It’s an anxious time for “about to be grads”, who very soon will leave the cocoon of school and venture out into the working world…You’ve spent four years, in some cases, and the prospects of having to get that first job is daunting…..But with a little research and some good advice it can be the start of a rewarding career …
That advice was left to Jim Tortora of WGGB TV in Springfield and Craig Larson, the community sports editor of The Boston Globe during a recent visit to the Boston University Sports Journalism Series….During that visit, what became strikingly clear is that these students have very valuable skills needed by the new generation of journalism outlets they will apply to…the ability to shoot their own video, edit that video and turn out into a clear and concise video story, for example…The familiarity with social media technology, for another…But perhaps most shocking in all this, is the unwillingness of those (veterans) they are joining to “keep up”…they are, frankly, jealous and scared of you…
Even news directors have had to adjust to the new day and age of judging talent…gone are the countless hours of inserting, viewing and ejecting tapes of all sizes and shapes …Most want links to the candidates material but while some will debate what should be in that link, the philosophy is still the same…Says Tortora, “Keep me engaged for those first thirty seconds. I think it’s best early on to have, at least, a compilation on one link. It’s easier to get feedback (also)…
Larson, like Tortora, sees hundreds of resumes and reads almost as many clips when a job opens…He doesn’t have time to read ten articles you’ve written but just as Tortora might shuttle through a video resume, Larson needs to be wowed right off the bat. “That first impression is so important. Some first impressions you look at and their resume or their clips and you know. That’s it! You’re done! Be prepared and be persistent.”…
Finally, it’s one thing to shoot for the stars (see our Newcomers seminar) but both Larson and Tortora offered students advice that has nothing to do with their skills but rather more with their attitude(s)…No less important…”Make sure you have a real understanding of what the opportunities are, an understanding of what you’re abilities are and show that you are aggressive, said Tortora (Show that) going into the business you have a passion, a desire for it”…Added Larson, “Know what you’re taking on. If you don’t want to work weekends, you don’t want to work Thanksgiving, Christmas, you’re out of luck.”
Those are skills they don’t teach in school…Hopefully, I(we) have hit those home with sessions like this one…..
14 Comments
Rachel Harrington posted on November 25, 2013 at 12:17 pm
When it comes to landing our first jobs, any career counselor or recruiter will tell us that persistence is key. I was surprised then to hear Jim Tortora and Craig Larson say that so many people contacting them, looking for jobs, don’t actually follow up later. I think one problem may be that many writers and broadcasters don’t want to work for pennies or worse, for free. Before I entered graduate school, I worked at a local newspaper in Connecticut full-time. They were willing to pay me a (low) salary but that was only because I had the experience and clippings to prove to them I was worth it. And the articles? They were the result of an unpaid internship at another newspaper. You have to start somewhere and work your way up – something that has been emphasized throughout the semester and, I suspect, has resonated with all of us.
Another takeaway from hearing Jim and Craig speak was that anyone working in sports journalism must be multi-talented. We can’t just be sportswriters or broadcasters. We’ll also have to be photographers, social media experts, and filmmakers. It’s clear that working in sports will never be a 9-5 job anymore. If we’re not coming up with ideas for stories in the locker room, we’re behind a computer writing. At the same time, we’re thinking about how to make the story visual because videos and pictures are just as important as the words and ideas. Then we ask ourselves, how do we get the word out? Social media becomes a big component here so working to establish large Facebook and Twitter followings help with this. There are so many facets to working in sports journalism now. The days are gone when we can say we’re just a writer or just a producer. Now, we need to be prepared if someone asks us to create video content for our sports columns or start a professional Twitter account. It’s all part of the job.
