Q: Thought I’d pick your brain here. I’ve had a long career in journalism, over 20 years both on staff and freelance. Most of my work has been features, op-ed and columns — the latter of which have appeared weekly in half a dozen papers over three states (dailies and weeklies) for over 10 years. I’ve several SPJ awards for columns and features (when on staff with dailies) have written for everyone from the small free weekly to the national glossies. However, I’ve not led the life of the "normal" career track. During this same decade I’ve founded and sold a weekly (still in business – I receive a small
salary just for keeping my face on the masthead) owned a couple restaurants, real estate, etc.
Here is the problem. At age 44 I’d love to just take a staff feature/op-ed/columnist job on a daily of any size (and I am geographically mobile). I love the work, have a deep background in it and am looking at this search as a long-term affair (something emphasized to editors and publishers). However, I seem to be hitting two walls. The first, if applying for a straight writing job, I’m viewed as grossly over-qualified (all my references are national level). In this case, I also get the impression that I’m older and more experienced in business arenas than many of the editors with whom I speak, something which causes them no small amount of concern (and perhaps a bit of fear?).
The second wall is when applying for higher level positions. The lack of having followed the standard career path seems to drop my résumé into File #13 post haste. I’m used to dealing with people who think outside the box, create and implement unique ideas and approaches. What I’m discovering in the present world of corporate journalism is that much of the thinking is strictly status quo.
It’s quite frustrating. Any suggestions? The one aspect of this search which I have found enlightening is a gross lack of professional behavior. Out of 60 resumes sent out over the past six months, I have had but two firms respond in any form to a nicely put together package of personal letter, clips and résumé. This is not to say I receive negative response. I mean no response. Not even an acknowledgment of receipt after polite follow-up letters or e-mail.
It’s been a while since I was on staff, but did they quit teaching business ethics and courtesy in J school?
Your two bits appreciated. I can always do something else … heck I can start another alternative weekly if I wish … but I’d much rather sell my talents to an established paper and avoid the pace and headaches of running my own show again.
Jim
A: Sorry you feel like you’re talking to a wall.
You seem to have a good handle on the obstacles in your way: a non-traditional career path, a lot of job changes, experience at publications that do not seem to line up with the places you’re applying to, being either over-qualified or other-qualified.
With those hurdles in your way, you’re hoping to land a highly coveted destination job as a feature/op-ed/columnist job. I don’t give this a high probability of success. The type of job you’re seeking is most likely to be first offered to people already on staff, or journalists familiar with the local area.
Another potential hurdle may be approach, if I understand your e-mail. It sounds as though you feel the editors you’re writing to are less experienced than you, are concerned that you are too experienced or even fear you (your words), embrace the status quo and have bad manners. I don’t know how you determined all that, as they don’t seem to be communicating with you. Will your assumptions about editors get between you and a potential job?
It helps that you’re geographically open, as the economy stinks, and you may be sending applications to people who simply have no openings. I would also open up my job search to include other kinds of positions.
I don’t think your guesses about editors are necessarily wrong, but I wouldn’t apply them across the board. I also would spend less time determining what kind of people they are and more time fine-tuning my search to identify the proper places and openings that will work. And let’s not forget to attribute some of your difficulty to the lousy economy. It may not be about you at all.
