A new feature bringing you highlights from the mediabistro.com discussion boards. This week:

Sag1217: "I started a job about 2 weeks ago and from the first day I could tell that I didn't quite 'click' with my boss professionally. Any suggestions on how to combat this? We just don't seem to 'get' each other."

mailbag: "My opinion since you are new — is that you can get away with asking a lot of questions. I think there are other ways for you to pick up her style than asking directly. You and the manager are reaching for the same goal, so ask for a sit-down meeting or go to lunch together outside of the office. You want to succeed — what are her suggestions to keep you on that track? And, what are her expectations of you?"

Check out (or add to) the conversation here: No Chemistry With New Boss

Also: Non-Disclosure Agreements

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A new feature bringing you highlights from the mediabistro.com discussion boards. This week:

Ahppy1: "I am back to job hunting. I was thinking about sending out resumés with a general "cold" cover letter looking for a position. Has anyone had any luck with this approach?"

jlm920: "A friend of mine sent out 500 cold cover letters and resumés this way and he got 2 responses, neither of which garnered an interview."

Check out (or add to) the conversation here: New Job search. Is this a good approach?

Also: Your Web site: What's It Look Like?

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A new feature bringing you highlights from the mediabistro.com discussion boards. This week:

MDiskin: "I'm getting paid in GBPs for a job and wanted to know if anyone has had hassles when getting paid in currency other than USDs in the U.S. I believe my bank holds the checks for up to 3 weeks but I've heard stories of huge chunks of the check being docked as well. What's your experience?"

roxannekkb: "I write for several UK based clients and they write my payment directly to my bank. My bank charges an $8 fee for the wire but that's it. And now with the dollar so weak against the pound, I recieved a rather effortless raise."

Check out (or add to) the conversation here: Getting paid in foreign currency: your experience?

Also: News to PR: can you ever go back?

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A new feature bringing you highlights from the mediabistro.com discussion boards. This week:

Newsy: "What's everyone's experience? Are there certain national magazines that are easier to break into than others?"

Belinda: "The easiest one will always be the magazine that goes for an idea and believes you'd be the best writer for it."

MedScribe: "All of the so-called seven sisters national mags lean heavily on their freelancers for editorial content -- typically more so than they do on their own staffers. I think the trick is not so much which magazine, but which section of which magazine."

Check out (or add to) the conversation here: What are the easiest national mags to break into?

Also: Hearst contracts?

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A new feature bringing you highlights from the mediabistro.com discussion boards. This week:

loadzoflaughs: "Are any freelance magazine writers concerned about the eventual demise of magazines, since blogs are taking storm. The pay rate of blogging sucks..."

InsomniacNOT: "Magazines aren't screwed. Some magazines are screwed. And twas always so. Time marches on. Things change. Not all blogs are cut and paste of other material. Nor are all blogs profitable. They have to be good and have readers."

Check out (or add to) the conversation here: Magazines passed over for reading blogs, instead.

Also: Breaking into altweeklies

For plenty of other hot topics, go here: mb Bulletin Boards

A new feature bringing you highlights from the mediabistro.com discussion boards. This week:

JCH: "Can anyone recommend a good online company to get business cards made? Just need something very simple, one color, preferably not too expensive."

Astera: "Overnight Prints has done quality work for both me and my husband. Their turnaround time is fast, they aren't too expensive, and the finished product looks fairly substantial and professional,
not flimsy and cheap."

HisGirlFriday: Why not patronize a local small business near you? I went to a local print shop, got a better price than online — and felt good about giving some coin to the little guy.

Check out (or add to) the conversation here: Business Cards

Also: Any other good writing conferences out there?

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A new feature bringing you highlights from the mediabistro.com discussion boards. This week:

kaceclosed: "About how long after they accept something and everything is OK'd should you expect to get paid on average?"

recovering_jersey_girl: "I was told it takes longer the first time b/c they have to set you up as a new vendor, etc...They told me it would take roughly 30 days to do this, but I wound up getting paid sooner. Time Inc., though, took *forever* getting my vendor acct set up."

Check out (or add to) the conversation here: Condé Nast payments

Also: Must include salary requirements

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A new feature bringing you highlights from the mediabistro.com discussion boards. This week:

fixxion: "I am an international student and will have to get [a working vises] in order to get a job in one of them. Condé Nast, TimeInc, Hearst and NicheMedia are the ones that interest me"

Foreigner: "I first came to the U.S. on a J1 visa, which was a paid "internship." I had to write an essay explaining how the visit would advance journalism in my home country and in the U.S. The idea was to offer cultural exchanges... I flew to the US for a vacation and hit the ground running, introducing myself to prospective employers, showing my clips."

Check out (or add to) the conversation here: Which Publishers sponsor H1 working visas?

Also: Subject line when pitching

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A new feature bringing you highlights from the mediabistro.com discussion boards. This week:

brooklynwriter2002: "NYC Councilmember James Oddo of Staten Island. Slammed the phone on me because I dared to ask him background questions on self-certification. Nice man. Any nasty interview subjects for y'all?"

caitlinkelly: "some health flack for the state in Albany, shouted at me -- shouted? -- when I was at the Daily News."

Chamsah: "Steve Buscemi once told my friend that her questions were stupid."

Check out (or add to) the conversation here: Nasty interview subjects

Also: Corporate writing

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A new feature bringing you highlights from the mediabistro.com discussion boards. This week:

writesonwater: "What do you do when someone (say, 1 of 25 or 50 subjects interviewed) wants to read the part that applies to them before a BOOK is published? "

deadline: "I am writing my first book and offered to let my sources read chapters about them before it goes to print. The subject is sensitive, and they all do want the book written. However, it is their lives I am stepping into."

Check out (or add to) the conversation here: When subjects want to read yr book first

Also: How to make the best of job rejection

For plenty of other hot topics, go here: mb Bulletin Boards