How do I handle this?

ASK JOE A QUESTION

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Several weeks ago, I quit a reporter's job on a small weekly. I was the only reporter with a too-large beat. I worked for about a year. The longer I worked, the more knowledgeable I became on the communities I covered and spread myself even thinner. I worked hard, developed my skills and got a wealth of experience. I know I did it well because my sources told me so. The editor at the paper was no help to me. In hindsight, I could have handled him better, but the fact is, I didn't.

Thank you!

Michele

You worked too hard to get into journalism to now be afraid to even send out an application.

The sooner you do it, the better, as your employment gap is growing.

Do not bother to explain in the cover letter why you quit. That won't really help you. Simply note your employment dates on your resume. Write a positive, powerful cover letter, and ask for an interview. The interview, not the cover letter or the resume, is the place for explaining your reasons for quitting.

Keep the in-person explanation brief and not too critical. Take the high road. Try to direct the interview toward the future. A candidate who gets mired in a lengthy explanation of why an old job or boss didn't work out is going to have a hard time getting any traction.

 

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