Joe Grimm's News Jobs Café: Ask the recruiter

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.

Newspaper internship or job?

Q: I just recently wrapped up a hell of a three-month internship at a 75,000 daily. I got an opportunity to do a lot, in sports as well as features and news, everyone was very supportive, and the editors and I collaborated closely when my stories were edited.

I had previously had trouble getting internships earlier in my career, so I just freelanced. I am the head sports writer for our campus weekly, and also did stringer work for a small daily nearby

My question is that since I am about to graduate and have bills (student loans, etc.) I will need to pay, would it be best if I try for another internship at a big gun (like the Free Press) or just shoot for a full-time job at a mid-sizer after graduation?

Also, when talking to sports editors for a writing position, should I list the fact that I play football in college, or is it really irrelevant? I would think that it could only help.

Christian

A: Congratulations!

And now it's time to pay the bills ... Wehere newspapers are concerned, you can actually find some internships that pay better than some newspapers' jobs. They key question, though, will not be who is paying the most, but what is available to tyou. It sounds as though you're fraduating in December. There can be no good in waiting around till summer to do an internship, so I would be looking for a job orinternship that will start soon after you graduate. In many cases, internships are offered with much more lead time than jobs, and they tend to happen much more frequently in the summer. For a winter graduation, search for jobs and internships simultaneously.

And I'd add the bit about being a player. It shouldn't hurt and might help.

Journalism in Japan?

Q: I've got a problem. I've been living abroad in Japan for the last four years since 2002. And I haven't done anything journalism related since then.

I graduated from a fairly good school, did several internships and even had a job as a copy editor for a couple of months before I left for Japan. Now, after spending some time here as an English teacher and learning the Japanese language to an extent, I'd like to get back into journalism. More specifically, I'd like to do it here, in Japan with some of the English-language publications.

I'm determined to cold-call some editors and pitch them some stories/ask them for some assignments, but I'm not sure what the best way to go about that would be. My clips are limited and old and I haven't written anything for a long time. Of course I'm also trying to write as much as I can now for online publications and such, but in the meantime what should I do?

Jesse

A: Your English fluency may be one of your best assets.

Pitch story ideas. Editors are reluctant to give story assignments to unproven people, but will let them try to tackle stories that they think of themselves. Once they have had the chance to edit some of your work, they will have a better idea of how you operate. If you do well, you'll then get some assignments.

Fresh clips are much more important for people seeking full-time jobs than they are for people seeking freelance work.

Is the newspaper job market bad?

Q: I've been away from the newspaper business for almost nine months. I left it to initially travel to Europe (freelanced for a few magazines and newspapers at the Winter Olympics in Turin, Italy) with the thought that when I returned, because of the extra experience I gained there, I'd find something even better than my previous situation (sports copy editor at a 200,000-plus paper in Los Angeles).

I am interested in moving up to sports editor at a mid-size to 100,000 paper, but so far no luck. I've got 17 years experience in the biz in all facets and I have been a sports editor at a 25,000 circulation paper. Did I just pick a horrible time to take a lengthy break? Seems so to me as even the paper I left, which said they'd take me back, has a hiring freeze. Any thoughts? I'd appreciate any advice you could give me.

Thanks,

SoCal journalist

A: You have it about right. In recent weeks, we have seen buyouts, freezes and layoff announcements at several newspapers and the dissolution of Knight Ridder, formerly the second-largest newspaper company in the country.

It seems that newspapers are beginning to retool themselves for on-line news. I'd get with that. In many ways, copy editors have skills that can translate well to on-line media. You might want to learn some new skills and adjust your career goals for an on-line world.

The pressure of applying

A young reporter at the National Association of Black Journalists' convention this week gave me a good reminder of how much pressure people feel.

Referring to his résumé and clips, he said, "all your hopes and dreams in five pages."

It's a good thing for recruiters to keep in mind as journalists slide them across the table.

Political science degree and journalism?

Q: I'm aspiring to be a government reporter at the state level or in DC, if such an opportunity were to arise. I have a BA in journalism but I was thinking of getting a second BA while I continued working in political science. Do you think a degree in poli sci would be a significant factor for an employer looking for a government or poltical reporter?