Preparation is also so important when getting that first position. This can take a lot of forms. We need to prepare ourselves by building a resume of clips and footage as students – hopefully we’ve all done that by now. We’ll only have 30 seconds or so to wow them with our talent so what we submit should be top-notch and professional. We also need to learn about the companies we’re applying to. If we don’t know about their markets, they’re not going to hire us. Finally, we also need to practice, practice, practice. Whether our strong suits are radio announcing or speaking on camera, we need to build our skills and work on the areas we’re weaker in. This should continue throughout our careers so that we’re always staying on top of the latest trends and remaining relevant.
Though this wasn’t as stressed in this seminar, I also think it’s important to not only show that we’re prepared and passionate about the job; we also need to show that we love the subject – in our case, sports. We should know our favorite teams and players and read up on sports or watch sports broadcasts whenever we can. Maybe that’s obvious, but we should never be caught off-guard if an interviewer asks us about something as simple as our favorite sports.
I also think that we can’t just apply to any jobs available, even if our bank accounts are screaming for a paycheck. While it is possible to transition from, say, covering the local crime beat to high school sports, it’s better to find a job that puts us on the right career path we want from the get-go. That way, we won’t have to plead our case later for why we want to make a leap and we’ll be able to advance to our dream jobs, or close to it, more quickly. A lot of these starter jobs are not going to be in our ideal locations, but we’ll get to the larger markets if we work the system and start at the bottom and work our way up.
Saba Aziz posted on November 26, 2013 at 9:00 am
This seminar was a big wake-up call for me. In all honesty, in my first semester of grad school, while I’m still trying to get through classes and assignments here, setting foot in the real world and job hunting was something in the comfortably ‘distant’ future. So it was interesting and useful at the same time, to hear, right from the horse’s mouth, what potential future employers look for when hiring new employees.
It is ironic that while we are working towards getting a degree and learning about the nuts and bolts of journalism, all of that becomes irrelevant if we don’t have the required real world skill set and work experience. A lot of stress is laid upon the practical application of what we learn in classrooms. And I think BU does a good job of equipping us with outlets like BUNS, WBUR and BUTV and courses like JO 524 (Broadcast Sports Journalism), where we actually get hands-on experience of what it’s like to be an actual reporter, anchor person or radio jockey.
Journalism has really evolved in the digital and multimedia age, which means the jobs are much more demanding now. Employers prefer applicants who are tech-savvy and are able to multi-task. Doesn’t matter if we are in print or broadcast, we are expected to know how to write, shoot, edit and produce. But at the same time, it is heartening to discover that there are a lot more opportunities and jobs out there. Anthony Moor wrote an article for the Online Journalism Review in 2006, talking about how internet has transformed journalism and that aspiring journalists should look towards the web for job opportunities. (https://learn.bu.edu/bbcswebdav/pid-1486409-dt-content-rid-4574879_1/courses/13fallcomjo532_a1/13fallcomjo532_a1_ImportedContent_20130730105344/Course%20Documents/GO%20TO%20THE%20WEB/GOTHEWEBYOUNGJOURNALIST.PDF) With so many specialty jobs around, we really should not have an excuse for not being able to find a job.
One thing that was mind boggling for me, that even Rachel touched upon above, is how unwilling applicants are in following up or even taking initiative when opportunities are being presented to them. We should be willing and prepared to do anything and to travel. That is the only way we will be able to move up in this field.
The point about asking good and insightful questions stood out for me because it’s not something I would particularly think about going into an interview. The questions posed to the employer can be very revealing and show the depth of the applicant. And then it always helps to do your homework and research about, not just the position, but also the station or paper, you’re applying for.
We really do walk a fine line when we are being ambitious as opposed to over-ambitious. In all fairness, we have to do an honest self-evaluation about our strengths and weaknesses before even walking into an interview room. Do I deserve this spot? Am I even qualified enough? At the very least, we might get points for our honesty and that too could work in our favor.
As much as the prospect of landing that first job excites me, knowing that there will be rejections and lots of them, I’m more than happy to be in a classroom for now. Hopefully my experience at BU and an internship over the summer will better prepare me for the real world.
