Charlotte AP job

Hey, we all don't have narrow minds.

Back on topic - any word on the open AP job(s) - Raleigh & Charlotte?

 

The Raleigh job isn't even posted yet.

 

I'm an occasional reader, first-time poster. That is my real name, as I have nothing to hide. I never will post under an assumed name.

I worked at AP for nearly 16 years in four different cities and think I did a decent job for them. Although I left eight years ago for what I considered (and still do consider) a better opportunity -- for those of you who haven't been lucky/unlucky enough to make my acquaintance, I'm the Chicago sports columnist for the Copley Newspaper group -- I enjoyed most of my AP experience and still believe it helped prepare me for the rest of my professional life. Like Mr. Slipshod, my AP career let me travel the world and gave me some incredible assignments. It taught me the value of aggressive self-editing. It helped turn me into an objective reporter willing to ask anybody any question. I like to think I improved every year I was there.

I say "most" of it was enjoyable because that's the truth. Does anybody like 100 percent about his or her job? Certainly nobody on this site does!!

Did certain stuff about AP drive me nuts? Of course. Did certain managers drive me crazy? Sure. I probably drove a few of them crazy, too. (At least I hope so!) Do I wish some things had been different? Absolutely. The hours and expectations were and still are insane. Some people in New York have no idea what people in the bureaus are going through (and, in fairness, vice versa). Favoritism is rampant (and I say that as one who often benefited). In other words, it's a lot like most workplaces. The union is a joke because everybody isn't required to join, and the merit-raise system is an even bigger joke because it's all subjective. At least AP pays overtime, meaning that if you work your butt off you get compensated (even if you have to fight your bureau chief a little for the compensation!).

AP always has had a lot of good writers and editors -- and also some hacks. Please point out the media organization that doesn't. The writing I see on the wire now is better than ever. I won't list names for fear of excluding somebody deserving, but many AP sportswriters are at the very top of their beats. AP also has some of the hardest working and most dedicated folks in the business. Good people, too. I'm lucky that I get to see and hang with them more now that I'm not in the company. I still cherish my many, many, MANY friendships with AP people.

Would I recommend an AP career? Not for everyone. I often get asked by people if they should or shouldn't go for AP jobs and I always tell each person all of the pros and cons as I know them. Be ready to work hard. Be ready to be held accountable -- yes, sometimes even when whatever allegedly went wrong wasn't your fault. Be ready to learn how to write faster, more accurately and more concisely than you ever thought possible. And be ready to burn out after a number of years. It doesn't happen to everybody, but it does happen to many. But that's OK, too, because change is good in life.

AP isn't the perfect employer. No such animal exists in this or any business.

Later, dudes and dudettes. Thanks for letting me chime in.

Mike

 

You had me until the Ninja Turtles ending. I still hate the AP.

 

Does that statement include taking the blame for an article that says a bunch of miners survived an accident when they really died?

 

Classless.

 

It's a legitimate question. Have your mom explain it to you.

 

You must be LOADS of fun to be around.

 

Why, thank you.

 

Being held accountable for something that isn't your fault is wrong. Period. It's pathetic. It's complete bullshit. And it's typical AP bullshit. That statement right there tells you what kind of work environment AP staffers operate in. That dude was lauding the AP, too. He drank the Kool-Aid a long time ago.

 

Look, my only point was that AP is neither the devil nor the angel. (Not even Angel on Rockford Files.) Obviously, I didn't "drink the Kool-Aid." If I did, I'd still be there. I had a few concerns with how AP was run, both overall and in sports, and I don't know what, if anything, has changed in my eight very happy years away. There were management people I liked and thought were fair and those who weren't. This is different from every other workplace, um, how? The jobs in Charlotte and Raleigh can be good ones for the right person. If you hate AP or just need a change, get out. If you think you'll hate it, never get in. Life is full of choices. Stop your freakin' whining. Cheers, Mike

 

The force is strong in this one. Darth AP has done its job.