How to keep moving forward

[NotMikeLupica]

Short story. I graduated college on Saturday, interviewed for a weekly newspaper reporter position on Monday, and got the job today. I'm totally satisfied with the job, because now I have my foot in the door. The salary is very low--obviously, but it's still a job in journalism.

I know I am lucky to have this job, but I have one question: What can I do inside and outside of work to stand out to bigger outlets? I don't want to be here my entire life; some people here have been working in the same office for 25 years. I don't want that to be me.

Thanks.

 

[Ace]

Maybe be more like Mike Lupica?

 

[Songbird]

Don't take this the wrong way, but Jesus Christ, You just started. Hit the ground running at your very first gig and worry about right now for a while.

Run through some walls for your readers. And have some fun.

 

[Ace]

Seriously, don't be in such a hurry to move on that you neglect this job. Give yourself time to learn to do the job well. Work hard on the reporting part. Don't try to just dazzle with your writing.

Always be looking for great stories, news or projects. Don't settle for game stories, advances and features.

Work hard ar networking. Introduce yourself to other reporters and pick their brains. Find a mentor if you can.

If you can, go to APSE meetings, seminars and such and get your name out there.

 

[Songbird]

I was SE at a weekly. It's difficult because you have to learn how to manage and balance your time to cover enough things, and write about them, while leaving enough time to build your section, if you're responsible for that as well. I did it for 4 years. Took me about a year to figure it out. And listen to Ace.

 

[Ace]

Also, careful how you react to assholes on social media. There will be a lot.

 

[Songbird]

Also, careful how you react to assholes on social media. There will be a lot.

Think twice before you hit send.

It could save your career.

 

[JohnHammond]

Unfortunately, there really isn't a path of rising up the ranks anymore, especially from a weekly. Work hard and you can move to a small daily, and then maybe a mid-sized daily.

As for standing out, you need to go beyond gamers and features. What stories aren't being told?

 

[Ace]

Unfortunately, there really isn't a path of rising up the ranks anymore, especially from a weekly. Work hard and you can move to a small daily, and then maybe a mid-sized daily.

As for standing out, you need to go beyond gamers and features. What stories aren't being told?

You just described a path that you said doesn't exist.

 

[BYH 2: Electric Boogaloo]

Also, careful how you react to assholes on social media. There will be a lot.

@ me next time, Ace.

 

[typefitter]

Read 10 words for every one you write.

 

[JohnHammond]

You just described a path that you said doesn't exist.

I described a path forward, but it's not much. Working at some suburban daily for $30K isn't much of a step up. I don't believe the OP's dream job is working at a suburban daily for peanuts, but unfortunately, that's the "big" outlet he/she could likely end up at.

 

[CD Boogie]

Wow, slow down, man. If you're already angling for a new job, people can smell that on you and it can seep into your work. First, I'd plan on being there till you're 25 at least. So just focus on making the most of it for the next three years. You literally just started, so my advice is to do your job and worry about keeping it. You'll learn plenty over time about what the next step might be, but they're won't be a next one till you ace this one.

 

[cjericho]

Just wondering is the salary at least 35k a year? Which state?

 

[WriteThinking]

Geez, I've seen/experienced many of the negatives of this industry, but people are getting really, really, unnecessarily gloomy and doomy lately. Has nothing good at all happened to anybody lately, either in or out of the business, that might make them not hold on to the negativity quite so much?

There will still be plenty of big and good-sized, medium-range circulation/influence outlets available for people to work at for years to come. You will just have to be more comfortable and conversant in and willing to focus most on social-media, video and technically-based work than we've always been used to doing. And you will have to be willing to work for a salary that isn't as great as in some other fields. But that isn't any different than it's ever been.

And, the original poster doesn't have the perspective to know that his current ambitions, circumstances, needs and desires might change in the months and years to come. He might like the job he has, and decide that he's comfortable there and doesn't really feel like going to the effort to keep moving up the ladder to become the next Mike Lupica. Or, he might move on from where he's at after a year or so, and then decide that that step is great, and be happy with that. Or, he might want to keep going.

He just doesn't know yet. But he doesn't know what he doesn't know.

The best thing he can do right now is just to do the job he has, and do it well, keep his eyes open for other opportunities, and keep applying for the ones he's interested in, and go on from there.

 

[I Should Coco]

Best advice? Give it all you've got and be willing to take advice/constructive criticism from those who have more experience. When the opportunity for a special project or story idea comes along, give it your full time and attention and it will be a good clip/experience for you down the line in your career.

When I was a do-everything "editor" at a weekly paper early in my career, the first year was a blur. The second year I had a pretty good idea what was coming and did my best work. When the third year started and I was covering the exact same events for the third time, that's when I knew it was time to start looking for something else.

 

[LongTimeListener]

There will still be plenty of big and good-sized, medium-range circulation/influence outlets available for people to work at for years to come. You will just have to be more comfortable and conversant in and willing to focus most on social-media, video and technically-based work than we've always been used to doing. And you will have to be willing to work for a salary that isn't as great as in some other fields. But that isn't any different than it's ever been.

This is enormously different than it's ever been.

Salaries at midsize and large papers used to be pretty good. You wouldn't be rich, but you could live in a nice area, afford a home, maybe one spouse could take some time off for a newborn. There were also pensions and then after that 401(k) matches. Even the stock purchase was a pretty good deal. And, topping it all off, the job security was there.

Now salaries are 50-75 percent of what they were and continuing to go south. Major metros are paying $40-50K (or less), in areas where a house costs a bare minimum of $500K (or more).

 

[LongTimeListener]

With all that said, though, I'd echo the thoughts from people who told the OP not to worry about that next job. Writers can be a lot like football coaches -- they reach the pinnacle of the profession, and they look back wistfully at the days in Podunk when everything was so simple. Just be 22 (or whatever age) right now. There's a lot of enjoyment and natural growth in that.

 

[WriteThinking]

Exactly. When it comes down to it, you just have to play the hand you're dealt. You have to live life.

And remember the old saying (so true, but sometimes you don't realize it until you get some perspective): Life is what happens when you're busy making other plans.

 

[Songbird]

You get to create your entire professional universe as SE of a 1-man weekly. There is a lot of joy in that. These are the days of the forest for trees.