LAND YOUR FIRST
JOURNALISM JOB
UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON
SHARON PIAN CHAN
2016.05.10
a
1. Big Hairy Audacious Goal
Picture yourself at 50
What do you want to be doing? Where
do you want to be living? What kind of
life do you want to be living?
You have to see it within yourself before
others can see it.
This is your true North. (And true Norths
can move.)
2. ALL IT TAKES IS ONE
How I got my first job
Pre-med in college
Magazine summer
internship
2 freelance
jobs
Magazine managing
editor
Here is The One
You are always
interviewing for
a future job
Don’t burn your
bridges
Buy his books
3. DEGREE ≠ JOB
Why
Not having a degree guarantees
you will not have a job.
Hiring managers care little about
you did at your college radio
station/ newspaper/TV station.
It’s your initiative and relationships
that will get you your first job.
My next job
Ready for a new job
CCNMA job fair
My first day at The
Seattle Times
Still here…
3-YEAR REPORTING
RESIDENT
TECH REPORTER
HIGHER ED REPORTER
CITY HALL REPORTER
MICROSOFT REPORTER
SENIOR DIGITAL NEWS
PRODUCER
ASSOCIATE OPINIONS
EDITOR
DIRECTOR OF JOURNALISM
INITIATIVES
DEPUTY MANAGING
EDITOR
4. FIND YOUR FLOCK
5. BUILD A
STRONG RESUME
The resume is a story
about you
Your SAG(Specific Achievable Goal)
Do
Tell a story that builds up your skills and experience
Have a sense of direction (BHAG) and why this job is the next logical step
Be specific about your accomplishments. Remember PAR. Problem, Action and Results
Copy edit for AP style
Mention your flock!
Include a line about personal interests
Pet Peeves
Not targeted to the role
Listing of duties instead of accomplishments
Bad, crazy and boring designs
Not copy-edited
Overselling your experience
Fancy terms that don’t mean anything
“successfully executed the desired outcome”
Bad
Too much design
Resume tells me nothing
about her experience
Lacks a flow and narrative
Bad Inconsistent layout
Too much color
Different type fonts and sizes
Boring
No design
Looks like the 500 other
resumes I received today
Good
Has a visual hierarchy
Sub headlines allow for
scanning
Mix of list and sentences
Contact info easy to fine
Good
Layout allow for easy
scanning of info
Efficient use of space to
pack in tons of info
Should you write a cover
letter?
YES!
6. GET ONLINE
Build your digital presence Website (LinkedIn works):
A description of you
Resume
Samples of your work
Social media links
Contact info
Public social media presence
Good photo
LinkedIn profile
Consistent voice
Example: Personal website
7. MAKE SOME FRIENDS
Friending (aka networking)
Make some Super Friends (aka mentors) who
have the job that you want
Super Friends can:
Give you career advice
Introduce you to other people
Give you feedback on your resume
Help you prepare for an interview/negotiate job
offer
Help you figure out your next step
Provide inspiration!
8. SHOW UP
80% of success is showing
up
Volunteer for journalism nonprofits: AAJA Seattle, Seattle Globalist
Help plan the AAJA Chef Showcase (email [email protected] 1st meeting 5/14
Volunteer for The Globies on 10/14
Local (join the Facebook groups)
NW Journalists of Color Scholarship reception 6/2
National conventions
AAJA, NABJ, NAHJ, NAJA, ONA, SPJ, RTDNA. Volunteer or apply for scholarships to get in free, crash with a friend.
9. FOLLOW UP
Send a card. A real one.
Social media:
Follow, tweet, mention
Quarterly email check-in
Include what you’re up to, and what you’re
looking for
Look for excuses to email: congratulations on an
award, a job change, a story
10. PAY IT FORWARD
Journalism is a small world
Help each other edit your resumes, websites,
cover letters
Be each other’s sidekicks at networking events
When you land a job, mentor journalism students,
speak to classes, help them find jobs
10 tips
1. BHAG
2. All it takes is one
3. Degree ≠ Job
4. Find your flock
5. Build a strong resume
6. Get online
7. Make some friends
8. Show up
9. Follow up
10.Pay it forward
MORE READING
Interviewing tips:
http://bit.ly/1SZTtSe
“Presence,” a book by Amy
Cuddy. Her TED talk:
http://bit.ly/amytedtalk
“Show your work,” a book by
Austin Kleon
THANK YOU!
QUESTIONS?@sharonpianchan
[email protected](206) 464-2958
Replay this presentation at:http://bit.ly/uwjournojobs
Top Related