Sports Editor, Marshfield, Mass.

Ian did not get the gig.

 

No, I did not get the gig unfortunately. I had spoken with the editor about it and because of the f'ed up state our economy is in, the job was applied for by a man who has 30 years experience in editing/writing. He was looking for a full-time gig because I guess he was laid off a few months back.

So needless to say, he obviously got the job.

"This was a job that on any other occasion, you or someone with your experience probably would have gotten it, but where the state of the economy is and where jobs in this field are so hard to get, people with 30+ years experience applied," he said (or something to that affect).

I guess the man has a family. Hey, if the man thinks he can feed his family off 27K, then God bless him, seriously. I guess it's back to the drawing board for me...in the mean time, freelancing! yay!

 

To be honest, when I applied for the Silver City gig when it was up a few times ago, the SE told me that people who were beat writers for MLB teams were applying. Of course I couldn't survive on $20/k per year.

 

It's really depressing because now I'm not sure what I can do to get a full time job in this field considering people with 20-30 years experience are applying for these jobs, getting them, thus leaving the "younger generation" in the dust. I'm finishing up school, engaged to be married, and scared to death! I suppose I'll have to have a "job" for a while just to help us get by, and put the whole "career" thing on hold.

Example, my hometown paper (The New Bedford Standard Times) has a few openings, but I've now become hesitant to apply because of what happened to me here (and what appears to be happening A LOT these days). I guess I'll send my stuff their way, but the guy who's been writing since the Nixon administration will beat me out every time.

Tums, anyone?

 

Honestly, that's been the state for a few years now, just more exaggerated recently. There just isn't the same level of people getting out of the biz/retiring to balance with the new grads, considering all the layoffs, too.

But don't let one dissuade you from applying for others. You never know when you'll get the one break you need, so you have to keep trying if you really want it.

 

Yeah, I hear ya. Being a sports writer is all I've ever wanted to do, even what I was a kid. I'll never stop looking, but I can't continue to just do this freelance thing once I'm out of school, I'll have to settle for something I'll be miserable in until something breaks my way. Besides getting a few more bucks than I've been making as of late, the whole "not having health insurance" thing is something that I can't mess around with.

Oh well, the only solace here is knowing that I'm not alone in this fight.

 

Not everytime. Don't discount bad reviews, miserable attitudes and total refusal to change with the times. There's enough older generation people like that out there that you might get lucky. Diversify yourself with the Web, blogs, video stuff and new technology ideas. There isn't much that will be impress an editor tyring to figure out how to make a dent on the Web than a kid who's excited about that. Hang in there and grab a day job in the mean time. It's worked for a lot of us.

 

Also, if you can do news reporting, it's not a bad idea to work that for a while. It'll keep you writing at least, and I got my first sports job by transferring over from the news department, a path I know at least three or four others have taken. If you can make bake sales and school committee meetings seem interesting, then a football game is easy.

 

Ian, I'm on the news side now and loving it. I like being home at a decent hour and not having to work every weekend. Yeah, school board meeting aren't exciting, but I think I can write a decent story out of the most mundane meetings.

Plus, I'm getting a chance to work on the Web utlizing my multimedia skills. The news side isn't bad and at least you have a foot in the door somewhere.

 

Agreed. I've done the switch twice. Get the foot in any way you can. And also agreed on the multimedia thing, it's the best way to broaden your skills.
Part of the reason I got the job at the shop I'm in now is because I had some web skills.

 

Oh I agree too, I'll take whatever I can find. I do have some news experience because I had started out as the news editor for my college paper. It doesn't really "float my boat," but yet again, it's journalism and I'd be tickled pink to have a news job.