Emailing Contacts (former or current) About Job Ops

There's a job op in town I'd love to apply for. I'm just wondering is it wrong to fish for info from a contact that works at the potential employer?

I want out so bad I feel like I'll do anything to get a gig somewhere else.

But then I feel dirty at the thought of saying "hey Source, how can I get the job that's posted at your place of employment?"

 

Call or visit face-to-face, to avoid a paper trail.

Considering the state of the industry and the way management is treating employees, if all bets aren't off then they're pretty darn close.

 

Hmm... in another era, I might rail against the degradation of journalism ethics or standards. I might say you're compromising your journalistic integrity.

However, in this era of dog-eat-dog cutbacks and the journalism profession hemorrhaging good people for little reason beyond how much it costs to keep them, I'd say go for it.

The sooner you can get out of the shithole of journalism, the better.

 

um, isn't this called networking? how is any integrity being compromised by talking to someone about a job opening at their company?

 

Everyone you ever meet or speak to is a potential contact. Heck, we've even put a new-fangled, tech-driven name to it these days: social networking.

Just treat this contact as you would any other potential job connection, and deal with the rest of any possible questions or issues as you get closer to needing to do so.

What do you think all the former reporters and editors these days who are moving over to become officials for teams or sports organizations, or who are switching sides and working for public-relations staffs/firms are doing? Or, all the ex-reporters/editors who are starting to fill school/team Web positions?

It's the same thing, and everyone's cheering, with no compunction whatsoever, and congratulating them on finding a way out.

Just think of what you have to do, and what you want to do, and go on from there.

 

It's awkward if its a source and you are a reporter. And you are asking them for a favor if its implied in your discussion that you want that source to put in a good word for you.

 

it doesn't sound like pete was asking for a favor in exchange for favorable coverage. if i'm covering city hall and a job opens up there that i might be interested, does that mean i can't apply for the job or even ask someone i know there about the job just because i covered city hall?

 

He should tell the source he's considering his options, thinking of changing fields/careers, and is interested to know about the potential job, and then, go on from there regarding whether to ask the source to put in a word for him, or whether that person would be willing/able to do so.

 

Just make sure the "source" isn't Omar Minaya.

 

Just getting info isn't unethical.

 

You don't want to just get info, though. Most people get jobs because they know someone or can make some kind of connection -- not because your resume pops up on the boss' desk and vibrates and shines.

 

Transparency is key. Once you have applied for a job, notify your editor if a story comes up that could be a conflict, don't use anyone you've talked with about the job as a source, and preferably have another reporter handle the whole thing.
Now I realize I'm being idealistic, and there are other people in this and other professions that would milk a situation like this for all its worth - just don't. You might end up with neither job.