Joe Grimm's News Jobs Café: Ask the recruiter

Should My New TV Job be This Hard?

Q: I don't write for a newspaper but I am a journalist for a television station. I too am a one-man band -- bureau reporter. I shoot, write and edit my own stories. Right now, I am having several difficulties with my job -- one being that I honestly don't think I am cut out for this line of work.

I know all throughout J-school I was reminded you must have a passion for this or you will not succeed. After a couple months on the job I think I have lost that passion ...

Right now, I am still trying to figure out why. There are several elements. One, the area is very dangerous. I cannot play cop when I'm all by myself, my station doesn't know the area either so the burden of creating good quality news stories lies all on me, and lastly the frustration and stress levels of having a good story written, shot and edited by deadline. I have let the stress of it all get the best of me -- work is all I think about to the point where I can't even sleep well at night. I mean, is this normal?

I know it must sound like I'm complaining but I've tried to give it some time and I am still in the same position. The problem now is if I don't think I am cut out for this line of work -- how do I tell my news director when I have a two-year contract

Any advice would be greatly appreciated it. Thanks!

Elizabeth

A: We turned this question over to three broadcast professionals who generously took time to give some advice.

Carol Wang, health reporter, NBC-5, KXAS, Dallas

A lot of reporters will tell you in the first job of their careers -- the first few months were among the toughest of their lives. It's overwhelming to go from college to real life. You have likely moved to somewhere new, have no friends where you are now, and are learning to be completely independent while at the same time faced with a steep learning curve at work, that allows for no time to adapt.

So what do you do ...  first off, figure out how to make work as simple as possible for you. When you're talking to people, get story ideas from them and keep a running list for when you need them.  Try to set stories up ahead of time, so that you know what your day is going to be like and are prepared for it. Practice editing and shooting faster if you think those are slowing you down.  And don't set the expectations so high for yourself that you stress yourself out even more.  Keep your shots simple and clean, don't overshoot when you don't have time.

And if that isn't helping enough, talk to your news director and propose that you turn stories three to four times a week so you can have research days/planning time to get what you want done.  And seek out programs, conferences, journalism organizations that can give you skills you need.

You have evidently made a lot of sacrifices to get to this point, so I don't know that it's lack of passion that's the underlying issue -- it sounds to me like it's the exhaustion of being new.

Andrew Humphrey, meteorologist, WDIV-Local 4, Detroit:

First, two pieces of good news:

1. Success in any field, especially journalism, is a combination of three things: 1) Talent, 2) Timing, and 3) Who You Know. From what you've said, you definitely have Talent. Doing it all is the future.  Possessing the ability to write, shoot and edit is amazing, and multi-talented journalists are highly valuable and will become the industry norm. Have confidence in that, and it will show in your work.

Instead of telling your boss you've had it and have no passion for journalism, share the specific stresses and concerns of your job with him/her. Let's look at the three you mentioned.

Your physical safety is vital and paramount to getting the story.  You want to stay healthy and alive, and your news director wants that. Talk about the details of specific cases, explain how you felt threatened, and ask how to avoid harm in the future.

If lack of knowledge (of the geography, sources, communities,or cultures) of your coverage area is widespread, that is a news department problem. Without singling out individual co-workers, explain your experiences to your news director. If communicated effectively, he/she will actually appreciate you bringing this to their attention and encourage the entire staff to know the region. In the meantime, do all you can to acquire the knowledge yourself for the type of stories you cover. Proactively studying maps and calling to introduce yourself to sources will make your future work easier.

Finally, all journalists have the pressure of meeting their deadline (i.e., "making slot"). Being an all-in-one journalist it requires a great array of aptitudes, which you already know. The additional attribute is time management. This is something your news director knows about, too. So far, your stories are good and have made it on the air. Now the key is to get them on the air with considerably less rushing and stress. If you ask your news director for the best ways to get a story done in a timely fashion, they should be able to give you advice and even take you under their wing. It's also good to seek guidance from veteran journalists at your station.

Bottom line, look at your news director not just as a boss demanding the job to be done but as a guide to help you get it done.

Al Tompkins, broadcast and online group leader, the Poynter Institute

I understand your frustration and uncertainty about your career choice.

Working as a one-man band or "backpack journalist" as it is being called these days has the advantage of autonomy and freedom of creativity, but for somebody just starting out it can be a lonely existence. One man band workers often tell me that what they miss most is the feedback and friendship we all get from a reporter or photojournalist partner. Working in a bureau can be even more isolating. It also makes sense to me that a one-man-band worker would also have concerns while working alone, especially at night on some assignments.

