If I learned one thing from a certain professor at Marquette it was that the journalism field is VERY small. Everyone knows everyone else. One mess up and you could ensure your jobless state for years to come. And when you work in a certain niche that field becomes even smaller. (For instance one of my last freelancing gigs came from a former co-worker and required speaking with a former boss - SMALL World!)
But this isn't a post about burning bridges... I've written that one before.
Instead this is about lending a hand to a fellow writer. I've found that in this field people are often unwilling to go out of their way to help a fellow professional. I don't know if it is the competitive nature of the field, or the often insane schedules we keep. But whatever it is I've run up against my fair share of brick walls.
When I was a recent graduate I moved to New York in the hopes of landing the job of a lifetime. No one tells you the job of a lifetime is NEVER going to be your first job. Anyway, I went with a list of former Marquette students who now worked in the journalism or PR fields. One by one I contacted these alumni and asked for a 10 minute informational interview. I assured them all I really wanted to do was pick their brains about the field and the NYC market. Of all the people I contacted only two responded and agreed to offer me a meeting. A couple told me they were much too busy to see me but wished me luck. Others outright ignored my request.
As I've moved on in my career, (Sidenote: I can't complain too much since one of these contacts turned into my first job) I began to realize this is not just something a new professional runs up against. Many fellow journalists are unwilling to offer advice or support to those trying to make it.
When I moved to St. Louis, with a number of reputable jobs under my belt and a fairly good looking portfolio, I reached out to a fellow alum who also happened to have a mutual friend of mine. Two emails and one un-returned phone call I realized this local writer wasn't going to offer any support or thoughts on landing a job here. I let it go and moved on to other resources.
I've been contacted by a number of journalism majors asking my thoughts on a specific matter or internship. When I respond, at least half the people thank me and admit I am the only one who offered support and encouragement. No, I didn't get them a job, but at least I helped direct the search or their craft.
Why is it so impossible for journalists to remember the people who helped them get to where they are today and offer that same support to another?
Is this something that is unique to journalism or is this a global phenomenon?
PS The idea for this post came after a fellow alum helped me land a new freelancing gig today. I've ever so grateful to him, especially since he breaks the mold and is willing to lend a hand.
Showing posts with label job searching. Show all posts
Showing posts with label job searching. Show all posts
Thursday, May 13, 2010
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
Network Like You Mean It (Part 3)
You’ve gone to several informational interviews, you’ve cold called people and you’ve sat down to more informational interviews. Great. But don’t forget the art of the follow-up.
Sure you probably remember to send a thank you e-mail or hand written note, immediately following the meeting. You might keep it short and polite, while rehashing at least one piece of helpful information the person shared. But there is more to following up than a few lines scribbled on a page.
When I started job searching here in St. Louis, before going full-time freelance, I went on once informational interview that offered one surprising tidbit of information. The woman, who worked in PR for a major company in the city, said she was surprised at the lack of follow-up with people she has sat down with. She told me, “If I say, ‘update me in a few weeks to let me know how the search is going,’ I’m not just being nice. I’d like to know how you’ve progressed.”
According to this person, many people she has met with tend to drop off the planet entirely, or may resurrect only to ask if they have any leads six months down the line. Not good!
If a contact tells you to keep them informed, do so. Shoot them a short note after you’ve met with a contact they gave you. E-mail when you have an interview lined up with a company they are familiar with and ask for a piece of advice. Or if you have nothing significant to report write that.
This is not to say badger the person. But you want to put yourself in the forefront of their mind every once in a while. They might never respond to you or they might shoot back one line. But there is that off chance that they heard of an opening that day and because you sent an e-mail the contact has now submitted your name to the applicant pool.
You’ll be able to judge how often to contact a source by the words they write and the way they respond. If you simply get a ‘nice to hear from you’ response without signature, don’t spend your time write that contact often. If several lines of encouragement and advice, make sure to go back to that person.
Sure you probably remember to send a thank you e-mail or hand written note, immediately following the meeting. You might keep it short and polite, while rehashing at least one piece of helpful information the person shared. But there is more to following up than a few lines scribbled on a page.
