Star treatment?

K,

Also, I agree with what you say about questioning an editor about why someone is getting so much work. The best way to approach it is to just let your boss know you want more responsibility or a greater challenge, and be available whenver that opportunity arises, i.e., someone's on vacation, etc.

 

I'm with e4 on this. A good leader knows how to get more out of his workers. One way is by giving them more responsibility and letting them see what they can do. If they don't produce, then at least they had their shot to contribute as much as they wanted.

Also, at what cost is this "star" getting all these assignments? People on here are saying that even if he's a little better he should get preference. If he's only a little better, then why sacrifice office harmony?

 

Maybe the star is coming up with his own angles on the A-1 stories and all that stuff instead of sitting around waiting for the editor to hand it to him.

I know that's what I would be doing.

 

I don't know how else to say this without being totally cliche...
But, the best players play. I give assignments and beats based on performance.
That's the measuring stick I've used for 17 years.

 

Ace said it better than I could.

Coming up with new, inventive ideas remains the best way to get noticed.

One of the fallacies that people just starting out in the biz fall for (I know I did) is that it's the SE's job to make assignments and the reporter's job to go cover them. Thing is, if you see it that way, there's not a lot of reason for your editor to punt you a nice assignment just 'cause. You can make your own work...find out how your SE likes to be approached, come up with some ideas and pitch them. If nothing else, he'll see that here's a guy who is thinking about things even off the clock.

Now, if that STILL doesn't work, and the responses are more along the lines of "That sounds like something [star reporter] can do," then you may have cause for worry. I've been there, I know what it's like to bust your ass and turn in good copy only to see all the attention and compliments go elsewhere. But even then, I've managed to move on from those situations. No one can keep you from making the big time where you are. So you're just doing 8-6 girls basketball games? How about an examination into why the girls game in the area hasn't developed the way it has in neighboring areas? Covering Little League? Look into how youth sports has changed over the past 10 years.

Ideas are everywhere. Find them, work them and use them to land somewhere where you might be appreciated.

 

The impression from the original post is that he's getting assigned these stories.

"handled pretty much all the top assignments that have come along ..."

"called in on his day off to handle something that's breaking ..."

"the thing is I don't think he actively pursues this ..."

"if the SE thinks he's the best guy to send out ..."

 

Assumptions (and impressions) are dangerous.

One person's "top assignment" may be another persion's routine gamer.

 

If you can't talk to an editor at a small paper for whom you've worked for more than a year about something very important to you, chances are you might already know the answers to your questions.

 

Lighten up. It's a message board. I'm not quoting the guy for 1A.

 

I'm just trying to point out that the guy's "impression" about how the whole thing works may be wrong.

 

True enough.

 

Also, Blonde, if the "star" is pitching in and helping out on a day off, especially if he's the one who broke the story in the first place, then I'm all for it. Good photogs carry their cameras with them almost everywhere they go and they get that burning vehicle shot even on their days off. Why is it unreasonable to appreciate a reporter who goes that same extra mile?