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Topic: How do I apply to jobs that ARE NOT ADVERTISED?
| Author | Message |
| MLA_Chick85 | Posted – 3/23/2008 2:06:05 PM | show profile Again, I'm a 2007 J. Grad. with no job, and I don't know why it's taking so long to land one. My resume is getting stale and I need to get a job before May 2008 (it will be 1 full year by then). I never applied to a job that was not advertised on job boards. What is the best way to do this? Do I send an e-mail to the company outlining my skills and experience and express my interested in the company? I really need some ideas on how to do this because I have no clue and hear this is the way to go in regards to landing a job. |
| onmyown | Posted – 3/23/2008 2:27:24 PM | show profile Basic research Go to the websites of the companies you are interested in. Find the section about job applications. Do what they say, whether it's applying online, sending emails or actually mailing paper. If they say apply to HR, do so. If you're feeling more aggressive, also send your info to the EIC or the editor of the section you want to write for. This is really very basic. Do college grads really not know how to do this anymore? It makes me wonder how you would do reporting a story. |
| MLA_Chick85 | Posted – 3/23/2008 3:24:30 PM | show profile I GIVE UP! This is why so many grads are not using mediabistro.com anymore for help, because when we ask a question, we also get snide remarks from people! "it makes me wonder how you would report a story," that is none of your concern onmyown! I'm not referring to researching, I'm referring to the exact way to write the e-mail to get the EIC or managing editor to pick up the phone and invite me to an interview. I GIVE UP! I encourage all recent grads to go to ed2010.com because mediabistro.com is no longer a place for us! |
| Decorama | Posted – 3/23/2008 4:47:10 PM | show profile Okay then, toots Have you tried - - - State press association websites? Regional press association websites? Some ads only appear there, not on mediabistro or other job sites. Or, have you also looked on the websites for individual newspapers? As I noted in another thread, another newspaper company in CT and one in NJ posted ENTRY-LEVEL jobs on their websites that were NOT on any sites such as mediabistro or ed2010. (Since that time, the NJ one has ended up on journalismjobs.com). |
| Decorama | Posted – 3/23/2008 4:57:27 PM | show profile And as for your letter Make it as finely-tuned and as specific to the particular newspaper or magazine as you possibly can. Include clips, as you would with any other posted job. Follow up with a call yourself. My advice would be to apply to a mix of advertised entry-level jobs and "unadvertised jobs". My above post was to suggest that perhaps you have not looked at individual newspaper sites or state or regional press association sites. You will find job ads there that do not appear elsewhere. What you may or may not realize is that you, as a recent grad, are hardly alone in this job search. Many others, far, far more experienced than you, are also frustrated. You WILL find very good advice here. If you ask me, the ed2010 website is often like the blind leading the blind. |
| Chamsah | Posted – 3/23/2008 5:47:31 PM | show profile Honey, relax please MLA Chick, calm down. I think the reason why people are getting so annoyed is because of your impatience with a very common situation and your refusal to listen to any criticism. Sure this is a tough place but this site is very indicative of what the field will be like once you get in. More bad news: Unfortunately, there is a kernel of truth to some of the responses that you are getting. I seem to be aging myself with every post to recent grads but whatever. When I went through my first job search, there was no internet and no community to turn to. So I went to the bookstore or library to do some research on to how land a journalism job. I also called my career center at my university and sat down with a counselor. I found alumni in the field and tried writing to them. I was given some advice, but really, we're all just thrown out there and told good luck. I too have a J-school degree and the program did NOTHING to prepare myself for the working world. I don't think I expected them to, either. That's the role of the career center and alumni, in my opinion. While it might seem like a good idea to toss out your questions (and frustrations) out on a media board, I am not so sure it's the best way to get what you want. I know, I know, they have a beginner section that for a while functioned quite well for a while. But the industry is a MESS and people tend to protect themselves during bad times. If you step back and realize that you are stamping your feet about getting a job before your degree is a year old (gasp!) when some of us have been routinely laid off after more than 15 or 20 years in the business. Really, what do you expect? Please head to a bookstore or call your career center. Talk to someone there. There's a lot of info out there about how to get a job through journalism associations, including ASME. I disagree that ED2010 is a waste since they ONLY help people in your situation and the founder is hardly blind, reaching an executive editor position by 30. They can hook you up with their mentor program. It's worth looking into. Getting a job is more about sending resumes... doing research and networking is the best way in. Good luck. |
| mae | Posted – 3/23/2008 6:09:15 PM | show profile First of all, I think many professionals have offered you great and very sage advice. Have you attempted any of them? Applying for jobs not advertised is not as simple as e-mailing your resume. If I received a random resume in my in-box, I'd delete it. However, I've also responded to e-mails inquiring about what they needed to do to break into the profession. I've made great connections by joining journalism associations and going to conferences, seminars, workshops, etc. Never ask people you just met for jobs because they have absolutely no reason to help you. Take this opportunity to build relationships. I went to a no-name school and didn't know a single person in the industry. Now, I'm working at an amazing publication. It doesn't happen overnight. |