It is time for you to talk to your boss about your safety concerns. All of us have worked, at some time, in a job that was not fulfilling, but feeling unsafe is not tolerable.

How often, if ever, does the station send other folks to the bureau to work with you or give you feedback? When somebody at the station is sick or on vacation, do you get to work at the mothership?

I wonder if you were promised one thing but when you took the job the duties changed -- or did you get exactly what you signed up for. If the station changed the job after you signed a contract, the contract could be void.

Do you have a mentor who can give you feedback on your work? I think having a professional mentor is vital -- especially for a young journalist.

What part of your job do you love? (Hint-if you can't name anything, you might in fact be in the wrong career.)

I can't tell you if you are in the right job, but it is a difficult situation to put a new journalist--in a bureau doing three complicated jobs at once-reporting, photojournalism and editing. You are learning valuable skills right now that are going to serve you well in the future. If you become a full time reporter you will have a great awareness of what photojournalists do. If you become photojournalist you will be a photoJ who can write. These skills are in high demand in the online and convergence world right now. With a year or two of experience, could be highly marketable.

Could a Credit Check Derail Me?

Q: I've sent out resumes and clips recently, and though it's still too soon for any callbacks, I'm wondering if the sad and sorry state of my personal finances is going to derail my entire career.

A recent post on your blog referenced a candidate filling out background-check paperwork, and I wanted to ask you if credit checks are commonplace at newspapers. I've been through the mill in the past four years with an employer who has failed to generate payroll checks on time, and a layoff.

These things caused defaults of all sorts, and has resulted in a game of catch-up for about two years. I'm making headway, but I really feel that the practice of looking at personal finances would cast me in a negative light despite my abilities, which is not fair.

My current employer certainly didn't let me peruse the books before I agreed to accept their job, and I've showed loyalty to them despite their financial condition. I'd like to see a prospective employer do the same for me.

If I were asked to explain my finances, I would feel uncomfortable mentioning the financial difficulties at my current company because a recruiter may frown on those comments. Still, I would feel the need to defend myself because I have been on several occasions placed in difficult financial situations due to payless paydays.

My questions for you are: Do major newspapers require background checks (credit and criminal -- though I have no criminal record) or just reference checks with past employers? And, if they do, how much weight is put on those findings versus good employer references and well-written clips?

Emily

A: Relax. This is unlikely to come up.

Newsrooms are most likely to check your academic credentials, your criminal record, your Social Security number and to ask for a drug test.

A credit check is not likely.

Each of these steps costs companies money, so they try to do only those that are most relevant to the job. Lying would be bad, of course, and a bad driving record could be alarming if you're going to be driving in the course of doing your work.

But as journalists rarely are asked to handle money, a credit check is not a standard part of most screenings.

If they go further than that, they might check your arrest record. A credit check would be the last thing they might do.

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

From PR to Journalism?

Q: I currently work in PR and am looking to go to journalism school.  I've always thought PR is a good segue into journalism, given the shared goals of concise communication and necessary writing skills required by both fields, not to mention the fact that PR professionals work with the media often.

But one admissions counselor expressed some concern with my current profession.  Though she wouldn't say why would PR be looked upon differently than other professions that are not directly related to journalism? How might I combat this sentiment?

Alex

A: Her reservations may have to do with bigger issues than mere skills.

We journalists can be holier-than-thou when it comes to the pursuit of truth and justice. I think you've just been out-holied.

This admissions counselot -- and many editors -- may wonder if you can strike an impartial balance and pursue the real story after working to shade or spin stories.

The goal of pure objectivity remains just that. Journalists now talk about being fair, balanced and complete.

If you want to make the move to journalism, go for it. We certainly see a lot of journalists go  into PR. But be aware that you will encounter some editors who have the same reservations you have just seen in this admissions counselor.

It will take time and work, but you can develop the proofs that you are pursuing truth with as much vigor as the journalists you now hope to join.

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

Telling my Boss to Back Off?

Q: My editor covered my beat for five years and was recently promoted to editor.  I thought this could be a good thing, but it's turning out to be a burden.  He still feels ownership over this beat and loves to talk about random details at length and assigns me stories, and a "column," that are in vein with his interests.

He has high expectations for me, and, trust me, I'm a perfectionist and my own harshest critic, but we have different visions for the beat. He just can't seem to let go and assume his new position.  Is there a polite way to bring this up?  Or am I expecting too much of an editor?

Sara

A: I once heard someone in the newsroom say, "When it comes to husbands and editors, keep your expecatations low."

And she was an editor!