Thanks,

Chris

A: I see that you're already a reporter at a daily. That helps. If you get embroiled in a master's program, you'll lose your mobility just at a time when you're looking to move. I would nudge my daily work as far as I could into government and politics, keep looking for a job elsewhere and save grad school for when you've landed where you can stay for a few years. With any luck, that newspaper will have a tuition reimbursement program.

From PR to newspapers?

Q: I was a reporter at a daily newspaper with a circulation of about 100,000 for seven years. I also interned there. I left the paper two years ago for a public relations job. I am looking at getting back into journalism. I have applied to some papers but nothing yet. I am looking for some guidance. Here are a few questions:

Will papers shy away from me because I left journalism?

What size papers should I apply to?

I've noticed some papers ask applicants to apply online and copy and paste their resume. But clips and cover letters aren't requested. Should you include clips and a cover letter anyway?

A friend suggested I select several papers I would like to work and send my clips, resume and cover letter to the papers' recruiters. Is that a good idea for me considering I haven't been a reporter for two years?

Thanks,

Trying to get back in the game

A: You will have a harder time advancing your career from public relations than you would have had if you had tried to make a move straight from your old newspaper. Some editors may question your commitment, having gone to "the other side."

However, editors like recovered sinners. Have a strong story together about what you learned about PR and how being away has rekindled your passion for journalism. I've seen that work.

Apply to papers about 90,000 and up. Certainly, you haven't forgotten anything you've learned, and you shouldn't have to start over. There may be a slight setback at your return, but a total restart should be unnecessary, seems unfair and might be unaffordable.

I would add a cover letter when applying on-line because you have a story to tell, but I would not send clips, as it sounds like they're old, anyway.

I wouldn't mail out a lot of clips to recruiters until you know they have active openings.. You might not get much of a response, and that can be discouraging. I would try to get to a journalism conference where you could meet some editors and have some conversations.

Who owns the company?

On the occasion of his newspaper's 110th anniversary, the publisher of the Kennebec Journal and the Morning Sentinel in Augusta, Maine, publisher John Christie gives this advice: "When I speak to groups of aspiring journalists, I'm often asked about what to look for in the first job. That's another opportunity to bring up the importance of ownership, whether you go to work in a newspaper or any other private sector job."

As you would expect, he praises the people he works for in the piece, but his advice is sound: Check out the owners.

Non-compete clause?

Q: My situation is this: I've been working part-time for over a year at a small daily as a copy editor. Recently, they cut back on my hours because as a part-timer I'm not allowed to average more than 32 hours a week.

When I was hired, they knew that I really wanted to be a reporter and the paper also has a magazine that I've written for before and recently wrote for again. However, my boss is already saying that he doesn't want to get in trouble for giving me too many hours because of the articles, so I'm afraid those assignments may dry up.

About a year ago, I asked about getting an internship there or somewhere else as a reporter but was told that A) I couldn't be both intern and employee and B) I couldn't write for any other publication unless it was nonprofit and not a direct competitor. What I want to know is can they do this? I didn't sign a contract and non-competes aren't legal in my state.

Frankly, I really need the money that writing articles brings in and it's ridiculous to let my ideas and ability go to waste. But I also need the money from my current job.  Any ideas?

Caught

A: Yes, a newspaper can forbid you from writing for competitors. It just makes sense. Why would any business -- especially one that gives many of its employees a public nod (bylines) allow them to work for a direct competitor? Would readers be confused? How would you decidedwhether to write a hot story for this publication or another? How could editors trust that what you learn at a news meeting or in an office conversation would not walk right across the street? I might even draw the line at local non-profits. I would not feel comfortable having staffers write for -- and get paid by -- local non-profits that are the subject of news coverage. How could readers trust our reporting on a business that was paying some of our staffers?

The question lies in how your editors define a direct competitor. If you can't write for publications whose circulation areas overlap with their overlap your newspaper's, I get that. But national publications? That has to be negotiated case by case.

The real issue is that you want to get more writing hours. Work with your bosses to see if you can be transitioned from 32 hours of copy hours of editing to more and more of reporting -- and build up to a full-time schedule. If they won't do that, learn whether there is something you need to be better at -- and look for a new job.

Jop-hopping

Dawn Sagario of the Des Moines Register writes about young workers and so-called job hopping.

How many moves are too many?