| aj | Posted – 3/23/2008 6:55:19 PM | show profile Such an interesting sociology lesson... Don't get the answer you're looking for, so find a like-minded group to cry to that understands. Look, I do it too. Pissed off at my spouse, find an understanding group of women who can relate. Recent grad can't get a job...bitch to others in the same situation. It is very therapeutic....BUT...it's not going to move you forward. So, while I think it's helpful to get angry and post how much you hate MB on Ed2010...or go to happy hour with friends and bitch...you also have to figure out how you're going to get away from that negative energy and actually get somewhere. Your question was astute. How do you apply to a job that isn't advertised? You meet the decision makers for companies for which you aspire to work and impress them. You go to networking events, dinners, meetings, cocktails...you walk up to people and introduce yourself, ask for ADVICE (never a job) and find out how they broke into the industry. If you attend a meeting or hear a speaker you were impressed by you write a very nice note telling him/her this. You find ways in. You may even offer to volunteer for free (volunteer is the post-graduate way of saying internship). It's hard. Not everyone is capable of doing it. But it can be done. And it's done every day by overachieving people who have the burning desire to succeed. None of the 'sexy' jobs will ever be posted on the internet, nor where there ever be a campus recruiter sitting at a table with 'Managing Editor' positions open and free pens. Just doesn't happen that way. You ask a good question. Now hopefully you'll heed some of this advice and get back to us after you try it. Then go on Ed2010 and tell them what happened. Good luck. ------ Dream Big. Pay the Rent. www.makingitinthecity.com |
| Marie | Posted – 3/23/2008 11:07:00 PM | show profile Alumni are an incredibly untapped resource. Get back in touch with your school, and find out who's working where in your area. This is done all the time. Fellow alumn rarely refuse to talk to someone seeking information about the industry. There's a natural bonding there. Most alums are even curious about what's going on at the school, so there's tons to talk about. It can be a very relaxed and low-key, even enjoyable, way to meet people who can hire you, or think of you, when there's an appropriate opening. I'd meet with them and then send a resume later. And if you want to work in magazines, write to managing editors, all conveniently listed on the masthead, not asking for a job but for information, a brief interview. Many admire that degree of initiative much more than they do someone who just robotically applies to an ad or goes through HR. Good luck. |
| dribbledrive1 | Posted – 3/24/2008 2:37:01 AM | show profile Basically, you hustle your ass off -- 1. You join press groups, and writers group, and work hard to meet people. 2. You freelance, to meet people, gain experience and expand your credentials. 3. You think of ways to aggressively and creatively let people know you are alive. It's not fun. It's not easy. It's a lot of hard, dreary work. It will take 10 times as much time as you want it to take. And I speak as someone who is almost 50, has won 30 or so writing awards, written 1000 articles, have 5 or so assignments at any given time -- and get several times a week at least I am challenges to think of ways to let people know I am alive, and find ways to communicate that my being alive is beneficial to them. Good luck. --What is the best way to do this? Do I send an e-mail to the company outlining my skills and experience and express my interested in the company? I really need some ideas on how to do this because I have no clue and hear this is the way to go in regards to landing a job.-- |
| Decorama | Posted – 3/24/2008 8:28:18 AM | show profile You have some great advice here People have given some terrific advice. Some of it is advice "for the long haul". It seems that you are feeling a pinch, MLA Chick, and I don't entirely blame you. You have stated that you would like to nail down a job by May. That having been said, extensive networking seems out as a fix-it solution, and getting informational interviews is great, but that might not land you a position in that short time. The alumni idea is fantastic. That really has "legs". In addition, websites for colleges and universities you DIDN'T attend are also great places to see job listings (that is, if they don't require a log-in for alumni to view job postings.) My feeling is, you may not be aware of "all" the job postings that are out there. Perhaps due to budget constraints . . . . or who knows, many ads just don't make it to the big job boards. On various Internet sites, you will find lists of newspapers by STATE. This is a good way to find smaller publications or newspaper publishing companies you may not have already considered. On the newspapers' websites, there may well be job postings. (Quite recently, in search of something quite different from your quest, I have found several in the NYC area that are indeed entry-level reporter positions. I am not interested in these positions, but I have certainly taken note of them due to various forum topics here on MB.) ***** My personal advice would be NOT to send an email per se to "unadvertised jobs". Send a thoughtful letter, resume and packet of clips to introduce yourself. Show familiarity with the publication. |
