How many gamers to include in clips?

I'm applying for a job at a mid-size paper and I've seen some clips threads that mention I should include up to six clips of stuff, though some posts say to not include gamers. I'm just looking for more feedback on this.

My breakdown would be

2 Features
2 Gamers
2 Design

Thoughts?

 

Unless it's an amazing gamer, don't bother. If you're going to include deadline stuff, make it breaking news.

 

The answer to your question depends a lot upon the job for which you are applying. Is it a beat job? A GA job? A mixture of design and writing? How many days a week doing each?

In general, a hiring editor wants evidence you can do the job he or she needs performed. So think about that when you are writing your cover letter and selecting your clips. Think of your competition, too. What can you offer that others can't?

Definitely include breaking news, if you've broken any. Definitely include real enterprise work, if you've done any. Show that you can report AND write. Show that you can handle varied situations and story forms (eg. don't send six 60-inch features). Gamers? It depends on the job. If the job includes covering a lot of games, a hiring editor will want to see at least one gamer.

That's a start.

 

That's good advice, Mike.

 

Here's an idea: instead of trying to break your clips down into categories like "feature" and "gamer," as if the two parts of a Venn diagram can't ever intersect, try breaking up your stories by the fashion in which you write them. For instance, you might have two eye-catching features, but if they're written the same way, you proved your point the first time. Pick something else and prove you're versatile as a writer.

 

fuck figuring out which clips to send on your own, just reach out and touch someone by giving the SE a call and ask him or her personally. yeah, that will work.

 

i only include one gamer. then a bunch of features with a couple of news stories.