Preps writer, St. Louis Post-Dispatch

Wow, I interviewed there for a non-writing job about six months ago. No one ever even contacted me to tell me if the position was filled. Sent multiple emails to the guy who interviewed me and never got a response (and I interned there). I'll never even apply for a job there agian.

 

I would never have a glimmer of hope for a job if I got a letter in the mail like that. If they're interested, they'll call and let you know they're interested. This job has been posted for, what, almost a month? I'd say if you've applied and haven't had an actual conversation that was initiated by the paper, you're not their guy. At least that's my experience.

 

I heard through the grapevine (so take that for what it's worth) that they've already conducted their first interviews. And as I said in what I guess was a different thread on this job, if you don't already have experience working at the P-D, your chances of landing this job, I would say, are very, very slim. I just can't imagine them bringing in somebody from outside when they've got a sizeable stable of regular stringers of which I'm sure at least one would love to be promoted to full-time.

 

I guess my tone was misunderstood. By glimmer of hope, I meant I have a snowball's chance in hell but it's nice to delude myself into thinking I have a chance of escaping the horribly misguided sinking ship at which I am now currently employed. Sorry for the confusion.

 

A source close to the situation informs The Rules of Golf that the St. Louis Post-Dispatch has hired Brian Sumers, formerly of the St. Pete Times, to fill this position. A fine writer and even finer person. Great hire by St. Louis.

 

Does this mean the rest of us can now clamor for the illustrious honor of having our resume and clips thrown out first by the St. Pete Times?

 

The Post is a metro paper that plays up the preps, and faces significant competition from the suburban newspapers, which have lots of cred and resources. If an opening comes up there again, you'll have to work to make your bones.

 

Ooh! I smell a new preps opening job thread!

 

Surprised they went outside to fill this one. Especially so far outside.

 

As am I. Given the number of stringers the Post has, that's really surprising. And given the number of papers very near St. Louis that cover preps in St. Louis, from which a job at the P-D would be a huge step up, it seems odd they'd go so far away for someone who will likely have quite a bit to learn about the area.

 

I'm surprised, too.

 

They hired a preps guy from another paper to be their preps guy? Something about that sounds odd to me. Was he a stringer in Florida? Was this a salary thing? And I'm curious to know how the stringers/part-timers are dealing with this, cause I'm betting most of them applied for this gig.