| foodlit | Posted – 3/24/2008 9:44:12 AM | show profile | email poster Think outside the box and get creative. Do some research into people on the move type publications such as http://www.vistacomp.com/pub_moves/pub_moves.html This lists all the comings and goings in publishing, so you can see who was recently hired or who just went from one place to another. For magazines you can also look at the titles and names on the masthead/internet. What do you do with this info? Well your goal is to get to those unadvertised positions right? Think about the type of role you and what the title of the person you would likely report to might be, editor, senior editor, etc. Then, send your resume to those people...the ones who might need support...maybe not today, but in a week or month you never know, they may get greenlighted to hire, and have your resume. Better yet, when sending your resume to those people, ask for an informational interview to 'pick their brains' about the day to day of doing the job...once they meet you, and like you they'll be more apt to try and help you network for something. Informationals are how you can get to those 'hidden' jobs. It's how I've landed my last three positions. Join local meetups, go to any possible event and network, get to know people. Something like 87% of all jobs are landed through networking. Are you on LinkedIn? If not, put up a detailed profile and send me an invite, and I'll connect to you. Once you do that your network with have close to 500k people in it instantly just from connecting to me. I have almost 8 million in my network now. I am a headhunter though, so have been deliberately building my network for a few years now. LinkedIn is a fantastic research tool. Facebook as well. Also, am happy to send you my handout on resumes/networking/interviewing if you don't have it already. It's what I give out when asked to speak and is based on many years of recruiting...little tips that I've seen make a big difference. Some of it you likely already know, but there's bound to be a few things you haven't thought of. Good luck! Pam pamclaughton@comcast.net |
| Village Gal | Posted – 3/24/2008 9:51:41 AM | show profile magical thinking from recent grads Chick, You have gotten some great advice here despite your hyper sensitivity and griping about media bistro What I have noticed on this and many similar posts is a sort of magical thinking.. if only I wrote my cover letter the right way.. if only I formatted my resume the right way.. if only I had the right whatever... it's not that simple. It also seems naive to think that just because you have a J-school degree you will land job within a year. It's taking a while time because there are more qualified applicants than positions.. As you continue to search, I suggest you freelance and get some great clips, go to conferences, join associations and network. The best way to get a job is through editorial connections not job boards. Basically, you need to do what people did before the internet. Get out there. |
| Mag Girl | Posted – 3/24/2008 9:57:42 AM | show profile MLA, most of the advice here, if not all of it, was posted in your previous thread about finding a job. Have you attempted any of what was offered as advice up to this point? |
| MLA_Chick85 | Posted – 3/24/2008 12:41:48 PM | show profile Yes I have, I have signed up for "J" conferences as well as speaking with the alumni of my college. The problem with that is that they are mostly finance or business majors. My alumni friends that majored in journalism are sadly in the same boat as I am. This post was a little different from my last one because eventhough I want a job, I just took what I didn't know how to do on that board (for example, Decorama suggested I write blind personalized letters to companies that weren't advertising jobs) which I did not know how to do. I just wanted clarity on that one issue, while I'm doing other things suggested on my previous post. |
| mae | Posted – 3/24/2008 3:22:02 PM | show profile MLA_Chick, if you're worried about a stale resume, have you tried freelancing? Pitch to smaller publications or online zines. Volunteer to help out with copy editing or fact checking. These magazines may not have the funds to pay you, but I would do it for the experience. I know some people will discourage you from working for free, but it has helped me tremendously in standing out from other candidates when applying jobs. |
| jobhunter08 | Posted – 3/24/2008 3:38:12 PM | show profile I'm in a similar boat in regards to MLA_Chick's alumni situation. I actually contacted my school's career office and alumni association a couple months back and explained my situation. I went to a small school, and as such almost all majors were/are business or bio. They didn't have any in journalism/publishing for me to network with. Almost everyone I worked with in journalism at my school just went with Teach for America. |
| Cyrus | Posted – 3/24/2008 3:55:49 PM | show profile MLA, Often the secret to success can be found in the cover letter because that is actually the first thing anybody sees that helps "sell" you, whether that be for an actual job, informational interview, etc. My advice: tailor your cover letters to address specific skills that would make you an asset at a particular company or in a particular position, if you are applying to something specific. Recruiters and hiring managers can tell when those are generic and aren't tailored for specific jobs and more often than not, going the generic route gets your information tossed. FWIW, before I was in the New York market, every job I ever had was obtained through general outreach and not through specific ads, so going your route can be an incredibly good way to get an "in." If nothing else, you're not sending information to people who are already getting 100+ in response to an ad, so you stand out more. Good luck, Cyrus ------ Cyrus Afzali Astoria Communications www.astoriacomm.com |
| cakey | Posted – 3/24/2008 6:29:07 PM | show profile Can't answer an ad Well, back in the day (think 1983), I broke into journalism in NYC as a copygirl. I used to get the reporters coffee and lunch, open the mail, change the paper on the wire machines and beg to be sent out on stories. The editors promised that if I got the lunch orders right, they'd give me a chance to do some reporting. They stayed true to their word, and after six months of servitude, I began doing vacation relief work, and eventually I was hired as a full-fledged staffer. Sad but true, MLA, but sometimes taking a lowly job in a field such as journalism or publishing gets you in the door so that you can prove yourself and in the process earn some clips or some cred. BTW, I landed the copygirl job by calling the city editor once a week to "check in" until he got so sick of me that he finally hired me. I'd recommend targeting an organization that you'd like to join and very politely but persistently making yourself and your enthusiasm for a job -- any job -- known via phone. |
| Craw Daddy | Posted – 3/24/2008 7:32:14 PM | show profile . |