When I started job searching here in St. Louis, before going full-time freelance, I went on once informational interview that offered one surprising tidbit of information. The woman, who worked in PR for a major company in the city, said she was surprised at the lack of follow-up with people she has sat down with. She told me, “If I say, ‘update me in a few weeks to let me know how the search is going,’ I’m not just being nice. I’d like to know how you’ve progressed.”
According to this person, many people she has met with tend to drop off the planet entirely, or may resurrect only to ask if they have any leads six months down the line. Not good!
If a contact tells you to keep them informed, do so. Shoot them a short note after you’ve met with a contact they gave you. E-mail when you have an interview lined up with a company they are familiar with and ask for a piece of advice. Or if you have nothing significant to report write that.
This is not to say badger the person. But you want to put yourself in the forefront of their mind every once in a while. They might never respond to you or they might shoot back one line. But there is that off chance that they heard of an opening that day and because you sent an e-mail the contact has now submitted your name to the applicant pool.
You’ll be able to judge how often to contact a source by the words they write and the way they respond. If you simply get a ‘nice to hear from you’ response without signature, don’t spend your time write that contact often. If several lines of encouragement and advice, make sure to go back to that person.
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
Network Like You Mean It (Part 2)
So you’ve contacted the people that you know and sat down with them for a brief chat about the state of the job market, where to find leads and who to contact. Now you’ve got a list of new contacts. (If you met with 5 people, you should have between 15 and 20 new contacts.)
Now comes the hard part. You need to do a little cold-calling or cold-e-mailing. Contact the person and tell them who your connection was, what you are doing and would they have 10 minutes to spare you. Try something like this:
Hi TKTK my name’s KT and ABC suggested I give you a call. I’m a recent graduate and am trying to touch base with professionals in the industry who can offer me advice for my job search and the current market.
Again, keep it short and to the point. If e-mailing, do not send along your resume, clips, etc... That’s what the meeting is for. You don’t want to inundate them with information and lengthly messages.
When you have the informational interview with these people approach it as you did with the first group. Also, don’t leave until you get 3 more contacts from this new person. That way each informational interview you have will add to your list of names and, more importantly, it will get your name out into the market place.
Sidenote: I forgot to mention this in the first post, but when you get home from one of these meetings, write down anything important/useful that was said on the looseleaf page with your contact’s name at the top.
Now comes the hard part. You need to do a little cold-calling or cold-e-mailing. Contact the person and tell them who your connection was, what you are doing and would they have 10 minutes to spare you. Try something like this:
Hi TKTK my name’s KT and ABC suggested I give you a call. I’m a recent graduate and am trying to touch base with professionals in the industry who can offer me advice for my job search and the current market.
Again, keep it short and to the point. If e-mailing, do not send along your resume, clips, etc... That’s what the meeting is for. You don’t want to inundate them with information and lengthly messages.
When you have the informational interview with these people approach it as you did with the first group. Also, don’t leave until you get 3 more contacts from this new person. That way each informational interview you have will add to your list of names and, more importantly, it will get your name out into the market place.
Sidenote: I forgot to mention this in the first post, but when you get home from one of these meetings, write down anything important/useful that was said on the looseleaf page with your contact’s name at the top.
Monday, May 4, 2009
Network Like You Mean It (Part 1)
All you recent grads, job searchers, or freelancers looking for your next gig - you’ve got to network like it’s your job. Because, to be honest, it kinda is.
You are NOT going to get hired through all those job sites. Monster, HotJobs, CareerBuilder - they are all the same. Does that mean they are useless? No. I’ll explain why in a couple days.
For now, the first step to networking is compiling your list of contacts.
I suggest you get a binder and a pack of loose leaf. On each page write the name of a contact you have personally in the business. (Every name gets a different page.) These should be people you know. Think professors, internship coordinators, summer job bosses, etc...
Below each name add the contact information. The person’s phone number (work, cell, home) and his/her e-mail address.
Then take the dive and call up each person on your list. Ask for an in-person informational interview. Tell him/her that you are looking for a job and you’d like to pick his/her brain about the job market and the industry. Make it sound like you believe he/she is the expert. Ask for just 10 minutes.
