Covering an event for a job interview?

My worst experience like this was in the early '90s, interviewing for an editor/writer's position for a national sports organization, fairly well known.

They flew me into town, wined and dined me, had a great series of interveiws I thought. Then they asked me to go home and write a story for them about some farmer who had turned part of his land into a decent 9-hole golf course. I would get paid $300, but after I submitted the story, they told me it was unacceptable and needed heavy editing. I got paid $150 and didn't get the job. Note: I combined work on the story with a vacation, as course was over 100 miles from home.

Sometime later, I happened to pick up this organization's magazine and it included my article, almost verbatim---and I mean verbatim---what I had submitted.

Scuzzballs. You never forget stuff like that.

 

Aren't we being a little sanctimonious here? I'm not saying employers should use job applicants to fill out the space between the ads in the paper for free, but I'm sorry you were "baffled" by the idea that you were there at the office, then they sent you somewhere without any notice to write a story? Isn't that what we do sometimes, react to a situation and go out and do it?

Sorry, but unless you're Gary Smith _ and especially if you're relatively new to the profession (sorry, I don't know if you are, but I'm just guessing here _ I think there's no problem sending you out to do a story, even without any notice. The last thing an editor wants to do is make a hire and then find out it takes the desk 20 minutes to clean up your copy.

Seriously, get over yourself. If you were "insulted" by the notion that your dainty then feel free to send your resume to the Plain Dealer. I hear they're hiring.

 

Um, why not just call a reference and ask about the applicant's copy, ability on deadline, etc?

 

$150 for softball?

 

Because how many times have you called a reference and gotten anything other than a glowing recommendation? That's why the applicant listed that person as a reference -- because they'd say nice things. I have had references tell me about an applicant's deficiencies. But I always take it with a grain of salt.

The only real way to know what you're getting is to see raw copy. I do think assigning a story is perfectly acceptable. I've done that, the stories have all run in the paper and we pay the standard freelance fee for it. But I don't think it should be sprung on an applicant, especially one who's coming a long distance to interview. I see the point about being ready for anything in this business -- tough to argue with that, but remember these are candidates ... they don't work for you yet. There's only a certain level of commitment you can expect from them. Lots of younger applicants just starting out probably aren't business-savvy enough to consider what it means when a place springs stuff on you. I know I wasn't when I got out of college. I'd have done it and not even thought about it. But if you start out eating crap on the interview, what's that going to mean when you're there full-time?

 

I have no problem with the concept of a test drive, but the idea should definitely be broached and agreed to ahead of time, if only out of consideration for an applicant's schedule or possible other plans for the day, as playthrough contends.

It's a matter of simple courtesy and respect for someone's time.

And before anyone says, 'Yeah, but that's not always how it goes for us when we're on the job,' just remember, you don't work for the paper and you don't have the job, yet.

 

Because some papers no longer give recommendations, just employment reference as in "Yes, he worked here from xxx to xxx."

We have brought in writers for tryout for high school jobs. We let them know when the interview was schedued that we wanted them to cover an event while they were here and they were paid as free lancers.
We also hired one guy without a tryout based on his fantastic clips. Sadly, his raw copy looks nothing like the clips he submitted.

 

When I interviewed in Richmond, they brought me in on race weekend (god bless them). Poor Nate Ryan had to babysit me at the track on one of the most stressful days of his year. Handled it like a champ.

They gave me a computer and had me write a race gamer. It wasn't for publication, just to see me under deadline and how my copy was raw. I didn't mind. Gave me a look at what I'd be getting into.

 

I see nothing wrong with this, as long as it's agreed upon when the interview is set up, and if it's for publication, a freelance rate is offered.

Springing it on a candidate at the last minute is harsh, and unfair to everyone -- including themselves. Do they want the best possible candidate, or the best puppet?

 

When I was interviewed for my first job, a weekly, they had me interview the editor who was going to become my boss and write a story on the interview. It was a good way to not only get to know the editor a little better, but also an effective tryout.

And I took the angle of the story to be. "So, you want to work for the Podunk Weekly Press? Here's what it's like." with the editor's background and quotes in it.

But yeah, you should get paid if they use the story. MLB teams don't bring a guy to the majors for a day, and see if he strikes out or homers before deciding to keep him.