How I Look for a Job: The Prologue

For those who don't know, I am a senior journalism student at Pitt who will be graduating in April. From there, I'm looking to move on to a career in journalism or public relations, hopefully in Las Vegas. Now, I know it's a tough job market out there, especially when students have gone to specialized schools and programs for journalism and public relations that surpass my own education, but I'm not giving up. I've applied for six or seven jobs already, and I've heard back from one: The Wynn. I received a no for a position as a special events coordinator, but they said that I should look at other opportunities available through their brand, which as I type this I am doing.

Either way, I wanted to write a blog post about how I determine what jobs to apply for and which ones not to apply for. It's actually a really easy process for me.

1. I look at the title of the job. I'm a journalism/PR student. I'm not going to apply for a job as a data analyst or a financial consultant. I stick to keywords like "writer," "marketing," "social media," and "relations." Those are usually key indicators of a job my degree will be tailored for.

2. I look at the requirements. If a job needs 3-5 years of experience, I automatically say no (unless it's customer service, because I've been in that industry for five years). 1-2 years I apply, because I have 1-2 years of journalism experience or work in PR.

3. I finally read all of the job duties. Some job posts are tricky. They oversell their open position, or they throw in additional responsibilities/licenses that you shouldn't need. I applied for a special events coordinator job, and I was asked if I'd be willing to get a valid Nevada Gaming License if I got the job. Why? I would be a special events coordinator. I wouldn't be operating any machinery. As it turns out, licensing is a way to weed out the bad eggs in Las Vegas, because it was a mob/mafia hot spot before. It keeps things clean and fair for everyone, so I can't just give special benefits to family and friends. I also was looking for a PR job, and I got a post to be a sales consultant for a gift shop at a casino. They were overselling working at the shop by giving certain activities flair, like selling merchandise. If something doesn't fit or seem right, I'm skeptical and usually just bookmark the job for a later date.

What are your own specifications you go by when searching for a job? Let me know what you do in the comments below. I could always use more strategies!

Sources

I love talking to people and listening to their stories. I also love compiling stories of my own. Sources come in many shapes and sizes, and that's what I've dedicated this entire post to. You might be a journalist student if you encounter these types of sources:

1. The Blabber. This is the type of source who's extremely enthused about the article you're doing, and sometimes ends up telling you their life story instead of focusing on the questions you're asking. Try to polite steer the conversation as best as you can, but don't be rude. Chances are you may need this source again.

2. The Information System. This type of source knows everything about the subject of your article, and isn't afraid to tell you all about it. This source is slightly related to the Blabber in that they tend to talk a lot, but every piece of information could help with your current story and give you ideas for future articles, which is why keeping in contact with this source is a must.

3. The Micro-manager. This is the type of source every journalist tries to avoid dealing with, but sometimes it's just inevitable. This person loves to give you press releases, omit information, backtrack and even tell you what you should and shouldn't put in your story. Keep them as a contact, but only to obtain those precious press releases for a possible story idea or two.

4. The Delayer. This is the type of person who doesn't get back to you in the amount of time you need them to in order to get the information for your story. This person gives you a valuable lesson in keeping multiple stories open, and never assign yourself to just one source. It could spell disaster for you and your publication. This source, however, could make up for it with different sources to interview, so don't cut them to the quick immediately. Keep your options open, but never forget either. Try making appointments with them earlier, too. That helps.

5. The Neglectful Nellie. This is the type of person who never calls you back, never emails you...basically never responds to any communication with you or your publication whatsoever. You would have a better chance at getting a letter from San Francisco to Pittsburgh via the Pony Express than getting information from this contact. Chances are this person is a creature of habit, and they won't talk to you or anyone from your publication because of a bad experience or some other reason. It's better not to heckle them much, because that could hamper any kind of relationship you're trying to build with them. This is why you need multiple sources of multiple types.

I'm sure I'm forgetting a few of the other types of sources out there, but these are just a few I've run into during my time. Have any others you'd like to share? Leave a comment below or share this post and get friends involved! I'm curious to hear your opinion!