Go to the informational interview, as if it were a real interview. Prepare questions ahead of time. Do not show up in your jeans and scrubby t-shirt. Take your resume, clips, business card, etc... Thank your contact for the time, ask your questions and listen to the advice given. Keep it to the promised 10 minutes!
At the end - and this is the MOST important part - ask the person for 3 new contacts. When you get home add the new connections to a fresh sheet of loose leaf. Note the person’s contact information and add the person’s name who connected you.
You are NOT going to get hired through all those job sites. Monster, HotJobs, CareerBuilder - they are all the same. Does that mean they are useless? No. I’ll explain why in a couple days.
For now, the first step to networking is compiling your list of contacts.
I suggest you get a binder and a pack of loose leaf. On each page write the name of a contact you have personally in the business. (Every name gets a different page.) These should be people you know. Think professors, internship coordinators, summer job bosses, etc...
Below each name add the contact information. The person’s phone number (work, cell, home) and his/her e-mail address.
Then take the dive and call up each person on your list. Ask for an in-person informational interview. Tell him/her that you are looking for a job and you’d like to pick his/her brain about the job market and the industry. Make it sound like you believe he/she is the expert. Ask for just 10 minutes.
Go to the informational interview, as if it were a real interview. Prepare questions ahead of time. Do not show up in your jeans and scrubby t-shirt. Take your resume, clips, business card, etc... Thank your contact for the time, ask your questions and listen to the advice given. Keep it to the promised 10 minutes!
At the end - and this is the MOST important part - ask the person for 3 new contacts. When you get home add the new connections to a fresh sheet of loose leaf. Note the person’s contact information and add the person’s name who connected you.
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
Where To Find Freelance Jobs
There are a number of sites you can scour for writing or editing gigs. I’ve found success with a number of them. Although, I will say all these sites require a lot of work and can often be frustrating as little comes out of the work you put into it. Checking daily is going to be your best bet. A lot of the sites will end up generating dozens of resumes for that company and you don’t want to be sending your resume weeks after the original posting.
I am strongly against the sites that make you pay to get jobs. I haven’t heard of anyone getting a stellar long-term job via these outlets and why should I pay someone else to let me view jobs and pitch material.
The ones I check daily:
Craigslist - I live in St. Louis, but rarely find anything via the STL Craigslist. Check for postings in major cities. (New York, Chicago, LA, San Francisco and Atlanta) Look under the witing/editing jobs and the writing gigs.
Ed2010 - The site is New York City focused but it does post freelance positions from time to time. Plus it gives little tidbits of advice and answers your questions.
indeed - Type in freelance and you’ll find hundreds of options.
Elance - The site has fewer writing jobs than most, but this is a great site if you are skilled in other marketable for-hire areas like design or web programming.
iFreelance - Features both those looking for freelancers and writers looking for gigs. Create your profile and start looking through the open jobs.
Simply Hired - Again type in freelance and a lot of positions will come up.
FreelanceSwitch - Lists a number of freelance jobs including writing, illustration, design, etc..
Freelance Writing Gigs - This is a great resource for jobs as well as tips on what to do and what not to do.
Twitter - Believe it or not I have actually landed a number of freelance jobs by getting my name out there on twitter.
FreelanceSwitch has a list of 100 job sites. A lot of them are a waste of time, but this may give you a couple more areas to start with.
I am strongly against the sites that make you pay to get jobs. I haven’t heard of anyone getting a stellar long-term job via these outlets and why should I pay someone else to let me view jobs and pitch material.
The ones I check daily:
Craigslist - I live in St. Louis, but rarely find anything via the STL Craigslist. Check for postings in major cities. (New York, Chicago, LA, San Francisco and Atlanta) Look under the witing/editing jobs and the writing gigs.
Ed2010 - The site is New York City focused but it does post freelance positions from time to time. Plus it gives little tidbits of advice and answers your questions.
indeed - Type in freelance and you’ll find hundreds of options.
Elance - The site has fewer writing jobs than most, but this is a great site if you are skilled in other marketable for-hire areas like design or web programming.
iFreelance - Features both those looking for freelancers and writers looking for gigs. Create your profile and start looking through the open jobs.
