While it's a hard fact that journalists need to keep up with the times if they want to be employed, the situation is far from impossible. In fact, job boards are often swelling with opportunities for green reporters to veteran newsmen.
Where does one start looking for a journalism job? Start on the Internet.
- JournalismJobs.com: The gold standard of job search. (And also where you'll find a lot of competition for open positions.) You can search by industry, state or job description, and it's easy to run down the list of openings. Some of the postings require that you apply through the Web site.
- JournalismNext.com: The site is geared toward journalists of color, and has a jobs board that features many jobs also appearing concurrently on other sites but some fresh postings as well.
- Editor and Publisher: Both online and print editions have job postings for different ranges of experience. While you're there, catch up on the latest industry news, which could also help point to places where jobs are going away -- or may be opening up soon.
- Poynter: Their Web site also has a wealth of resources and community for journalists.
- Standard job sites (Monster, Hot Jobs, etc.): These sites usually don't have many journalism jobs, but are good for journalists looking to make a turn into public relations.
- State newspaper organizations: The California Newspaper Publishers Association, for example, has a job board with some openings not posted anywhere else. Why? Some of the news organizations advertising would rather draw in-state applicants.
- State societies for newspaper editors, designers, etc.: Some news organizations may advertise here -- for example, the California Society of Newspaper Editors -- because they're looking for seasoned journalists with a specific field of expertise. Postings are sometimes open to college grads, too.
- Company job boards (Gannett, Tribune, Freedom, etc.): Some of these may not be updated regularly, but even if the position has already been filled you've gotten names and contact e-mails to get your foot in the door. On the other hand, some of these opportunities may not have been posted to the journalism job sites, as the company gets to post openings on their own Web sites for free. Remember if you get an interview to first research which newspapers/stations fall into that company's family.
Is there a paper you've been dying to work at?
Keep in mind that a lot of the time there are open positions that aren't advertised. The best way to get your foot in the door is by referral, but you can also impress the powers that be with an overture. Send your resume, clips and a great cover letter stating exactly what you'd like to do at the news organization -- not to human resources, but to the managing editor or the editor in charge of the area in which you'd like to work (editorial page editor, city editor, news desk editor, etc.). Not starting at the bottom, not starting at the top, but starting at just the perfect level in terms of potential future bosses is the right call.
What if you don't have the experience called for in a job posting?
It says five years of experience at a daily, and you've worked one year at a weekly and three years at a daily. Go for it anyway. Do not highlight this deficiency in your cover letter; they can count the years on your resume. Instead, highlight why you're perfect for the job. Be confident without being arrogant. And I say this as someone who has gotten in the door without meeting all of the requirements -- news organizations may float these as an ideal or as a hard-and-fast rule, but you'll never know until you try.
How can you make yourself as marketable as possible?
In short, learn everything you can. Learn reporting, editing, pagniation and the computer programs that go with them. Know what comprises a good news photo and how to write a killer lede. Make AP style your friend and learn a bit of HTML. This not only provides extra job security in times of cutbacks and reduced staffs, but provides extra opportunities for advancement. Want to really knock off interviewers' socks? Lean a second language -- bilingual reporters and editors are in hot demand.You'll find that some newspapers are in a hurry to fill positions, but do some checking around with fellow journalists before leaping at the job. Does the organization have high turnover? In some cases, this is a sign of young journalists staying a year and moving on and up; in other cases, micromanagement or a poor working environment could be the culprit. The good thing is that journalists by nature gossip, so with a little digging you can find out whether it's worth your time and talents.