Katarina Luketich posted on November 26, 2013 at 10:38 am
The daunting job hunt…not so sure that anyone particularly enjoys it, but it’s what we’ve spent all this time in school preparing for.
If I’m being honest, sometimes it is frustrating that the field we’re in (specifically talking about broadcast) is so superficial. It’s something I guess I knew, yet still found hard to believe….but seriously, what can I tell you of value in a 5 second standup? However, as Professor Shorr tells us and what we heard from Jim last week, that’s just the way it is. I think I’ve accepted it and gotten over it at this point (doesn’t mean I have to necessarily like it).
What I really can’t get over is what both Rachel and Saba mentioned: the lack of effort that job candidates are putting in. Both of our speakers talked about persistence. I can see how it can be hard when you’re a disconnected candidate deciding when to follow up on your application…you don’t want to come off as needy/pushy. However, when you work for a company and people are handing you out opportunities like they’re candy (for example, Jim was talking about telling people to go shoot stuff and he’ll look at it), and you simply choose not to…I don’t think I will ever understand that mentality.
This job is just like any other where you have to prove yourself. If you’re not showing employers that you’re passionate about what you do and that you’re willing to do anything they ask of you, then you’re not going to be the most appealing choice.
Everything we’ve talked about culminates into fostering relationships with everyone you come across. It’s something we continuously touch on and its importance cannot be overstressed. We’re at a point where having those sound relationships is especially important. Having people that will vouch for you now, when you’re looking for your first job, is especially important. Be that intern that goes out of your way to help out; don’t get caught up in thinking that what you’re doing is mundane and not important. People remember those who are willing to do what no one else wants to. Stand out now, when you’re not getting paid, and you’ll have people that will be more likely to recommend you to those who will be handing you a paycheck.
We’re fortunate enough to live in one of the best sports cities in the nation where there are countless opportunities available (I’d like to think that factors in the reason why most of us chose to come here). Take advantage of what’s in front of you. Capitalize on those opportunities. It’ll only make you a more appealing job candidate in the long run.
Tim Healey posted on November 26, 2013 at 1:41 pm
Craig Larson and Jim Tortora were far more inspiring and encouraging than intimidating when it came to their wise words about obtaining our first jobs. Most of their advice — be well-rounded, be politely persistent, be ready to work unfortunate hours — are things I have already made habit of, so I know I am absolutely prepared and qualified to work full time. Now it’s just a matter of convincing someone to let me do that.
(Indeed, as “real life” approaches, I find classes are increasingly getting in the way of doing journalism — and making money. I’ve had about enough of school and am ready to move on. I think that’s something a lot of the seniors can agree with at this point in our college careers.)
What did surprise me, however, was how simple — or obvious — that advice was. It wasn’t really anything out of ordinary, nothing we (undergraduates, at least) haven’t heard for the last three-plus years. If you haven’t done those things, where have you been?
Professor Shorr and I don’t agree on everything, but I can still remember Tim Healey circa Spring 2011 visiting Shorr in his office to say, in so many words, “Hi, I’m Tim, I like sports.” His biggest message to me, a writer, was “learn video.” I did. I took visual journalism. I’m taking sports broadcasting. I worked for butv10 and rose to the level of executive producer for one show. I’m no broadcast expert, nor do I pretend to be or want to be, but I can hold my own with a JVC and Final Cut. I can use those skills in the real world if I am called upon to do so.
The “politely persistent” piece I can wholeheartedly understand being more difficult because, well, we’re journalists, and sometimes talking to people is hard. I only started feeling truly comfortable with it in the spring during a co-op in which I covered high school sports. I had to leave more voicemails and write more emails than I want to count, but that in itself is a valuable job skill — being short and to the point without stumbling. I also developed relationships with coaches and athletic directors, some of whom eventually started calling me with tidbits. Now, as I apply to internships and jobs, and try to pick up freelancing gigs for whoever wants to pay me, I’m using those same tactics to simply stay on people’s radars. Only good things will happen if you’re the first person to pop into someone’s mind when a story needs to be written or a job needs to be filled. Hell, just last Friday I picked up a story for Craig about a local football player who won a collegiate award. It’s all a part of staying relevant. Tortora put it well: Never discount any opportunity. I despise when people cite dictionary definitions in their writing, but this one is too perfect: “a good position, chance, or prospect, as for advancement or success.” Why would you ever say no to that?
