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Topic: Newsroom Test?
| Author | Message |
| womaninbooks | Posted – 3/2/2008 12:01:06 PM | show profile I've been freelancing for magazines for a while now and just applied to a major media company that does web, tv, and radio. They liked my clips but want me to come in to do a "newsroom" test ... presumably to see how fast I can turn stories around that come in off the transom (as in, not much legwork in terms of interviews needs to be done). Has anyone else done this kind of test before? Any thoughts on what to expect? I'm sure I can write articles quickly but am not so sure if this will be something like an in-person pitchfest (something I've failed at before because I wasn't anticipating it...). Is the latter normal in current affairs writing? |
| reporterwriter | Posted – 3/2/2008 12:48:17 PM | show profile It's absolutely normal, and it's typicall called a "tryout," because you get to try out the staff and the staff gets to try out you. It's so much more than a speed test! You'll be asked to do several stories of varying lengths and complexity. This tests not only your ability to turn around a story quickly, but also your resourcefulness in digging up sources and in working with minimal supervision. So, yes, plenty of legwork is involved, as it would be if you were hired. You might expect to do five or six stories in two days, and none will be stories coming in over the transom; they will be chosen especially for you to do. Meanwhile, everybody and his mother in the newsroom will interview you -- in the conference room, in the corner, over meals. If you can piece together two continuous hours to report and write those stories, you'll be lucky. Part of it is that they all want to get to know you a little to see whether your style and personality will mesh with the rest of the team, and part of it is to see how well you handle distraction. In the stories, they'll look for writing voice, adherence to house style, spelling, grammar, structure, thoroughness and all that good stuff. It's a fast, furious test of many abilities, not only speed. |
| womaninbooks | Posted – 3/3/2008 4:41:02 PM | show profile Thanks! That's very helpful. |
