Joe Grimm's News Jobs Café: Ask the recruiter

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.

Bachelor's or master's?

Q: Thanks for your site, it is a lifesaver and a great read. I have a question regarding possible routes for journalism. I graduated eight months ago with a bachelor's degree in political science and sociology. After I graduated, I realized I would like to pursue a career in print journalism. I am currently in graduate school seeking a graduate certificate in urban planning.

I am planning to be a reporter for the university paper in the fall.

I am wondering if I would be better off getting a second undergraduate degree in journalism or pursuing a master's in journalism? Do newspapers look down on entry-level reporters with graduate degrees, or does it really not matter?

Thanks for your site and your time, I hope to hear from you soon!

Ryan

A: Without a doubt: get experience and, pursue a master's in journalism, rather than a second bachelor's.

A person in your situation -- making a transition -- can make good use of a master's degree.

Good luck.

Best newspaper internships?

Q: I know you're a busy guy, so I'll try to keep this brief. I have two questions:

1. In your opinion, what are some of the nation's best summer internships? I'm trying to plan ahead for next summer and I want to aim for the top. I'm interested in newspaper/magazine news reporting/copy-editing.

2. Do you know any professionals who would be willing to look at some of my articles and offer suggestions for improvement? I'm trying to improve my writing and build relationships in the process.

Thank you for the advice. Keep up the good work on your web site. It's helped a lot.

Keegan

A: The best internships tend to be at the best papers, with one caveat. Avoid situations in which interns do not get to do real work. While a lot of those do-nothing internships have been stopped, largely because of pressure from young journalists, some still exist at magazines.

So, choose good papers, check their Websites to see if they list former interns and then look up work on-line by those interns or find them and ask them.

A list of the best internships would be long, as each person has different requirements and qualifications. I do not have simple answer of 30 names.

I know of no professionals who can easily take on the task of writing free clip critiques. A good one takes a couple of hours and, of course, professionals are busy doing their jobs. I would suggest you cultivate some of your college professors, who are already on your payroll, or perhaps an editor at a newspaper that you see as a legitimate destination. An editor may take the time to critique work by someone who, with direction, could wind up at that paper.

If your college puts on a job fair, that may be an occasion to ask for help, too.

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.

Journalism awards?

Q: I recently won a bunch of awards in the state AP contest. I don't generally put a lot of stock in these things -- they often seem random. But I contributed to half a dozen winning entries, which everyone seems to think is impressive. I've also been trying to move on from the small daily where I work. My question: what is the best way to tell potential employers about these awards, or is it even worth mentioning?

Ink-stained but honored

A: Congratulations! Awards are worth mentioning, but your attitude is right.

Lead with the project, not with the prize.

All editors know that some great work goes unrecognized (typically their own!) and that some winners are, well, good, but ... there can be politics.

You can mention this in your cover letter or on the resume.

Wrong way: "I have just won ... "

Right way: My stories on growth and development keyed on the effects on children and were recognized ...

Essentially, hundreds of journalism prizes are awarded each year in every state, so many of them start to sound less special. But a good job of reporting or storytelling -- that stands out!

Craigslist for a job?

Q: Would you reccomend putting out a classified ad in Craigslist or E&P stating that I'm a journalist looking for work, or would that be counterproductive?

Brian

A: E&P might work.

Editors, who are already grumpy about the loss of classified advertising to Craiglist,  are just catching on to looking there for used refrigerators. We are not going to look there for journalists.

Syndication services?

I am a freelance education columnist for two daily newspapers. My column has been running on the Sunday op-ed page of one newspaper for four years, and the Sunday feature page of the other newspaper for three years. The column has been well received by readers.

I would like to get the column into more newspapers. What is the best way to go about this? If I send clips, is it better to send a hard copy, or an e-mail?

Also, are you familiar with a company called Market 2 Editor? It is a company that will send your clips (via email) to 950+ daily newspapers, for a fee. I've been researching the company and it seems to be legit, but I don't want to get ripped off!

Kelly

A: Companies that send your work to potential syndication clients may certainly be legit, but we need to know whether they are effective.

I can just see what happens when companies start sending out hundreds of copies of unsolicited editorial submissions. For $125, this company says, it will e-mail your query about a syndicated column to hundreds of newspapers. To this editor, that feels like spam. You need to do some selling.

To make it into syndication, you need a better approach. If you can personally pitch your columns to some newspapers you want to get into, I would try that. They'll tell you whether they want e-mail or hard copy. If they go with you, they'll certainly want it by e-mail to save them the trouble of retyping and the danger of making mistakes.

It seems unlikely that dozens of newspapers would want an education column without local material in it, so I would start close to home -- but not so close that your client will object that you are selling to a competitor. Check with that newspaper before you start selling so there are no unpleasant surprises.

Journalism job in the UK

Q: My girlfriend is graduating in journalism (from San Francisco State University) and moving to join me here in the United Kingdom; your site is an amazing resource but we are hoping we can find something similar for U.K. work. Do you know of any useful sites online? She is primarily interested in work along the lines of copy-editing, proofreading even, but at this point we'll take whatever we can get, including internships.

She doesn't have "paid work experience" but does have a couple of years in reporter and copy-editor positions for the college newspaper, and has also done some freelance proofreading.

Bruno

A: Is there anyone who can help Bruno and his girlfriend with a Website or some advice on immigrating to the U.K. or breaking into markets there?

What kind of visa would she need? At what level should she try to break in?

What did I miss, not going to J-school?

I'm a reporter with about seven years of experience and two non-J bachelor degrees. Periodically, I wonder what I missed from skipping J-school entirely, and I search the Web for advice about journalism grad school. I found these sites that might be interesting to your other readers (and that have nothing to do with ring tones):

A copy (the site claims with permission) of a story in The New Republic called "J-School Ate My Brain," and a rebuttal letter to the editor:
http://www.uvm.edu/~tstreete/MediaCultureUVM/jschool_critique.html

Here's a link to a May Washington Post chat from the paper's AME for training and development Peter Perl:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/discussion/2006/05/18/DI2006051 801378.html

Apologies if you've already linked to one or both of these sites.

I'm actually not currently looking for a job, but your site was great inspiration for my getting my current one six months ago. Thanks for all you do!

VB

And thanks to you for pitching in with some help for others!

I am sure that you missed some good J-school lessons -- but you broaden your paper more by bringing in two non-journalism degrees.