And we’ve heard in this class before about how difficult a life in the industry could be in terms of work schedule — nights, weekends, holidays, etc. Don’t settle down or have kids, they said. You’re going to move around a lot, they said. Whether or not an individual abides by those suggestions will come by their own volition, but the message is simple: Understand what you’re getting yourself into.
Another snippet that pleasantly caught me off guard — though it was not particularly relevant to me as someone who is writing-focused, as opposed to broadcast-focused — was when Tortora mentioned his boss, after a years-long battle, finally said “just hire journalists” and worry about the on-camera skills later. What a revelation! This ties back in nicely to our discussion from past weeks about good-looking broadcast journalists and how some women are picked mostly for their appearance. Tortora’s further explanation that the “journalism” side of broadcast journalism is too often ignored was…oddly vindicating.
Edward Murphy posted on November 26, 2013 at 2:22 pm
I think what it comes down to is everyone who is looking for a job now is to have the drive and passion. I feel enough of us going through these classes here at BU have the skills. I’ve worked with many and take classes with others and everyone seems to have a certain skill set or niche that they’re good at. Which is why to me the will power of how far you want to go is what separates us.
A big thing they also hit on was just having normal people skills. Yeah you can have a great resume but if you don’t have background knowledge of the place you’re applying to or don’t treat the people there with respect as a newcomer you really won’t stand a chance. I’ve been lucky to have good relationships with people I’ve worked with and it helps me out tenfold because they email me back to see what I’ve been up to which can definitely lead to opportunities for me later in life.
There are jobs out there, it’s plain and simple. We shouldn’t be worrying. Yes I get it’s stressful but everyone should be confident going forward. I have so many friends from BU who were broadcast students that have graduated and now are doing great things in the field all over the country. Yeah it might be in places you didn’t want to work but again that comes back to how badly you want to do this. If you have the passion for sports its basically a must. We’ve heard countless stories of these now famous media members who spent time in little known towns.
I guess for myself the question I will be facing is if I want to stay in the markets I have interned in, which are the country’s biggest and hope one day down the road I can move up in the ranks or if I should start my own path out in a smaller market. Either way I am confident in my abilities and happy with my background. Learning all these skills at BU and getting opportunities from absolutely amazing professors is more than I ever hoped for. It also is great to hear these guests come into our seminars and tell us we will have a chance to make it. There is a future for us.
Nick Zelano posted on November 26, 2013 at 8:31 pm
I guess I knew that looking for a job was going to be difficult, but I didn’t exactly have an idea of where to start. This seminar, with Jim and Craig, really help me feel like I was at least heading in the right place. This seminar and listening to our guests, really made that more comfortable for me. As a first semester grad student here at BU, I now know that I am where I need to be to learn what I need to learn. After that it is in my hands to find the right interview, to be prepared for that interview and nail it.
I never really had issues interviewing for past jobs, probably because they were part time jobs and never really affected my future career. But I also never considered things besides am I giving them the right answers, for example, am I asking the right questions. Both Jim and Craig mentioned that it astonishes them as interviewers and possible future employers of these candidates that they come in and their only questions are about the salary, work hours, or when they’ll get to be on camera. As these things may actually be important to us as starters in a field, we have to do our homework and really show that we care about our jobs, before we have them. Asking the right questions, asking a detailed question can go a long way. It was something I never really considered as part of an interviewing process.
