Finding a Job: Some tactics that worked

Back to some posts on finding a job - tho i'm happy to learn that several former students and current friends have been successful in landing various cool gigs in recent weeks!

First two words, OK, three or four: Be positive and proactive! Keep going, even in the face of rejection (and when hundreds of folks apply for a job, there's a lot of that out there).

For those still looking and even for those who just landed, here are some proactive tactics that worked for me and others i know. Feel free to add more in the comments!

Offer to stop by for a chat! Whether you've applied for a job that's advertised or you're targeting a company you want to work for, after you've sent your resume and work samples, call them up and ask if you can stop in for coffee. The worst they can say is no thanks. But oftentimes, they'll say sure. My interviews in Jacksonville and Orlando resulted from me calling the hiring editor (not the recruiter), saying, "Hey, i'll be in town on (day here), can i stop by and chat?" OK, the real reason i was coming to town was to chat with them! But it worked! Each time, i ended up with a day of interviews, and, eventually, great jobs!

Followup! A few years ago, i was hiring for two presentation desk jobs. One Friday afternoon, i picked up the phone and it was one of the applicants i'd set aside. He asked what was up with the process and i told him that it seemed to me he was working at a considerably larger newspaper and we couldn't really afford him. He told me that he'd be moving to Boulder and if he didn't work for me, he'd be working at a restaurant - and that it was possible that we could afford him. i'm glad he called - he's a great guy, wonderful to work with!

Really, followup! Most jobs being advertised in the Denver/Boulder area are receiving up to 300 applicants. i'm told of a recent job search in which the hiring manager was overwhelmed - and apparently ended up hiring the person (with considerable experience) who called the day before the manager was scheduled for vacation. Fair to the other hundreds of applicants? Maybe not. But it worked for the successful applicant.

Use your contacts! From LinkedIn to Facebook friends, from college profs to fellow students or coworkers, figure out if you know people in the company or region where you're looking for work. Can someone send an e-mail extolling your virtues to the hiring manager (i often will, for what it's worth)? Can a friend refer you to a contact who can answer your questions and give you some beta before an interview - or before sending the cover letter/resume/clips?

Do your homework! Before you interview, check out the company and the people you're interviewing with. Do your Web research, ask your contacts for info. A friend who interviewed one of my grad students noted that even tho he didn't have an internship for her, she knew a ton about his agency and even about him.

Be prepared for the interview questions - and prepare your own! A friend says he recently blanked when asked in an interview "Tell us about yourself." That's why it's important to prepare your answers to potential questions as i mentioned in a previous post. And come prepared with questions of your own about the job and the company.

Always be on the lookout! One of my friends at the Sentinel told me that she was always looking for the next job - and the one after that. She kept in contact with friends at other publications, with former editors and college profs, so when there was an opening she'd be interested in, she'd know. She ended up at BusinessWeek in D.C. after Orlando.

Next time, i'll share some bad examples - don't try this in your career!

Finding a Job: Following up, the interview, following up

Once you've sent your cover letter, resume and work samples to a prospective employer, don't just sit there. Follow up!

Give them a call and ask if they received your materials. Ask if they have time for a cup of coffee, just to chat. Figure out if you have any mutual acquaintances with the hiring manager and ask that person to send an e-mail and ask what's up or make a recommendation for you.

If you're applying for jobs from a distance, it really helps to arrange a trip and go there. Tell prospective employers when you'll be in town and ask if they have time to meet with you, however briefly.

If you get that coffee date - or an actual interview - prepare yourself! Research the company - know what they do, who their clients are, what successes they've had, what challenges they face. Research the person you're meeting with - where have they worked in the past, what's the role they have now, what might you have in common.

Consider the questions you'll be asked and prepare some answers. Rehearse them - you don't want to sound rehearsed, but you don't want to appear dumbstruck either.

This site has some great examples of questions you might be asked, as well as other tips on preparing for an interview. You'll also want to come up with some questions about the job and the workplace to ask when the time comes. And the time will come when they'll ask for your questions, so you'd better have some!

