I'm a recently graduated journalism student from the
University of King's College in Halifax, Nova Scotia.
First, I'd like to thank you for the wonderful
Academy/
Toolkit you have had online for years. I've used it for reference for about four years now and have always had results. Not that I'd use it as my only resource -- I have good references from the second-largest daily paper in Nova Scotia, the city editor and the entertainment editor, and one of my professors from J-school -- and I have a great portfolio of clippings covering pretty much everything from business to fluffy feature stories.
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I've been looking for jobs since February. I had an interview with a daily out in British Columbia, but that was over two weeks ago, and while they told me they'd call me back within a few days, they never did. I know that means no, and now I'm wondering whether I should send a thank-you note or not. Would a thank-you e-mail suffice?
Also, there is a magazine editor in Halifax who offered me a month-long unpaid internship. But he never called or e-mailed back as to when to start, and when I e-mail/call, I don't get a response.
Also, I looked all over the Toolkit and Poynter, and it says nothing about fax etiquette. What do editors think of faxed cover letters/resumes/clipping packages? The last one I sent was 15 pages -- again, nothing on the Internet says anything about faxing.
What are editors looking for in their general reporters, if they say they're willing to hire a recent grad? Surely someone like me, an enthusiastic, energetic journo. The only reason I can think of is my references giving bad testimonials, and I did a great job at my internship. Do you recommend sending references' contacts with the resume or withholding them?
I appreciate all of your advice and look forward to hearing from you. Thank you again for your work online; I doubt I would have been as prepared for my internship last year without it.
Yours sincerely,
Jessica Patterson
Whew!
That's a load of questions. I'll see what I can do.
- The silences are deafening, but you won't know what they really mean unless someone tells you.
- Yes, send a thank-you note. Paper or e-mail.
- Include your references. There is no downside if you're not working somewhere.
- Editors will always choose to hire the best person they can, so qualified people can be topped by people who seem to be more qualified.
- Before you fax, ask yourself: Does my application need to arrive instantly on hard copy? That's what a fax does. How important is the final look? An e-mail may give you a better look on an instant schedule and mailed paper may give you the optimum look for a trade-off in speed.
Coming Monday: He's still in college but considers bolting because of an editor's interest in him for a job opportunity.
