Hiring Writers for CBSSports.com NFL Correspondent Network

Luckily for me I fit the profile for this sort of job -- just out of college, live near NFL city, no car payment and parents willing to put up with my freeloading ass for a year. It's a six month job and you'll get more clips and develop better sources through this job than you would anywhere else. I'm applying.

Is this application process different? Definitely, and they get a huge bonus in all this free content considering they're going to have to sift through a mountain of crap from people who think they have the chops to get at the talented people. That's worth it to them. What's it worth to me? I write 7 or 8 articles over a few weeks (which I already do while blogging) in my spare time and maybe I get six months of access to an NFL team. How many 21-22 year old cubs can say that? The process is different, sure, but just sending a resume and clips isn't working for anyone right out of school. We just don't have enough black ink under "Experience" to wow anybody. There's probably not even enough to get an editor/HR goon to look at your clips when he's got 400 other resumes to look over.

So yeah, I'm applying and going to try and write my ass off and get the job. I'd expect any young, unemployed writer not ready to give up and go to law school just yet to do exactly the same. If there's no jobs? Awesome, more disappointment. I have a whole inbox full of that; one or two more "No, thanks" mails won't put Google in a tailspin.

 

I don't think you can count on this job landing you a spot at a decent news organization. I don't recall my current editor asking me why I am a fan of "such-and-such" team. No editor has asked me that.

I think this job is a code-word for we need NFL content.

 

After going through the process, that's the way it seems to me too.

But aside from that, the simple fact that any media outlet will pay staff only $400 a week is absolutely and utterly ridiculous. Imagine if that were teachers, police officers or firefighters being asked to work for these wages. Why myself, and many others, put up with the shit that's spoon fed to us by this industry daily baffles me. I should still get out while I'm young enough and quit chasing the dream.

 

I hate to be a cynical ass, but yes, you should. I wish I had.

 

If that wasn't intentional, candidate for post of the year.

 

Wrong. Without a free and INTELLIGENT press, democracy will cease to exist. And to have an intelligent press, you need to pay folks decent wages so as to attract folks with intelligence to the industry.

 

I agree. I did some writing and copy editing for B/R. There is some decent stuff on there, but you have to tread through a LOT of sludge to find it. A lot of it is fan base commentary, which is fine, but certainly doesn't count as journalistic work. I feel the site tries to push fan knowledge as being better then established and credentialed writers who you know, actually have sources and can get quotes from involved parties.

 

Well, when the decent wages show up, I'll be back.

In the meantime, I'm planning my departure. It involves a graduate degree. A graduate degree for my wife. And two government jobs. We're almost 50 percent there.

In related news, we're a bit in debt out here in Podunk.

 

Got this email Monday night:

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Dear CBSSports.com Correspondent Candidates,

First off, I wanted to thank all of you for applying. We now have a sizable pool of well-qualified candidates for each and every NFL team.

This is an amazing opportunity for the Bleacher Report Community, and it’s truly awesome to see such enthusiasm from our writers.

This Friday, we’re going to be sending out an email highlighting some of the quality contributions we’ve received thus far for each team. These selections will demonstrate the caliber of writing and analysis we believe is necessary for serious consideration as a CBS Football Correspondent.

We are reviewing work as we speak in anticipation of Friday, so if you’d like your articles to be considered, please get them in by Thursday morning.

In general, I wanted to make everyone aware that applying for the Correspondent position is an open enrollment process—meaning that we’re reviewing content as it comes in.

From our point of view, the sooner you get your stuff in, the better. As you know, the deadline for all article submissions is May 29th.

Thanks again guys, and best of luck with those articles!

Rory (rbrown@bleacherreport.com)

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _


I'm still not going to make deadline.

 

That is what floors me. People on there think that the ACTUAL journalists are trash and don't know up from down or black from left. Forget that they talk to the players, get the quotes and know the coaches. Forget that they have been covering the same team for 25 years.

Oh, but they know that McNabb will throw for 4000 yards next season and have 35 TDs. Oh and the DAY AFTER the draft have already figured out how the entire NFL season is going to pan out.

"Horrible... absolutely hideous."

 

hounds, release the

 

You get what you pay for, folks.