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Learn how to effectively navigate the competitive job market in the media industry. Discover the crucial steps to follow, including self-inspection, networking, visiting media sites, and maintaining persistence. This guide provides actionable tips to help you secure your dream job.
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Landing a Job (In a chaotic market)
Self inspection • How badly do you want to work in media? • Do you have a passion for news? • Do people & their actions fascinate you? • How flexible are you? • Are you content to just get in the door? • Can you work cross-platform? • Do you truly understand the Web as a way to reach people?
You have already • Followed up on your internship • Used the TTU Career Services • Checked out MC Career Center • Checked class Web site careers page • Checked state press / journalism orgs • Done the networking thing
Now you get passionately serious • Get a map showing your preferred area • Draw a circle of about 150 mile radius or so • ID communities of any size within circle • Use directory to ID properties, players • TV stations (Broadcast & Cable Yearbook) • Radio stations (Same) • Newspapers (Editor & Publisher Yearbook) • Magazines (Folio Yearbook), Writer’s Market
Plan a week in your car • Plan a trip to visit media sites within circle • Plan no more than 2-4 per day in each town (or nearby towns) • Pick your days / towns for efficiency: Book motels and / or friends / family • Count up the number you will do in a week • Assemble your packets
Phase I: Letter / phone • Send letter to each person you identified, 3 weeks ahead of your trip; sell self and tell person you will be in town on Day X • Follow-up in 1 week with phone call, asking if they got resume / package
Phase II: Phone, visit • About 1-2 days ahead, call again. Suggest a time if you don’t have time set already • Show up at the appointed hour – 5 minutes early (not 10, and definitely not late) • At a minimum, you should get some eye contact, and be able to leave another packet
Phase III: Thank you letter / call • Write thank you letters to each person you visited. Again sell yourself • Approx. two weeks after the thank you letter, telephone again
Follow-up • Use judgment regarding follow-up calls • Be persistent, not too annoying • If necessary, draw a different circle and start over