Q. I made a couple of ill-advised moves as I was approaching graduation. The summer of my sophomore year I studied abroad, producing all of one clip for the trouble, and then I graduated early, leaving me with that one clip and a couple more I got from an internship at a small nonprofit weekly. I went on to intern at a small daily, where I established myself as a hard worker with a knack for finding the human interest -- and, sometimes, the humor -- in spot-news stories.
Worried about the job market, I threw my hat in the ring for a reporter opening at that publication and was passed over. After searching for jobs, I wound up at a neighborhood weekly -- albeit in a big city, and with a good reputation. It's been almost six months now, so while I'm not ready to leave, it's time to start planning my next move.
I'm confident in my abilities as a reporter and writer. But, to be kind, some of my clips are more so evidence of having learned the hard way than of showing off what I've learned. I'm not expecting recruiters to call me any time soon.
My goal is to make it to a daily or to a widely-read, online-only publication. How can I break from weekly to daily? And if editors elsewhere are reading my work, what kind of extra steps can I take to get the right kind of attention?
Cub on the MakeA. Every year I hear from students who decide to forgo internships for foreign travel. Those can be great, but they often carry a cost later. I would much prefer to see them work internships and have overseas experiences during the school year by studying abroad.
But you are where you are, and the good news is that you landed a job as a reporter. I see no reason why, if you're good and work hard, your earlier experiences should keep you from your dreams.
Given that you are interested in both dailies and online publications, cover both bets by working two strategies at once. Get involved with the newsier aspects of your newspaper's Web initiatives. Write, and learn audio, video and how to post work to the Web. Keep your standards high, learn and apply new skills constantly and keep your network fresh.
Editors are busy. They are unlikely to be looking at your work unless you write for the competition or they are actively considering you for jobs. That probably won't happen until you feel you are ready to make a formal application.
More from Joe on turning internships into jobs is in
"Breaking In: The JobsPage.com Guide to Newspaper Internships," available as a book or download.
Coming Tuesday: While waiting to hear about his grad school application, he took an internship and moved to Washington, D.C., with his girlfriend. Then he got accepted. Should he go?
You know, there's a lot to be said for time...