Simply Hired - Again type in freelance and a lot of positions will come up.
FreelanceSwitch - Lists a number of freelance jobs including writing, illustration, design, etc..
Freelance Writing Gigs - This is a great resource for jobs as well as tips on what to do and what not to do.
Twitter - Believe it or not I have actually landed a number of freelance jobs by getting my name out there on twitter.
FreelanceSwitch has a list of 100 job sites. A lot of them are a waste of time, but this may give you a couple more areas to start with.
Friday, April 24, 2009
Constructing the Cover Letter
I’ve been getting a number of resumes lately for a couple freelance positions I’m trying to fill and as I read through them this week it got me thinking that most people FAIL in the cover letter. Some people don’t even bother to send a cover letter. I got an e-mail today with two attachments - a resume and a clip. Um... delete.
Maybe I’m too demanding, but after spending a summer working in a human resources department in which I was in charge of sorting through the hundreds of resumes that cam in daily I know what I want to see and what I don’t.
Tips to constructing the nearly perfect cover letter:
Address the person by name. (If that is not immediately apparent do the research. I notice the extra effort someone put in to find my full name.)
Do not put To Whom It May Concern: (If you can’t find a name at least put Dear Editor or Dear Hiring Manager.)
Spell Check! (If you are applying for a writing or editing job and can’t get a couple paragraphs right - there’s a problem.)
Do not send a form letter. (You might think it’s not that obvious but it is. The typical: ‘I would be great for this position because I have a diverse background that would fit in well with your publication,’ is blah, unoriginal and thoughtless. Include the publication name, name of the position you are applying for an some relevant info about the pub that says you’ve seen it.)
Tailor the letter to the publication you are applying to. (If it is a gardening magazine, tell the editor why you are the gardening ‘guru,’ why no one else is as suited for the job.)
Don’t be cocky. (Yes, toot your horn! But don’t laud your praises in such an obtrusive blatant manner. Subtly will serve you best in this area. Instead of: “My writing is so outstanding, I’ve landed the lead story several times at XYZ publication.” Try this: “My writing has been featured in XYZ publication, where I was able to pen the lead story on TKTK.”)
Follow directions. (If an employment ad asks for a resume and clips, don’t neglect to send those along and mention them in your letter. “Attached you will find my resume and several sample clips...”)
Talk about you past experience. (Seems obvious, right? Well, a number of people miss this step. They say what they are applying for, how to reach them, how excited they are for the opportunity, and they never say why their past is going to better the pubs future.)
Keep it short. (A cover letter that is more than a few paragraphs is way too long. I don’t have the time or energy to read through all the reasons you’re great. Show your journalism prowess and get to the point.)
Include your name and contact info. (Duh. Yeah, but people leave it out. Send your e-mail, cell phone, home phone, website, blog address, twitter account, etc..)
Name drop publications. (Instead of telling me: 'I've worked for a variety of publications in recent years.' Tell me: Most recently I worked as a staff writer at Garden's Delight. For this southern-garden focus publication I handled the DIY column as well as the 'Profile a Gardener' piece.)
Be original. (You only get one chance at a first impression. Make the editor remember your cover letter, make it sound like you, make it stand out, make it unique.)
Maybe I’m too demanding, but after spending a summer working in a human resources department in which I was in charge of sorting through the hundreds of resumes that cam in daily I know what I want to see and what I don’t.
Tips to constructing the nearly perfect cover letter:
Address the person by name. (If that is not immediately apparent do the research. I notice the extra effort someone put in to find my full name.)
Do not put To Whom It May Concern: (If you can’t find a name at least put Dear Editor or Dear Hiring Manager.)
Spell Check! (If you are applying for a writing or editing job and can’t get a couple paragraphs right - there’s a problem.)
Do not send a form letter. (You might think it’s not that obvious but it is. The typical: ‘I would be great for this position because I have a diverse background that would fit in well with your publication,’ is blah, unoriginal and thoughtless. Include the publication name, name of the position you are applying for an some relevant info about the pub that says you’ve seen it.)
