Paying dues

[Gator]

When I broke into business 10 years ago, I had this idea that I would work my way up the ladder. My first job was a reporter at a 9K-circ., in a very small town pushed into the corner of the state.

It took me 10 years, and I'm now very happy with my rung on the ladder. But as I look around today, college graduates from 2008 and 2009 have these high-profile jobs, and I just wonder why they didn't have to pay dues the way a lot of us did. Of course, high-profile internships help, and they often lead to jobs upon graduation, but would papers be better suited by going with somone with experience, a guy or gal who has been in the trenches, rather than a recent college graduate?

It doesn't bother me now, because I have no desire to leave where I'm at, but it certainly bothered me five years ago. And I'm sure it bothers a lot of writers on this board who are just a few years into their careers.

 

[BillyT]

If someone is good enough to do the job, then why should "paying dues" matter?

 

[Gator]

If someone is good enough to do the job, then why should "paying dues" matter?

You're 100 percent right, and that's not my decision on who is good enough, and who is not. But I'm sure there's a lot of writers who are just as good who are glanced over because they didn't have the right internship. It's not really an argument, just kind of sad.

 

[The Big Ragu]

Younger also equals cheaper. It isn't a phenomenon limited to just newspapers.

 

[mustangj17]

Younger also equals cheaper. It isn't a phenomenon limited to just newspapers.

I just received a promotion where I took over the duties of the corporate communications director. The previous director worked for 3 days per week and made more than $70,000 per year. I work five days a week and my compensation did not increase to by even one twentieth of what the woman was making. Oh, and when my work load gets too heavy, we outsource work back to her consulting company for $150 per hour. Such is life.

Sorry for the thread jack, rant over.

 

[Smash Williams]

Life isn't fair sometimes. A lot of times, it's more about the people you know and being at the right place at the right time than anything else. And sometimes, the young kids are as good or better than you at any number of things.

Expecting everyone to follow the same path does nothing but encourage frustration. It's better just to make the best of your own path and stop worrying about everyone else.

 

[statrat]

I've been paying my dues for five years at a small weekly. I've won awards, busted my butt to be better in every aspect of my job... and haven't had so much as a sniff at an interview despite applying for dozens upon dozens of jobs higher up the ladder. Most daily papers simply don't take a chance on younger writers anymore, not when there are plenty of laid off journalists with decades of experience who will work for the same level of pay. I don't know where these 2008 and 2009 graduates with higher profile jobs are, but I'd sure like to meet them.

 

[TheSportsPredictor]

Paying dues is for suckers.

 

[I Should Coco]

Even the phrase "paying dues" is at risk of becoming obsolete, as there are very few union shops left in any field.

Especially journalism.

 

[Stitch]

I see plenty of grads who can't find a newspaper job. Those who work at big dailies either are extremely talented or dad pulled some strings.

 

[Kid Presentable]

Yeah where are these 2008 and 2009 college grads with great journalism jobs? Seems like there are more unemployed young journos than ever

 

[Ace]

Seriously, I think that you should be glad that your feet are still on the ladder.

And some people are better writers than others. Just because someone has been slogging away in Podunk for 10 years doesn't mean they are any better than some kid fresh out of Mizzou.

Also, money aside, sports editors often hire on potential. They would prefer to fill a prep opening with someone who they see with the talent to become a pro or college beat writer or columnist in a few years.

 

[CYowSMR]

Looking around, I see many young people in great jobs. (Heck there's a 29 y/o publisher in Southern Newspapers). I see people like Angela Reid pretty much being night editor at The Red Star in Anniston, Ala. (much deserved by her, but she is young to prove the point).

I was hired by a weekly in January to be prepped as ME by June, but the paper was shut down in February. I'm sure they looked at me due to my youth and willingness to work for peanuts.

 

[albert77]

I think a lot of it depends on your personal situation. I'm still at the same paper where I started my career back in 1984, and I'll more than likely still be here when I retire or they close the doors (whichever comes first). I have the job I always wanted here and I'm happy with my situation.

When I was younger, I put some feelers out for other jobs, and even interviewed for a couple. But it never worked out. My wife had her career and an elderly mother here, my kids were happy in their school situations, and have settled in the area, and thus we ended up putting down roots.

 

[SportsDude]

I felt this way sometimes. I'm definitely not where I aimed to be when I began my newspaper career seven years ago. I paid my dues just in time for the business to collapse. Then I read here, watch the layoffs at the shop that I'm at, and am reminded I'm better off ten a lot of other people - and I still have a foot in the door. Not a lot of people can say that these days.

 

[Rhody31]

For a while, I was the pissy kid out of college wondering when i was going to get my chance.
I'm 29 now and things have changed. I know my talent, know that people at bigger papers know my talent and have had a few tell me I'm ready to get called up when there's a chance.
When will that be? Don't know, not worried.
For now, I'll be content with my insanely awesome job security, being my own boss and making my own hours - because right now, I couldn't imagine working more than four days a week.

 

[Mark2010]

Interesting topic and, yes, it does foster resentment on the part of some of us who have worked our butts off, done good work and never get the breaks to see someone 10 years younger get an opportunity at a job you know full well you could do and do just as well.

I don't for a second buy the idea that person A at a 100,000 paper is necessarily better than person B at a 10,000 paper. Some of the best writers, editors I've known are working their tails off at small shops. Why? It's a very inexact science and sometimes I wonder if it's more about who you know than what you can do.

I don't fancy myself as superior to the next guy or inferior. I've worked hard at every beat I've taken on, whether high school or the pros. I think often it has more to do with opportunity than ability.

 

[Mark2010]

So it begs the question..... is there a point where one becomes too old or too experienced to move into a bigger position?

If someone has aspirations of becoming, for example, a pro sports beat writer or a sports editor, or whatever. And that person accepts a lesser position, works hard at it for many years but doesn't seem to get a sniff of anything higher? Is there a point where one should say "this is all it's ever going to be"?

Or do we still believe that hard work and perserverance will be rewarded?

 

[I'll never tell]

There's plenty of stupid hires out there. There's plenty of good ones.

There's eff'n studs in everything, but in our industry, I do think there's a few that got to where they were because they said "BLOG! Twitter, twitter. BLOG!" in their interviews.

A kid can say that, and the big dogs will eat it up. If you have a receding hairline and say Twitter, they just think you're trying to kiss up.

At the end of all of it, if you can write, you can write. I think some of it is taught, but most of it is a gift.

That being said ... reporters are made. Not born.

 

[mustangj17]

There's plenty of stupid hires out there. There's plenty of good ones.

There's eff'n studs in everything, but in our industry, I do think there's a few that got to where they were because they said "BLOG! Twitter, twitter. BLOG!" in their interviews.

A kid can say that, and the big dogs will eat it up. If you have a receding hairline and say Twitter, they just think you're trying to kiss up.

At the end of all of it, if you can write, you can write. I think some of it is taught, but most of it is a gift.

That being said ... reporters are made. Not born.

I love that you are making fun of people that recognize the need for Twitter and Blogs. The suits eat those words up for a reason.