Q: I recently had an informational interview at The Chicago Tribune. I work as a slot editor, and the Trib editor said to keep in touch and send him additional good examples of my work.
Trib job listings tend to be word of mouth. How can I keep my name fresh in the editor's mind? How often should I inquire about openings? Do you think he would e-mail me if an opening occurred?
With best regards,
R.B.
Q: You have a foot in the door.
Stay in touch with that editor on a regular basis. Every second month, make a phone call. In between, I would shoot a note or e-mail, just to stay on the radar.
When newspapers that hire well do it without advertising, it's usually because they work ahead and have a pool of good candidates that they tend. It sounds as though they may be thinking of you that way.
But don't start packing. Some of my best talent pools are many people deep. They need to be because of timing issues and skill differences among candidates. Being in the pool doesn't mean you're next.