Making the most of all of our opportunities I also feel like was talked about throughout this seminar. Take each interview as a learning experience, even if you don’t get the job. Ask what you need to work on, know what you need to work on and fix it for the next time. Maybe choose better clips, change up your video and for me, it would be to work on my resume. Any small thing can affect the outcome of an interview process and until you get that first job, hell even after you get your first job, you should constantly be adjusting your game plan and really be working on showing your best game face. You need to come ready and prepared, working and adjusting to each interview you go to as if you know what the potential employer will be questioning you on and even calling you out about.
Along those same lines, both of our candidates mentioned knowing some of our weaknesses. We need to be able to identify a weakness and explain how we plan to fix it, improve on it. This is another kind of trick to the trait that makes me feel more confident I am in the right place to get my first job in a year from now. I will be able to identify all of my weaknesses and hopefully call them to professionals’ attention, ask for help, seek the tutoring I need and improve on such things as I am going to school. Those things I do not fully improve on by graduation, I know I will have identified and I can have a plan in place on how I can improve them so I can explain these areas and what I am doing to any interviewer or employer.
This seminar was obviously an important one because it speaks directly to us as we are searching for jobs, looking across the country for openings and applying to any number of places. I know that the advice we gained from two top professionals in the Boston and Springfield markets, is invaluable. This seminar taught us things most other recent grads do not know which gives a leg up on competition everywhere.
Lisa Erickson posted on November 27, 2013 at 11:39 am
The best interview I’ve had was one for an internship the summer before my senior year of college. I don’t even really remember my interviewer asking me any questions. We just talked. We talked about our hobbies, our interests, Greek life (since I was in a sorority and he had been in a fraternity), and some other things that did not seem directly related to the job. It was fun and engaging and I was not nervous at all. A few months into the internship my manager said that while my resume had gotten me the interview, it was my personality during the interview that gave me the position. I’ve thought about that a lot through the years as I’ve had more interviews. I always try to focus on letting my personality shine through.
A lot of the interview, I think, has to do with personality. It allows those interviewing an applicant to gauge whether a person will fit with the company culture. For example, if someone is going for a job where they will have to speak to a lot of people or hold a lot of presentations, the applicant should probably be outgoing or at least seem comfortable with speaking openly. This is why I asked about what our guests looked for in interviews. It has seemed to me that a lot of the interview has more to do with personality than the specific content of what you say (although, of course, what you say is definitely important). When our guests talked about the importance of asking good questions and really making it a conversation it made a lot of sense to me.
Because being prepared is so pertinent, it makes sense that the more prepared you are for an interview, the more likely you are to ask better and more insightful questions. I was actually thrown off when the speakers said that a lot of people come to interviews without having researched the company. I feel like that is one of the first things I learned about interviewing and I always spend a good amount of time doing this.
One of the common themes running through our seminars has been this idea of getting to know stuff about the people we are talking with. Whether it is interviewing athletes or coaches, or getting interviewed for jobs, it makes sense to try to find some sort of connection. I think that’s why that one interview went so well for me (we established a connection right off the bat and had a conversation). Instead of him asking me a list of questions, we just talked. People, I think, are always going to feel more comfortable and confident with someone who listens and actively participates in the conversation.
This seminar was really beneficial because it gave us an almost behind-the-scenes feel of what companies look at and consider when interviewing an applicant. This is relevant for all of us because we will all be applying for jobs at some point (and many of us are doing it right now!).
Kevin Dillon posted on November 27, 2013 at 1:16 pm
Professor Shorr was certainly right in his statement that “it’s an anxious time for ‘about to be grads.’” I can tell you first hand. Knowing which jobs and internships to apply to, going over your résumé, writing cover letters and essays — it is all a lot to handle while maintaining your performance in classes and whatever other outside work you are involved in. So having Craig Larson and Jim Tortora in to discuss the hiring process from the media outlet’s end helped “about to be grads” — at least me — breathe a little easier.