When the day comes, dress appropriately, even conservatively. This is one time you'll want to stick to basics - a simple skirt and blouse, or basic dress (not too short!), slacks, shirt and tie for guys. Consider your accessories - i.e., pare down the piercings and make sure they're nothing too racy. You'll probably want to cover up the tattoos, too, i hate to say.

When the time comes to talk to a prospective employer, relax! Look them in the eye and talk with them as you would a good friend (tho not too casually!).

Keep track of everyone you meet or talk to at the interview - get their cards so you know their titles and the proper spelling of their names.

Then, follow up some more! Send e-mail or written thank-you notes to everyone you talked to. Mention something you enjoyed about the conversation, or expand on an answer you gave with more information or an example (like a link to work you didn't show them).

If you have enough work to hold back, this is a good time to send one more clip, link or example. If you're working, a good goal is to produce something each week or each month that will be a great sample to show prospective employers. (That's a way to stay motivated about your work, too.)

Keep track of those people you talk to and follow up with! The connection you've made may not come through this time, but you never know what will happen down the road!

Next up: Some pitfall examples!

Finding a Job: Show your work!

So you've created a brand and targeted a job market, come up with a great resume and cover letter.

But a key feature of getting a job in journalism is showing potential employer examples of the work you've done.

How to do that? The Web makes it easy. Sure, you can post things on a LinkedIn account. But you're better off creating your own Web site.

First, buy a URL, preferably with your name in it. There are plenty of places to do this, i've used a Denver company called Name.com lately. Then get a hosting account (i'm not going to go into this, e-mail if you'd like info), someplace to host your Web site. Getting your brand out there on the Web via a URL is essential.

Next, create a site using WordPress. It's free software that you can use on your hosting site, and it's versatile because there are so many template options - most of them free. You may think of WordPress as blogging software, but it also serves static pages, where you can offer links to your work, a resume page and more. Believe me, having a Web presence will go a long way with potential employers.

How to display your work? Links to stories, videos or other materials are a good start. But if you can embed videos or soundslide presos, do so. And you might also consider uploading PDFs of stories, especially if they're well-designed. This gives folks the option of downloading and printing them out. (Clearly note that they're PDFs, however, and try to keep the size reasonable.)

How much of your work to display? Four or five of your most recent pieces is a good start. You may want to use your Web site as an archive of sorts for your work. But you'll also want to check the links fairly often to make sure they still work.

Here are a few examples. Check out the sort of work they highlight and how they highlight it. Keep in mind you already have this content ready; you just need to put it on the Web:

Lisa Marshall uses her middle name because the basic name was taken. She has PDFs of her work and JPGs of magazine covers. She isn't using WordPress, but you could accomplish the same thing with it.

Amanda Mascarelli is a Boulder freelancer; her site is also done independently but she has some good examples of the sort of things you'd want to display.

Staci Baird has a great WordPress site - no blog per se, but great examples of her work.

While the online presence is essential, there will still be those out there who want to receive paper copies of your letter, resume and work samples. When applying for an advertised job, do as the ad says - apply via e-mail or via snail mail. But if you apply via e-mail, ask if they'd also like to receive paper copies.

This is where those PDFs come in handy - when you have a story run, ask the designer or your editor to grab a PDF for you, it's typically pretty simple. If you're a photographer or videographer, you'll probably provide your work on a CD.

And what work should you show? Make it your best. Use entire stories or pieces. Make sure there weren't any errors published later - it's easy to find out about such things these days.

Next: following up, interviewing, following up.

Finding a Job: Cover letters and resumes

So you've defined your brand and targeted your job search. Now it's time to spiff up your resume and write a kickass cover letter!

First, create a letterhead to use on both cover letter and resume. Use Illustrator or InDesign if you're really into design, or just create it in Word. Your name is the central feature - in 18 point or larger type. Keep it simple, find an elegant, readable font.

Put your Web site URL beneath your name in a smaller font (say 12), then beneath that your contact information (address, e-mail, phone number).

