Sports writer, the Patriot-News, Harrisburg, Pa.

You know the thing about this is that there are plenty of unemployed journalists in Pennsylvania to fill this job...

 

Heard there were over 300 applicants for this one.

 

It'll probably be great for whoever gets it.

 

Damn ...

 

Any word on whom they hired or where the process stands?

 

They're down to finalists' interviews.

 

Heard from a colleague there that a hire was made. A writer from West Virginia, I believe.

 

If that's true, wow. Plenty of qualified sports journalists collecting unemployment within a short distance of Harrisburg and the Patriot-News goes out of state for a hire. Guess that's the sign of the times.

 

I don't understand.
Isn't the goal to hire the best person for the specific position?
What does it matter where they live?
Now, if it is heavy high school coverage, and you are looking for someone w/ local knowledge, that could be one component, but other than that, geography shouldn't be all that much of a factor -- hiring the best candidate should.

 

Definitely not me.

If the hire is who I think -- the only current prep writer in West Virginia qualified for such a gig, IMO -- it's a pretty good get for Harrisburg.

 

Where people live/are based is a major factor in hiring these days.

To minimize expenses to the company -- flying candidates in for interviews, paying for a hotel for them for a few days' stay, moving them if/when needed, and also, probably having to wait longer for the new hire to get there and get settled, and sometimes having to pay for motel living for the hire before that happens, not to mention often having to pay people more just to come there, because otherwise, the person may not think the move worth it -- these costs may all be taken into consideration.

Most papers nowadays limit their job searches to a certain radius, whether they actually come out and say that, or not, making most searches of a regional variety, not national. I actually am beginning to appreciate when ads mention that regional candidates are preferred and will be given first consideration, just so I don't waste my time applying.

The fact that there are so many good people out of work now allows this to happen more easily than it would otherwise, and it lets companies do it with relative impunity, too, because even with a limited search, the candidate pool may be large and of good quality. Editors know they will be able to get a good hire anyway, and I'm sure that's what happened here.

Over the past year, I have been told that I was put out of the running for several positions for which I've applied, including this one, specifically because location was among the first deciding factors.

I was, effectively, not even considered, and I'm certain this has probably happened to many others, too, no matter their credentials or likely ability to do the job.

I also have been among the top candidates for several positions, but was told a couple of times that if I wanted to be brought in for in-person interviews, I would have pay my own way to fly out, and for me to stay out there for a few days. So, essentially, that is used as a weeding-out factor, too, a ready-made test of "Well, how bad do you want it?" If you don't want to pay, you're out, simple as that, and the paper just moves on to someone else. It's no skin off their nose.

In these cases, I have declined to pay my own way not because I didn't want the jobs but because the reality is, I simply, really cannot afford it.

And while I'm sure the papers would rather the candidate pay for flights/stays, the fact is that they should be able to afford it much more easily than me, anyway. And if they really can't, well, then it probably doesn't say much for the company.

But make no mistake, this stuff is the norm these days.

Newspapers are doing it because...well, because they can.

 

Agreed. I spent several hundred dollars to come out and visit before accepting my current position.

Then spent another boatload of money to move. Yeah, it stunk, but no way was I going to move to a new place sight unseen without even meeting the people. I looked at it as an investment on my part. I suspect this happens a great deal, especially at smaller and mid-sized papers.

Like Write said, there are so many candidates who can do a good job that sometimes just sorting through resumes and applications can be a hopeless task.