The basic idea that the two got across to me was that as long as I work hard, write well and am willing to do a little bit of everything, I should be able to get a job. This made me feel a lot better, because I am confident in the experiences I have gathered through my four years of college and in my work ethic. However, one thing that Tortora and Larson did not talk about as much was the amount of students that are all applying for the same jobs. There are only so many to go around, and there are a lot of talented students. The two speakers convinced me that there are certainly jobs in smaller markets around the country that are available, but Larson discussed the co-op positions and Globe internship positions that are highly competitive to get. Sure, the Globe could help jumpstart me to another job — but getting the Globe internship means going up against hundreds of qualified college students applying for the same position.
One thing that Larson said that stuck with me though, was that he likes interviewees that asked questions. Having people skills and being able to make conversation and present yourself well is important, and it is something I feel I have an advantage on in terms of the application process. If it is simple things like coming to interviews prepared, listening and being engaging while talking to the interviewer, then that is the leg up that I have.
Larson said for us to be politely persistent, so that is what I will do. Keeping oneself active and gaining experience and clips is important for people like us, and when it comes time to apply for jobs we will be ready. But if we are politely persistent, they will be less likely to forget about us. And we have to be remembered if we want to get hired.
Natalie posted on November 27, 2013 at 4:36 pm
I liked this seminar because they both emphasized the importance of how you carry yourself in interviews and what kind of work ethic you bring to the table.
From my various internships, I’ve seen how big a difference a humble and diligent work ethic brings to the table. Interns that are enthusiastic and ready to whatever it takes to help the company stand out far above those that do not.
A big part of this is being genuine. You can’t fake a demeanor or attitude forever. It has to be a real desire to work hard.
It’s interesting that interviewers deal with so many people who don’t stand out and resumes/cover letters that spit out the same “I would like to work here because I love team environment and want to further the company’s cause.” You’d think people would realize that there is a degree to which you have to consider what the company wants to hear, but there’s a necessity to let your personality shine through because that is what makes someone stand out. Lisa talked about personality in her blog for a bit too, and it really is a huge differentiating factor between interviewees.
That being said, this seminar was very timely as many of us are working on entering the work force. It was very beneficial to hear what employers’ honest opinions were about applicants and interviews.
Adam Jakubiak posted on December 1, 2013 at 3:12 pm
Job searches are never fun. I don’t remember a time, whether it be now or when I was in high school trying to find a part time job just to put gas in my car or go see a movie, when I looked forward to go job searching. It’s stressful, competitive, draining and more often than not, frustrating. Despite all of that, it can be done and can prove to be very rewarding in the end. I try to think of it as a school project. You just got to keep pushing and pushing until you get it done, and the feeling of reward and satisfaction will be there when you finally reach your goal.
It was a pleasure listening to Craig and Jim and get their thoughts on the hiring process. Most of what they talked about are things that I already assumed were important when looking for jobs: networking, presenting good clips, persistence. I don’t think there were many things that were surprising or groundbreaking in this seminar, but it was still important to hear it from those who make the hiring decisions. It was helpful, reassuring, and the tips they gave us are good to boost our confidence. It really does go a long way in finding a job from a mental standpoint when things get tough.
I’m not expecting to get a dream job right out of BU, and I’m okay with that. None of us are going to start out as an anchor in a major city or something like that. Our business is about paying your dues, proving yourself and working up the ladder. While there are jobs available in the field, getting your name to the top of the pile requires you to not only make connections but be able to snag a future employer with the first article in your clippings or the first 30 seconds of your reel.
I grew up in a really small town, several hours away from a “big city”, so the prospect of moving to the middle of nowhere doesn’t bother me. Who knows…if you work in a small town, you can get to the top of the ladder with hard work. You have more of a shot to break big stories and experience new things. Besides, this is an industry where you really have to love what you do, and it’s full of sacrifices. I’m exciting to hopefully get working soon, and working on holidays and weekends.
The most important thing I took away is that it pays to be confident. Send your best clips and stay positive and persistent. It will pay off in the end. The jobs are clearly out there; now let’s go get them.