If you aren't a designer, check out some examples, like by googling!

On to the content of the resume! i highly recommend a single-page resume. More than that is too much for most folks to sift through.

Some folks state a job-search objective on their resume. i typically leave that for the cover letter, with an objective tailored to the employer.

Experience and work samples are the key elements in getting a job. So list your experience first. Don't bother with the bartending or nanny jobs unless they were long-term gigs and you really need them to fill things out. If you're looking to fill things out, explain the duties at your professional jobs/internships. Make sure you include dates, job titles, name of employer and location (city and state).

Next, education. Your university degree/s, year awarded, major, any special honors.

My resume typically includes an "activities" section that lists professional organizations i belong to (IRE, SPJ, etc.), as well as activities that give potential employers a sense of my personality - running, cycling, weaving, climbing, knitting. (Well, at least the resume i'd use for a non-academic job.)

If you're looking for a first job, i highly recommend listing three references: names, job titles, employer, phone number and e-mail address. Make sure you've asked them if it's OK to list them! If they hesitate when asked, take the hint and move on.

When you're done, print it out and take a close look. Fix the mistakes (there will be some!). Then ask someone else who has a good eye to look it over too!

Here's a good blog post from someone who recently did some communications hiring in the Denver area on resumes.

Then it's onto the cover letter.

While you'll likely send the same resume out to each employer (tho if you're using a job-search objective, you may need a different one depending on the type of job), each cover letter should be tailored to the job and the employer.

Do a little research first. Do you know anyone who's worked with the company or the manager you're writing to? Can you get a better idea of what their needs are than in the job description listed on a Web site?

The first sentence of your letter is the most important - you're marketing yourself, your brand in this sentence and telling someone why you're the one for this specific job. Make it count. This blog post has some great examples of good and bad cover letters.

Once you've got that first killer sentence/paragraph down, back it up. Give specific examples of how your experience will serve this employer.

Typically, for journalism and communications jobs, we offer up samples of our work in addition to resumes and cover letters. Mention one or two of those attached samples in your cover letter.

Finally, let them know how to contact you - that you're available by phone (and give them the number) or e-mail (and give them the address, even tho it's in your letterhead). Tell them you look forward to hearing from them.

Print the letter out. Proofread it. Have someone else proofread it. Then send it off!

Next week: Work samples.

Thoughts on finding work in tough times

First, let me confess: i was kind of a slacker as an undergraduate student. i focused heavily on working at restaurants and bars in order to have 1) cash to pay tuition and 2) friends to party with.

Also: i'm probably the last person my Iowa State University j-school classmates expected to ever be a newspaper reporter or editor, let alone still be working in the business (for the next few months at least) almost 30 years later. It's rarely been an easy road and it still isn't.

After graduating in three years and three months, i took a year off to continue to pursue cash, friends, etc. At some point, my husband and i looked at buying a house. We needed at least 20 percent of the $55,000 asking price to put down, plus interest rates were like 15 percent back then. No deal on that deal. It was the recession of the early '80s: stagflation, energy crisis, etc. etc. We did buy a Mazda GLC (great little car!), tho, brand new. It got about 30 mpg, is my recollection.

Anyway, i went to grad school in 1980 to avoid lunch shifts at the restaurant. Grad school is a great response to a recession (just watch enrollment soar next fall - it happened in 2002 and 2003, too, from my anecdotal experience).

Two years later, with the recession yet to run its course, i started looking for a real job. First, i passed the state exam to become a statistician - according to my stat profs, no easy task. i interviewed for a job with the Iowa public safety department, a job that would have paid pretty well by my standards in those days ($18,000 a year is what sticks in my mind). Then the state instituted a hiring freeze.

That was OK. Because i really, really wanted to be a newspaper reporter. Back in those days, there was no Internet, thus no j-jobs Web site or craigslist. i sent out resumes and clips everywhere i thought i might want to work. i checked the job postings at the j-school and sent resumes to those places. Let me add that this was a time when the news industry wasn't looking so great: afternoon newspapers like the Des Moines Tribune were shutting down, conglomorates were buying up family owned businesses.

