Copy Editor/Reporter, Eugene, Ore.

The Register-Guard, a morning daily in Eugene, Ore., is seeking to hire a full-time sports copy editor/reporter to work desk shifts as a copy editor and cover local sports -- with an emphasis on high school sports. Our new staff member will be knowledgeable about local athletics and issues, be extremely efficient, aggressive and capable of handling a variety of assignments, both short and long range and on top of statistical, organizational and planned duties, all at the same time. He/she must be organized, capable of working well with fellow reporters, copy editors and photographers, plus relate well to administrators, coaches, athletes and the public. Applicants must be open to a variety of assignments in addition to generating ideas of their own. He/she also must combine a lively personality with technical ability to engage readers on a blog through a number of tools -- including but not limited to writing, comment moderation, photography, video creation and online chatting.

Applicants must have a minimum of a four-year college degree with no more than 3 years of daily reporting and/or copy editing experience. Successful candidate will demonstrate strong word editing, page design and social media skills. The Register-Guard uses a state-of-the-art pagination system and candidate must demonstrate adequate computer literacy. Applicants must also have possession of a reliable insured motor vehicle, a valid Oregon driver's license and a good driving record.

Schedule will vary according to workload; night and weekend work required. Reporting and editing shifts will vary from week to week. Salary will be commensurate with experience.

Copy Editor $18.19 - $28.23 per hour
Reporter $17.67 - $27.71 per hour

Qualified applicants should submit an application, cover letter, resume and non-returnable clips by Wednesday, July 31 2013, to rgjob.applications@registerguard.com or mail to:

SPORTS COPY EDITOR/REPORTER
Human Resources Department
The Register-Guard
3500 Chad Drive
Eugene, OR 97408

Applications and complete job descriptions are available on our Web site at www.registerguard.com.

No telephone inquiries, please.

 

No more than three years of experience?

 

I'm gonna guess they are looking for someone with entry-level experience by that, unless it's a typo.

 

I was taken aback, I suppose, by a paper of the RG's quality capping the amount of experience applicants are allowed to have. Guess I forgot in which era I'm living.

 

That is a trend at many newspapers these days with a union scale. Only so much money in the budget. If you're too experienced, sorry.

 

So how do they know that someone with more than three years of experience won't settle for less money?

 

I call bull on that. Of course, I don't know Oregon cost of living, but I have way more than three years experience and I'd settle for something in that scale. Top end is $56K per year.

 

Right, but I think the earlier poster is saying that the paper *must* pay you wherever you would slot into the union scale. Thus, if you have 10 years of experience, you would be slotted at the high end of the scale -- $57,000 or so. If you have under 3 years of experience, you would be slotted at the low end -- $36,000 or so.

Thus, their goal is to hire someone that would be eligible to be slotted into the scale's low end.

You can't come in with 10 years experience and say 'It's OK, I don't mind being paid only $40,000.' It usually doesn't work that way at a union shop unless they're able to fudge the numbers somehow.

 

Yeah, I figured that had to be a reason. And they probably have to word it carefully. Still, good job and decent salary for who wants it. Not sure of Oregon's cost of living on 37K a year.

 

Does the dual range mean that you'd be paid a different rate depending on whether you pulled a shift as a reporter or a copy editor? Or would you just end up with something that would fit in the range for both?

 

Interviews appear to have wrapped up today, and a decision is expected no later than Monday, I'm told. Unless I've been misinformed, two of the three finalists will get hybrid jobs matching this ad's job description.

 

Lots of recent (and impending) turnover at the Guard, which for years had the best staff in the state. After so many years of little turnover, the sports section will look way different in the upcoming months.