Sports Reporter, Minot (N.D.) Daily News

[DAllar]

****We have another opening on our sports staff. Yes, housing is hard to find but we have some leads on available places.

The Minot Daily News, a 19,000-circulation, seven-day newspaper in northwest North Dakota, immediately seeks a full-time sportswriter to complete our four-person staff.

The region features competitive prep athletics along with two junior colleges and Minot State University, an NCAA Division II school in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference. We also cover the Minot Minotauros, a junior hockey team in the North American Hockey League.

The new hire will primarily cover preps. There are about 40 high schools in our coverage area (for the three in-town schools, we cover games regularly; the others we touch on in features and notebook items). Occasional opportunities to cover Minot State and the Minotauros will also be available.

We focus on writing clean, concise copy and also take our own photos. Photography experience is preferred, but we would train the right applicant to use a camera. Layout duties for our sports department are simply formatting scores on our scoreboard page once or twice a week.

To apply, send your resume and five clips to sports editor Daniel Allar at [email protected], and please put "Sports Reporter" in the subject line.

 

[Captain Obvious]

He didn't last long in Minot. Can't the paper hold the apartment of the guy who is leaving?

 

[KJIM]

Holy cow, didn't you just fill two positions?

It's -8 outside right now.

Good luck to all.

 

[DAllar]

He was in a two-bedroom place, but the roommate may be open to another scribe living with him.

Yes, we did make two hires recently, both of which are still here. The last two writers to leave are still in the business but scrambled to warmer climates (the Virgin Islands and Texas).

 

[dm19]

Minot's sports desk basically started from a clean slate this year. And their new Sports Editor is doing a fine job of making sure his guys cover their beats like a blanket. It may be expensive, you may have to share an apartment with someone and it may be cold, but this is a GREAT first job or non-lateral move from a smaller newspaper. Take the chance, you just might like it.

 

[RickStain]

The preps scene in the area is really fun, imo. One of the best I've encountered.

 

[peacer84]

There's obviously been a lot of turnover here because of the high cost of living and the cold climate, but this really is a good job, especially for college grads. You'll do plenty of game coverage and they travel to all the big state tournaments.

It stays fairly busy during the school season and the summers are usually pretty nice.

On a side note, if you enjoy a job where management isn't breathing down your throat, consider this one. Very easy going bosses.

 

[Mark2010]

According to www.weather.com, the current wind chill factor is MINUS 43!!!!

I'm a hearty soul who typically enjoys winter and winter sports. But, man, that's pushing it!!

 

[KJIM]

It's -21 before the wind chill, too, but that is why God created the indoors.

Have had too many "North Dakota nice" people asking me the past three days how I like the weather here. I want to strangle them.

Tomorrow it's supposed to get up to 17, though.

 

[DAllar]

Update on the housing situation: We do have a place for the new hire to live. It's a pretty nice apartment and livable for the wage we pay.

 

[boxingnut4324]

I'm very interested in the job, but I'm finishing up my senior year and wouldn't be able to start in the summer. Is the job time sensitive?

 

[DAllar]

I'm very interested in the job, but I'm finishing up my senior year and wouldn't be able to start in the summer. Is the job time sensitive?

Yes. We're looking to fill the opening much sooner than that. Thanks for your interest.

 

[sydwhunte]

When are you looking to hire someone for this position?

 

[KJIM]

The Minot Daily News, a 19,000-circulation, seven-day newspaper in northwest North Dakota, immediately seeks a full-time sportswriter to complete our four-person staff.

 

[Captain Obvious]

I'm very interested in the job, but I'm finishing up my senior year and wouldn't be able to start in the summer. Is the job time sensitive?

Yes. We're looking to fill the opening much sooner than that. Thanks for your interest.

Who knows, this position may be open again by the time graduation comes around.

As for housing, it stinks whomever gets hired will need a roomie, but the paper won't be paying $45K. With the housing situation, I hope no one in management gets too bent out of shape when someone quits after a few months here.

 

[KJIM]

As for housing, it stinks whomever gets hired will need a roomie...

I have had some fabulous roommates in my life. There's nothing wrong with that.

 

[Mark2010]

That's the thing. I believe this CAN be a good job for the right person. But, between the housing and economics (along with the weather, which wouldn't bother me but might some others), there are just too many hoops to jump through and it sounds like you could well be miserable.

Given the fact, there are about a zillion other dailies of similar size and scope across America, it strikes me as a difficult place to recruit to.

 

[micropolitan guy]

News flash, it's cold in North Dakota in the winter. So what, you're inside most of the time anyways and it's not like anybody does much outside when it's 20-below. Like a lot of places, the weather sucks for 3-4 months a year. Then it gets better.

The MDN is a great starter paper and with a college, junior hockey, Minot High and Bishop Ryan and a good Legion baseball program there's plenty to keep you busy. And there are plenty of successful MDN alums. Just read a story in my hometown paper by an LA Times writer who is a national reporter who formerly worked there.

The housing situation is a lot different than it was back in the day, but if you aspire for bigger than better jobs you can get there from Minot, if there is still a there in 10-20 years.

 

[boundforboston]

Why doesn't someone just build a huge apartment complex and immediately become a multimillionaire?

 

[KJIM]

See my post on the Valley City thread. There are many reasons and most are complicated and many are related to flood recovery.