Another confession: my internship experience was all across the board and not necessarily that relevant to a newspaper job. i was a press-aide intern, aka fourth in pingpong, for GOP Gov. Robert Ray, a wonderful guy who played pingpong with press secretary Dave Oman, a state trooper and - hey, you need a fourth - whoever else was available each time he arrived at or left the capitol. i did a radio internship with the university news service. i did some stringing for a couple of local newspapers and worked two quarters at the Iowa State Daily. The cash was better at the restaurant.

Anyway, i did manage to get a couple of interviews at newspapers in west central Iowa. At one, the publisher made some comment about my "nice dress" with what i interpreted as a leer. Scratch that place. Did they offer me a job? Maybe, but i can't remember. Because instead, i landed at the Carroll Daily Times-Herald, a family owned afternoon newspaper that's still got it going on today.

The pay: $205 a week, less than the clerks i hung out with in the afternoon at magistrate court - and they only had high school diplomas. But that was OK. i loved my job. i covered the county supervisors on Monday (and had open meetings and other showdowns with them, what fun!). Every morning, i stopped by the city police department, the county sheriff's and the clerk of court to see what was going on crime wise. In 1984, i met Rueben Askew, George McGovern, Alan Cranston and other Democratic candidates for president. i even started a weekly feature with recipes from local cooks. It was a blast.

i gave up that job when we moved to Florida, where i worked 20 months as a flack for an elected official, then moved back into newspapers, first at the Florida Times-Union in Jacksonville, then at the Orlando Sentinel. More great times.

In 1994, we made a "lifestyle refugee" move to Boulder, Colo., a great place to live, tho not nearly the journalism mecca that Florida was. Still, i loved my 11 years at the Daily Camera in Boulder, where like my first job, i could do everything - edit, write about a variety of subjects, even learn to design pages and write headlines.

These days, in addition to teaching, i work part-time on the copy desk at the Rocky Mountain News, which Scripps announced this week is for sale. More sad times and perhaps the last job i'll have at a newspaper.

But back to that first job. It took me months to get that gig - nothing happens quickly on the job-search front, especially in a recession. It took persistence in mailing out resumes all over, calling people up, interviewing, following up with thank-you notes.

It took desire, which i'm sure showed up in the enthusiasm i expressed in interviews.

And it took sacrifice to work for less money than i'd been making waitressing and to live 70 miles away from my husband during the week.

My Times-Herald editor (he's still there!) once told me the j-school prof i listed as a reference mentioned described me as a "free spirit." Merriam-Webster defines it as a synonym for nonconformist. i'm good with that. Still.

That whole free-spirit thing may be what journalism needs more of today. For many of my students, they may find success through nonconforming - at least when it comes to conforming to the tradition of newspapers, which appears to be dying off.

Slicing beyond the bone and into the brand...

Happy holidays journalists, from Gannett Corp., which is slicing and dicing almost 1,800 jobs, from CNN, which is cutting its entire science/enviro/tech team, from Cox Newspapers, which is closing its D.C. bureau, and from others seemingly too numerous to mention.

All of these cuts are tragic. But one that touches me and illustrates the sheer stupidity of some of this is the Des Moines Register getting rid of front-page cartoonist Brian Duffy. For decades, the Register has run editorial cartoons on the front page, by Duffy since 1983 and before that by Frank Miller and Ding Darling. It makes me cry to type these words.

By letting Duffy go, the Register tosses away a significant portion of its brand. Those cartoons MADE the front page of the Register. They told a story about Iowa. They poked fun at the powerful and at the little people. They followed the folks in my homestate as they rode their bicycles across Iowa every summer, as they shoveled snow and shivered every winter, as they followed their favorite hoops or football team through the legendary high school playoffs.

Newspapers wonder why they're losing readers. Well, this is one of the reasons. When readers can't come to you for something unique, why bother?