You’ve already been told to make the most of your internships, right? News directors says it’s astounding how many interns don’t take the initiative to get to know people in the newsroom. They don’t go out with reporters, don’t learn how to edit, don’t ask for feedback on their stories. “That’s a huge missed opportunity,” says Rob Cartwright, news director at KEYE-TV in Austin, Texas.
But even if you’ve taken full advantage of your internships, you still have to apply for that first job. What are news directors looking for? They want you to act professionally and show you can tell a story. Surely that’s not too much to ask.
Here are some useful tips from a session at a Texas Association of Broadcasters workshop.
The resume
Don’t get cute. Amie Hudspeth, news director at KAVU-TV in Victoria, Texas, ditched an applicant who sent dog treats because the anchor was a “dog person.”
Proof read. Cartwright pitched an applicant who failed to replace the [first name] [last name] fields in the resume template.
Keep it short. “Give me a one page summary,” Cartwright says. “Don’t pad it. If there are spelling errors, if you leave things out, that speaks to your work ethic.”
Make it downloadable. Many if not most stations have to clear new hires with corporate human resources. “Don’t make me figure out how to print [your resume],” Hudspeth says.
The reel
Send links. Don’t bother to send anything by mail. It will just stack up in a corner. And if you have your own website, make sure your reel is on the front page. News directors hate having to search for your video.
Do it yourself. “What I can’t work with is someone who went to a big market, took a package and slapped it on a reel,” Hudspeth says. Cartwright agrees. “We’re going to know if it’s a story you re-tracked. If there are no mistakes, that’s a red flag for me.”
Tell a story. Two or three stand-ups at the top is plenty. “I need to see you can actually tell a story to a camera and people will want to watch it,” Hudspeth says. “Everything else we can teach you.”
Tailor it. Don’t send anchor work if you’re applying for a reporting job. “If I’m not looking for a sports person don’t send me a sports reel,” Hudspeth says.
Social media
Be there. “You should be active on social media, period,” Cartwright says. “That’s part of your job.” Your social media accounts should show that you can talk to and interact with an audience. “I like to know how many followers you have, how long you’ve had an account,” Hudspeth says.
Review in advance. If you haven’t enabled “timeline review” in Facebook, do it now. You never know when somebody’s going to tag you.
Clean it up. Be very careful about what you post. Before you apply, delete all the party pictures. “I Google everyone,” Cartwright says. “It’s amazing what comes up in a search.”
Don’t think you can hide. Using your middle name or nickname or initials won’t keep your social posts private. “We will find you,” Hudspeth warns.
The interview
Prepare. Research the station and the community in advance. “I can weed you out real quick if you don’t know a big story we’ve covered in the past month, if you don’t know anything about the city or the people who work there,” Cartwright says.
Spend the time wisely. Recognize that the interview starts the minute you arrive at the station and continues until you leave. “I let you sit in the newsroom, talk to the anchors, I want to see how you’ll fit,” Hudspeth says. “I take it all into account. We are a small staff, everyone has to work together. I can’t afford to make a hiring misstep.”
Ask questions. “I want to hear your questions about the community and the company,” says Bill Oliver, news director at WTAW-AM in College Station, Texas. “Show me that you’re not only willing to work here but to live here.”
One final piece of advice: Leave your parents out of it. News directors say they’ve had applicants bring their moms to an interview or have them on the phone. “That’s not cool,” says Scott Pickey, news director at KOSA-TV in Odessa, Texas. “Put your big boy pants on. They can drop you off but they need to disappear for a while.”