Tailor the letter to the publication you are applying to. (If it is a gardening magazine, tell the editor why you are the gardening ‘guru,’ why no one else is as suited for the job.)
Don’t be cocky. (Yes, toot your horn! But don’t laud your praises in such an obtrusive blatant manner. Subtly will serve you best in this area. Instead of: “My writing is so outstanding, I’ve landed the lead story several times at XYZ publication.” Try this: “My writing has been featured in XYZ publication, where I was able to pen the lead story on TKTK.”)
Follow directions. (If an employment ad asks for a resume and clips, don’t neglect to send those along and mention them in your letter. “Attached you will find my resume and several sample clips...”)
Talk about you past experience. (Seems obvious, right? Well, a number of people miss this step. They say what they are applying for, how to reach them, how excited they are for the opportunity, and they never say why their past is going to better the pubs future.)
Keep it short. (A cover letter that is more than a few paragraphs is way too long. I don’t have the time or energy to read through all the reasons you’re great. Show your journalism prowess and get to the point.)
Include your name and contact info. (Duh. Yeah, but people leave it out. Send your e-mail, cell phone, home phone, website, blog address, twitter account, etc..)
Name drop publications. (Instead of telling me: 'I've worked for a variety of publications in recent years.' Tell me: Most recently I worked as a staff writer at Garden's Delight. For this southern-garden focus publication I handled the DIY column as well as the 'Profile a Gardener' piece.)
Be original. (You only get one chance at a first impression. Make the editor remember your cover letter, make it sound like you, make it stand out, make it unique.)
Thursday, April 16, 2009
Grads, Before You Job Search Try This
For those of you in J school you are probably looking at your bleak prospects for landing a job and thinking ‘dang, why did I go into this?’ Never fear. You’ll land a job. You’ll find your way. In the weeks before you are officially pounding the pavement for a job here’s what you need to do:
- Tweak your resume. Update it with your internships, freelance gigs, jobs on campus etc.. Make it crisp, clear, easy to read and only 1 page. Include all your contact information. SPELL CHECK IT! And if you can run it past someone who’s been in the biz awhile. Ask for suggestions to make it better.
- Network like your life depended on it!! Hardly anyone gets a job through all those internet job sites. You get a job through connections. So call up your internship mentor and ask for an information interview. Stop by your favorite J prof’s office to talk. Call up former colleagues, upper classmen to pick their brains. You want to get your name out there. Ask each contact for three other contacts. Then call those people and go on informational interviews. Take your resume, look professional and don’t come off as desperate.
- Start a blog. This is the easiest way to showcase your writing. A potential employer can skim your posts and get a feel for your voice. Obviously, you want to pick a safe and interesting topic. The additional bonus is this will prove to an employer that you are current.
- Know your social media. You don’t have to be the King/Queen of twitter. Nor do you need 1,000 friends on facebook. But you should know how to tweet. You should know how to upload a picture to flickr, comment on a blog, Digg on an article, etc... With media moving further and further from traditional news sources, the new, hipster companies are looking for people who know the ins and outs of these sites.
- Clean up your social media. Take off all those drunk pictures of you out at a Thirsty Thursday party. Remove anything that could come across as offensive and improper. Employers now check to see what dirt they can dig up on a potential hire. Don’t leave any dirt out there to be found. Google your name and see what comes up, fix what shouldn’t be out there!
- Take on some freelance gigs! Even if they are unpaid, a freelance article for a reputable site or publication gives you another clip and shows your interviewer you’ve got diversity. Branch out. Try new things.
- Read - a lot! What the J profs say is true - you need to be current on the news. Whether you are hoping to focus on the music industry or you want to be a news-breaking political reporter, you’ll need to know what’s up. Daily read the top stories as well as the big stories under the topic you’re interested in. Read books, magazines, blogs, etc... The more you read the better your writing will become.
- Tell your family and friends you are job searching. ‘Duh, they already know that.’ True they probably do but you might not be fresh in their mind. Send an e-mail to everyone reminding them what you majored in, what you want to do, what you’re good at, etc... Ask for their help in identifying potential opportunities or contacts. Your Aunt will probably respond back with a ‘thinking of you’ but someone might have an idea.
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