The Daily Citizen (Searcy, Ark.)

Company: The Daily Citizen
Position: Sports reporter
Location: Searcy, Ark.
Job Status: Full-time
Salary: $15,000 to $20,000

Description:
The Daily Citizen, an award-winning six-day daily newspaper in central Arkansas, is currently accepting applications for a full-time sports reporter. The Daily Citizen covers area high school sports spanning several classifications as well as Harding University, a competitive NCAA Division-II member. The ideal candidate is an energetic self-starter with a passion for covering sports and a commitment to doing the job right. Qualifications include an outstanding work ethic along with experience using NewsEdit Pro and Quark Xpress software. Bachelor's degree preferred. Interested candidates should email resume and work samples to jstrasner@thedailycitizen.com The Daily Citizen is an EOE employer.

 

$15,000-$20,000?

You've got to be kidding.

 

Not in Searcy, Arkansas, you don't. That's not exactly a king's ransom, but it's more than I made at my first two gigs. That said, I'd check to see if there was any wiggle room on the salary before accepting $7.21-$9.62 an hour.

 

Backing up the sentiment re: salary...

Them's the breaks. There are a lot of people in this line of work doing quite well for themselves who started off at worse outposts making less money. It's a buyer's market. Not everyone can approach job openings like they're nibbling at a platter of finger sandwiches.

Now, about the job itself: Assuming he's not the one leaving, the SE, Kelly Fenton, is a terrifically nice person to work for and be around. No, he won't become chief editor of the New York Times anytime soon, but there are worse people to answer to for your first gig. Plus, he's one of those wonderful (and rare) sports guys who can talk about subjects other than sports.

The town is what you'd expect from one that houses a strict Church of Christ university: Mostly right-wing and dry as a bone. However, if such silliness isn't your thing, Little Rock is roughly 30 minutes or so away.

The aforementioned Jesus school, Harding University, competes at the D-II level. I believe the SE covers a good chunk of them, but you may also get some chances. Nice place, pretty campus, good facilities and a loud-as-hell basketball arena. As for the preps, it all varies. But there are good stories within every prep beat, I'm sure.

Not sure what else they cover, but you'll have a lot of room to find some story angles and unique approaches. It's not a bad place to start a career. There are worse.

 

$15,000?
(*$$ %&@@ HR%^! @#$!!

 

I remember making about 20k when I hit rock bottom. It sucked ass and you really can't live off of it. Technically, I think you're even still available for food stamps at that rate. But you have to start somewhere.
That being said, if you don't live in Arkansas, you probably shouldn't apply, cause it's doubtful they'll hook u up with some moving expenses.

 

I don't think you can live in Searcy on that salary unless you want to share a doublewide with a meth lab. It's not the most expensive place in central Arkansas to live, but it's certainly not the cheapest either.

 

15-20K for a gig at a daily ... sad.

 

RunAway, that's not a living wage anywhere, even in Arkansas, and I'm sure that fact will be reflected in the quality of the hire.

It's ridiculous that a paper wanting somebody with a four-year degree pays a McDonald's level salary.

 

If I'm not mistaken, Al Pickett (of Abilene fame) is a Searcy Daily Citizen alum.

 

It's a buyer's market, RunAway, but that's just shameful.

If that's how they treat you upfront going into the job, I think it's easy to figure out how the rest of the gig will go.

 

That is absurd, but in some states, $13,500 will get you your first gig.

So it isn't rock bottom. Close, but hell, when you're talking $1,500 difference over a damn year, it's pennies.

Wonder what the publisher makes? Bet he isn't eating Ramen for lunch.