Jeanna posted on December 2, 2013 at 10:41 pm
First of all, I couldn’t agree more that this time of the year is filled with anxiety for the “about to be grads.” For me at least, I finally feel like I am ready to get out there and start working and I won’t be settled until I hear about that first job. For this reason, Jim Tortora and Craig Larson were great speakers to have at this time of the year.
I really agreed with what Rachel said. She expressed, as important as it is to show that we are prepared for the job, it is just as important to show we love and are passionate about the subject we are covering. As Lesley Visser said, you have to be good at it, but you also have to love sports. And also love journalism. I think the passion for the subject and the profession is really going to take you even further than your talent could.
The most surprising thing I found during this particular seminar series was the way Tortora was describing some of the new entry-level workers he had. He was explaining how he would offer them opportunities to go beyond their ordinary duty to prove their talent. Or how he would give them a chance to show they had the work ethic to hold more responsibility. I was SHOCKED to hear how they would turn down opportunities or just never accomplish the task he had asked. For example, if your station manager says “Hey, if you want me to go over your stand-ups and let you know how they look, leave a CD on my desk” then you leave a CD on their desk as soon as you can. You come in early or stay there late until you think you’ve done as much as you can. If you get hired for a smaller position than you want, then you work harder until you can move up. I think this kind of work ethic is something that every aspiring journalist should have. And if you don’t have that ethic than it seems doubtful that they’d be able to make it. It just seems that every time we have heard any successful journalist speak they would say “Yeah, I moved up when I stayed late to do this” or “I would shoot a stand up whenever I could.” I was really surprised when Tortora said he has young journalists who come in and don’t have the initiative to succeed. Maybe they didn’t learn some of the things we did in school…. that just seems unbelievable to me.
Which transitions to my next point from the Sports Institute blog. “Those are the skills they don’t teach in school.” I think that we definitely have been taught some invaluable lessons that we would otherwise only learn in our first few years on the job. We have been taught what works and what doesn’t; what catches a manager or producer’s eye. I think seminars like this one help teach us things we need to learn PRIOR to working. We’ve learned that you need to have a work ethic that is next to none. We’ve learned that if you’re not willing to work on the weekends or holidays… you’re not cut out for this business. These are lessons that this seminar series and other classes at BU have been able to teach us before we get into the work field. These intangibles are going to make us more competitive and valuable than other new journalists.
Aaron Holden posted on December 4, 2013 at 12:44 am
The world of journalism, specifically sports journalism, is constantly changing. We are in a time where multimedia reporting is at it’s peak, and luckily for us at BU we are prepared. Finding that perfect job, even the perfect first job, is going to be really difficult and most likely a long ways away. Between then and now it is really important for recent college grads to use their skills as much as possible. That may mean taking a job they didn’t think was really up their alley, or a print major taking a job on the broadcast side. Opportunities are important, and when one presents itself you should take it.
Obviously, jobs may not present themselves to you, especially not right away, but thats not the only way to seize an opportunity. As we heard from our guests this week, persistence is key. If you keep calling about an opening or a slight opportunity, they will remember your name and give you a call when they think they have a spot for you. Again, you just need to be prepared.
A huge part of getting that first important job is being ready to sacrifice whatever necessary, whether it be nights or weekends or both or even holidays. This first job is so important, it sets you up for the future and really either makes or breaks your career. Our guests this week talked about keeping them interested in our resume, clips, and interviews, but that should also extend throughout your first job. You should become someone they can come to for any kind of job, you should always be running ideas by them, and showing them that this job is where you want to be – even if its not. Once you leave your first job, getting that second job is most likely going to be based off of your performance from the first or from recommendations of the people you impressed there. College may be important to get your foot in the door somewhere, but once your there you need to make them remember you.
Meredith Perri posted on December 4, 2013 at 9:27 am
Be prepared and be persistent.
These two points were easily the biggest takeaways from last week’s seminar with Jim Tortora and Craig Larson, and, as Tim pointed out, they are things that we’ve heard before. Maybe the fact that we’ve been hearing that advice for three-plus years made it even more surprising to find out that there are people who do not understand the commitment they are making and don’t want to push to improve themselves.