No, I don't think you are expecting too much. You apparently have an editor who cares a lot about this beat and who may miss doing it himself. This is not entirely bad.

I would try to tackle it directly. Schedule a meeting with him outside the office, and explain how you feel.

Tell him, "Look, I need your help and guidance on this beat, and I appreciate your enthusiasm for it, but I have to be allowed to do things my own way. I will not find every story you would, but given a chance to put my own stamp on this, I know I'll find some new things. I need you to back me up, but I have to be allowed to find my own way, make the occasional mistake and learn to do this job just as you did. I know you're only trying to help, but too often I feel like I'm just filling story orders.

"Let's keep talking, but please give me a chance to put some stories on the table myself. I think I can surprise you."

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

Have Cover Letter at Interview?

Q: I have an interview coming up at a large news magazine in New York City, and I was wondering if I should bring a cover letter. I got the interview through a friend. I merely used this friend's name (which has some clout) and sent a copy of my resume in an e-mail and got a reply to come in for an interview. I originally added a short note in the email (like a mini cover letter) but that was about it. Will a cover letter be expected of me when I walk in for the interview?

Also, I don't have a ton of experience for the job but I know I can test well and do a good interview. Plus I have been using the relevant skills needed in other jobs I've done. I have one year in the job experience department for this position, but that was a college paper and a little while back. Considering that I need some luck to land this job, is there any advice you can offer me? I was going to bring in a portfolio of some graduate papers and some clips I copy edited, but beyond that I only have some freelance writing I've done (Web site copy and such). Bottom line is I don't have a sweet portfolio but really, really want this job.

Thanks a lot for your help.

Daniel

A: A cover letter typically flies by mail and accompanies a resume. You should not need one for the interview.

I would plan to write a brief and thoughtful note afterward, however.

To get ready for the interview, do you research into that company and be ready to ask some sharp questions. Do not ask fake questions calculated to show how much you've learned. Better, ask questions about the company's direction, market position or future that will likely touch on some of the issues company insiders are concerned about. Have your portfolio with you, but don't bring it out and take people through it unless they ask to see it. You don't want to lose interviewing time to portfolio showing.

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

The Minimum-Experience Blues?

Q: Let me join the others who have thanked you for this valuable resource. I am a young journalist who just graduated from a top college having worked at the excellent student newspaper there for four years and completed an internship at a well-regarded 200,000 circ. paper. I've been told by many editors and respectable journalists that I'm talented and should be able to land a job at a mid-sized paper.

But in my job search, many mid-sized newspapers I looked at (I'm talking 100,000, plus or minus 25,000) say they require 3-5 years of experience at a professional newspaper. Indeed, in several follow-up calls, editors couldn't look past my resume to see if my clips show that I have what it takes to succeed at their paper now. This seems to me to be a problem with many of our best newspapers -- newsrooms are filled with baby boomers and lack talented young journalists to help them better connect with my generation. I realize that experience is valuable, but shouldn't editors be judging talent and not assigning arbitrary length-of-time requirements to their reporting openings? Is this a function of cutbacks in the industry as a whole?

Sam

A: I'm with you 100 percent.

A couple of things may be going on here. One may be that overworked editors are setting up some minimal hurdles that help them deal with applications. This can be their way of dealing with a flood of application. After all, length of experience is the easiest thing to measure, it indicates that some of that earl-career training may have already happened and and it is a first indicator that references will be positive. A person with little track record is comparatively less tested and will not have such detailed references.

The other thing to consider is whether these more experienced people are just better. In your case, for example, I'd expect that you will keep growing and that you'll be even better in three years than you are right now. Some of the people these editors seem to favor may have been -- three years ago -- exactly where you are now. They've just grown.

(Think of the people now facing buyouts as newspapers try to hire less experienced, cheaper people. They feel cheated, like you, when someone less experienced gets the job. This knife cuts both ways.)

Professors and mentors don't lie when they say you can work at a large newspaper. They are honestly impressed by your work and they know you. But editors are not looking simply for someone who can make it. They try to find the people who will do best.

You're going to have to find ways to break through the minimum-service rule. One way is to meet some of these editors at their papers, at conferences, seminars and the like. Another is to go after journalistic specialties where there is less competition. And, of course, you could always go to work at a good-quality smaller daily they compete with and kick their butts.

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.

Surviving a Killer Workload?

Q: Thanks for writing this terrific column! I've always appreciated your advice. I keep a Detroit Free Press rejection letter from you on my fridge -- it's more inspirational than many acceptances I've received.

