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.

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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.

 

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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.

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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.