at it.

They'll judge you on the basis of your writing, of course. I'd call a couple sports editors at what you see as your destination papers, tell them what you told me and ask if you can send in some of your writing for a review.

Approach sports editors only at newspapers where you'd like to work. Approaching others will be a waste of your time -- and theirs.

Newspaper design internship?

Q: I’m contacting you to see if you can give me some advice for a page design student.

This student is a visual communications major with a pretty solid portfolio of newspaper design. He will be looking for an internship, but the catch is he wants page design only. Most of the places he’s contacted offer combination copy editing and design programs, with little emphasis on design and lots of work on the copy desk.

Do you know of any papers or magazines that would offer page design internships? What would you recommend for this student? Do you think he should accept a copy desk internship if there’s no design involved?

Jan

A: He should avoid internships that combine copy editing and design and stick with the straight-design opportunities.

Though there are fewer opportunities for pure designers, there also are far fewer candidates. If he is good and gets busy early, he should be OK.

The problem with editing/design internships for him is that he does not seem to be interested in the editing, and the design will be at a much more rudimentary level than he is used to. When newspapers ask copy editors to handle some design, it is often very basic and does not include any prime display pages. He’ll want those.

Pure design internships are more frequently offered by the larger papers, so he should begin his search with papers larger than 100,000. Some newspapers that offer good design internships are the Baltimore Sun, the Oregonian, the Virginian Pilot, the Lexington Herald-Leader and, of course the Detroit Free Press.

Also, if he has not already, he should join the Society for News Design. In addition to being filled with mentors and role models, SND carries postings for its members for job and internship openings.

Instructions for high school student?

Q: My newsroom has a shadow student issued by the local high school. He did not come with instructions.

I take him along on spot news trips sometimes, but he whittles away most of his time reading wire stories and surfing the Web. He says he is interested in journalism, and he is not just here for credit. He's a smart kid but there's not much of a workload around here.

What is an easy way to give him better experience without using up too much of the staff's time? How can he help us without taking on too much responsibility? What kind of experience are recruiters going to want to see that he had while here?

Luke in Oklahoma

A: Good question. You've nailed it. What will editors want to see him do during his time with you?

You may be surprised at how much he is learning just by being in the newsroom environment. But I would want him to do more than observe. Ideally, it would be great if he could get a couple of bylined clips. Many of us can recall the thrill of a first byline, and it could be a thrill for this young man could do that during his experience with you. I'm sure that high school has already schooled him in the art of busy work.

It could be that, after being told that the objective is for him produce something for publication, he will become even more keenly interested in the people he shadows. And no bylines item should be too small for him -- briefs, obits, an inside feature on a high school program.

It can be difficult to give a high school student meaningful experiences without sacrificing time from the job you're really there to do, so I would like for something where a contribution by the student would free up a reporter who might otherwise write the item.

How to jump to a daily?

Q: I am the editor at a small publishing company. I am 26 years old and have been with the organization two years this September. I've moved up the ranks fairly quickly, starting as a stringer, then managing editor and now where I am. I studied communications and marketing at Boston University.

My first job out of college was not in journalism. I actually fell into the field.

I am very proud of all that I have accomplished in these two years. I believe I am ready to move to a new company where I can continue to learn -- under people who will be willing to help me grow.

I would like to move to a daily newspaper but fear I am not ready for a major market, as I have no daily experience. I believe my biggest problem is when I go to apply for a reporter's job with a daily paper, they'll be very skeptical of an "editor" applying for a reporter's position. If I try to apply for an "editor's" position, I have no daily experience and therefore am unqualified.

What should I do? I would very much like to leave the company I am with as quickly as possible -- the publisher has just gone bonkers and is no longer sane.

I love being a journalist and do not want to go work for a trade magazine.

Looking

A: Sorry to hear your publisher has gone nuts. The good ones do.

You  have some hurdles to clear: monthly/weekly to daily; editor to reporter.

First, look to see if the local knowledge you've gained will give you credibility with a nearby daily. Maybe it would want you to bring some of that local knowledge aboard. You may find a daily that would like to hire on a reporter who has some editing experience and may want to get back to it in a few years. Circulation size? I'm guessing 30,000 to 60,000 daily. Remember that the 100 largest dailies in the country have circulations of about 100,000 or more. That tier is an unlikely one for you now, but you may be able to find something a stop or two smaller.

Start floating some résumés, and see what the responses are. Be ready for some "no daily experience" and "not enough years" responses, but test the waters.

 

Diversify staff?

Q: Our university paper, both in staff and coverage, is not very diverse. I have appointments to speak to several different student groups in the coming weeks, but, beyond that, I don't know how to pull in a wider variety of people, opinions and ideas. Any suggestions?

Ann

A: I'm glad you're working on that. You want your newsroom to reflect the university, grom a covergae standpoint and from the standpoint of learning how to work out in the world, to reflect good newsrooms.

This is probably better suited to a conversation, but a few things to consider:

• If you find a perspective is lacking in your newsroom, target your recruiting toward what you're missing. If, for example, you find your staff lacks Islamic perspectives, Hispanics, commuting students, older students or people who are politically conservative, seek out those groups on campus, and then try to identify the people in those groups who are or who can be good writers, designers, artists, photographers.
  
• When you get someone to try out a job at the newspaper, work like hell to keep them. Getting someone in the door to try it is less than half the battle. Treat those events as golden opportunities and don't let them die. Realize that the new person may be a lot less comfortable coming to the newsroom than your other staffers. It is never easy to be "the only one." In some cases, the person's friends may be actively discouraging them from sticking with the paper.
  
• Start improving the content of the paper now. A primary reason to diversify a staff is to diversify the content, and limited coverage can discourage people from joining. Have your present staff cover the issues you think you're missing because of a lack of diversity. If you've noticed a lack of diversity in your staff, ask yourselves whether there is also a lack of diversity in your sources or story budgets. Good reporters write about all sorts of subjects, they like the opportunity to learn new things, you can start improving the paper's content immediately and there could be long-term benefits as you recruit.
  Good luck. Some campuses have considerable backlash against efforts to diversify. Stick with it. While you may need time to discover the best methods, it's clear that this is the direction to head if we are to be accurate and complete.

Honoring holiday requests?

Q: We are still trying to reach agreement with a job candidate. Is it a fatal warning sign if this candidate requests to have two holidays off (Thanksgiving and Christmas), even though she has not yet been hired? I don't ever remember anyone I've offered a job to make this bold of a request.

Ohio editor

A: That would depend on the tone of the request, I should think. At this time of year, the candidate may have made family commitments for those dates. In fact, it would surprise me if they have not. They may simply be trying to keep commitments they have already made. You’ll have to male your own call, and maybe a little more reporting, to find out whether these holidays are make-or-break issues -– and whether they will be in the future.

I would treat the issue with some care, however. Worker today are looking for more consideration than workers of yesterday. They generally are more upfront about finding a balance between work and life. Your answer to this request will tell them a lot about how you will respond on future, more important issues such as leaves of absence, the need to work part-time and the length of the working day or week.

I simply think you need to get more information from them -– and would keep in mind that employers who are best at accommodating people’s out-of-work needs will find it easier to hire and to engender some loyalty.