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I am two years out of college and work at a mid-circulation newspaper. I am at a good company but am concerned about my title and how it will affect my career. I am a news assistant.

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It was a great starting point for me, but now that I've been here for quite some time, I'm ready to be a reporter. I've discussed this with my editor, and she was happy I want to pursue that route, but since our paper is in a hiring freeze like many others in the industry, she is unsure if a position will open up.

I have since pushed to write many stories on top of all the admin work I do, and I've gotten some great clips. But I'm still questioning everything. I am not ready to leave this town yet, but when I do, will I be seen as a news assistant who just wrote stories? Am I hurting myself by staying at this paper under this title for too long?

Still Pushing

You are right to be concerned.

Titles have meaning, but they can also mask reality.

Joe Grimm

I would disclose your title on your resume, but go to some lengths to describe your duties. Focus on the number and types of stories you worked on. If some received prominent play, highlight those. And if you have a very low error rate, mention that, too.

Your goal is to get prospective employers to focus on what you have done rather than on your title.

It is not always the case, but it may be that as you look to move up from the news assistant title to reporter, you will have to move to a somewhat smaller newspaper. This would be a classic case of becoming a bigger fish in a smaller pond.

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Coming Tuesday: This job-seeker wonders whether a short tenure is best explained in a cover letter, resume or interview.

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