As soon as I got to Boston University I began to understand even more clearly how much of a commitment sports journalism was. Like many of my classmates, I’ve worked nearly every weekend of my time in college covering at least one game if not two or three. Unfortunately, I’ve missed both of my nephews births and subsequent birthdays and have asked more than one professor to understand that I was missing class for a hockey game.
That doesn’t mean I haven’t taken a few days off – just last week I didn’t travel to Madison Square Garden for Red Hot Hockey. My decision to go on vacation with my family instead, though, was a nod to the fact that I know in a year chances are I won’t get to spend as much time with them, so I made the one week I could get count.
I have to echo Tim once again here when I ask, if you didn’t know sports journalism was a time commitment and not always the most pleasant job, “where have you been?”
Even beyond that, though, the idea that people wouldn’t be persistent both before and after getting a job baffles me. I can understand the concern about following up with someone after sending in your resume. There will always be that minor concern in the back of your mind of, “Am I annoying this person?” The reality is that we’re going into a field where, as part of our jobs, we have to call and email people constantly. Persistence is key, or chances are, you won’t get the interview you need. If you can’t even send a follow-up email to an employer, how will you email a sports info director for the third or fourth time in a two-day span trying to talk to a player?
The thing that stuck with me most, though, was when Tortora said that he has frequently offered young employees that chance to grow at his station, and many have sat back and done nothing instead. If you are willing to work hard enough to get that first job, shouldn’t you learn from it and try to grow? Professor Shorr has said on multiple occasions that the first job, while a place to prove yourself, is also a place for you to learn. If someone is giving you the chance to get some on-camera time or pick up an extra piece, do it. It will only help your skills to hear the critiques that come with the assignment and could lead to bigger and better opportunities.
Andrew French posted on December 4, 2013 at 11:37 am
It goes without saying why this seminar was important but I’ll say it anyway. Why have we gone through years of schooling? Why have we listened and spoken to various journalists in the field, addressing all the issues we have covered throughout the semester in this class? We did it so we would have the skills to GET A JOB. And that’s what this seminar taught us: how to get that job we all want so badly.
The biggest thing I took from the seminar is how to make a video resume and what employers are looking for in them. The whole thing should be 5-10 minutes tops. In the beginning there should be a montage of quick standups (around 1:00 long), followed by 2-3 packages we’ve done, and lastly an anchor video at the end.
Another important thing I learned was the certain things employers are looking for when you sit down for an interview. ASK THOUGHTFUL QUESTIONS! Any question really. Just something that makes you seem interested. Something that shows some insight. When they ask if you have any questions at the end of the interview, the worst thing you can do is say you have none. Everybody has questions. It’s a new experience. If you don’t ask anything, it looks like you don’t care or weren’t paying attention.
A common question they ask you is what you think you need to improve on. Have something to say here. Everyone needs to improve on something. Don’t oversell your comfort area, but also be honest with where you need improvement. For example, if you’re great on camera, look appealing, and have a nice voice, but you aren’t so great with the technology side of things, that’s ok. Tell them. Technology can be taught. Being able to identify your strengths and weaknesses shows you have direction and aren’t just some know it all who thinks they’re good at everything. You don’t have to be good at everything to get the job.
One of the things that surprised me was when Jim Tortora said one of the biggest problems he runs into when he interviews people is their lack of passion and motivation. If you aren’t even going to show some excitement then why even show up? I know this isn’t an issue for me, but I thought it was very shocking to hear that some people just don’t being their A game all the time. This is a career of a lifetime. Do you want it or not?
Following up on interviews also can’t hurt. Sometimes persistence pays off.
After this seminar, if I’m not fully prepared for any interview I encounter in the future, I’m not sure I ever will be. We’ve learned what to do, what not to do, now it’s time to go out and do it. Get that job.