I recently started working for an award-winning small-town daily. I'm learning a lot, but the pace is a little overwhelming: I write two stories every day, in addition to covering any breaking news and writing our police blotter. I'm afraid that, at the end of the day, I won't have any clips I'm proud of to show for it -- just a lot of hurried work. I've been told that the pace is a little slower (one story a day) at larger dailies -- is that true? Should I just tough it out until I can move to a bigger daily, or should I start looking at weeklies instead?

Again, thanks! I look forward to hearing from you.

Emily

A: The quality of our work depends on many things. Three are talent, time and training. Others are passion and practice, and you seem to be experiencing plenty of those.

Large dailies, which seem to be especially under the gun these days, generally demand fewer stories than smaller papers do, but that's not to say the work is any easier. Weeklies can work you just as hard as any daily, so I wouldn't necessarily think of them as safe havens.

For now, work with what you've got. Your workload is likely imposed by top management, not your immediate editor, and seems unlikely to change. Working with your editor, identify one or two special stories a week that you think merit extra time. Those would be part of your normal workload, but by borrowing time from less difficult or important stories and spending it on these specials, you can report and write some clip-worthy work.

If you decide to move, grill the reporters you'd be working with about their working conditions. They should level with you. And remember to check out the quality of the editing they get. It can be just as important as workload.

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

From Weekly to Teaching?

Q: For the past year, I have been working for a small weekly as a feature writer. I don't necessarily dislike my job, but it does get stale at times. The community where I work is very wealthy, so I do get to attend galas, fundraisers, etc. — which can be fun — but I really feel like I need to be doing something more worthwhile with my time. Also, the pay is terrible (around $20K per year) and the newsroom is not exactly brimming with optimism.

I'm in my mid-20s and recently got married... Because my husband owns a business in our city, I can't pick up and move (and there are very few publications where we live). I had success as a student journalist and always thought I'd do something with writing, but basically, I can't decide if journalism is truly the right career path for me. For one thing (and I'm truly no 1950s-era woman), I don't know how much career-ladder-climbing I could see myself doing because I plan on staying home (but continuing to write!) when I have children in a couple of years.

Also, I enjoy writing features, but it doesn't feel like I am making a difference in the world if that's what I do 24/7; and unfortunately, I dislike the urgency and hard-nosed reporting that goes with newswriting ...

So, I'm thinking of becoming a journalism/English teacher and freelance writer. However, it's kind of a scary career leap after all of the time and effort I put into landing my first journalism job, and I'm afraid I might regret it later. Any advice or guidance is much appreciated!

Caroline

A: You seem to have ideas about what you'd like to do next, but are afraid to make a big leap. So, make a little one -- and look before you leap.

You can freelance or dabble in teaching at a local community college or perhaps as a volunteer advisor at a local school's newspaper.

Once you know more about the possibilities, you can take a leap that won't seem so scary.

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

Too Old for an Internship?

Q: As I get older I find that whether a newspaper doesn't like you often depends on how your skills fit their organization's needs. Part of it is the company, part of it is what kind of shape that company's in economically at the time, so I take a lack of interest less personally now than I did before, although some of the interviews I had I could have handled better.

That's also why it's good to have those interviews -- you can use it as a self-improvement exercise.

Two newspapers I respect quite a bit seemed to like me but had no forseeable openings. A third newspaper for whom I really, really want to work, which is a major urban daily sized me up and said that I looked good, but the only way they'd consider putting me on the staff is if I interned there first.

At first I felt a little jilted, not because of my educational credentials but because I already have about seven years of newsroom experience at serious small-circ dailies. The more I think about it, though, I'm warming up to the idea. Three months is a short time in the grand scheme of things. I would be paid, and it would get my foot in the door for a full-time job after that at a destination paper.

But I can see some downside to interning. I'm in my early thirties. If I finish my internship with no job offer, it could well look like I'm just spinning my wheels -- a career student with no focus.

My mom and dad, who are easily old enough to be grandparents by now, aren't thrilled with this idea, and I honestly can't say I blame them. What do you think? Am I too old to intern? Should I just try to get the best staff job I can, or should I ply the internship strategy and hope for serious gains afterward?

Grad Student

Age should be no barrier do working an internship, but the fact that you already have a lot of full-time experience could make an internship look like a step back, even though it would beat a much larger paper.

I would want to have the very clear sense that there is a good chance of a job at the end. Without the job, you'll pretty much be in the place where you are now with an additional paper that saw you work, but didn't hire you. The overall pattern of your resume could look like your career is on a downward arc.

So, talk to the editors at the big paper and explain your concerns. If a real job looks like less than a 50-50 proposition, I'd look for a full time job, even though it may be at a smaller newspaper.

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