Sports Writer, Utica, NY

The Observer-Dispatch, a 40,000-circulation daily in Utica, N.Y., is looking for a sports reporter/copy editor to join its sports team.

The successful candidate will be a Web-savvy writer and editor with strong word editing and page design experience. Sports staff members here do it all; they must be prepared to write stories and columns, take scores, update uticaod.com and assist the sports team editor. We're looking for a well-rounded journalist to fill this job. Experience in sports journalism is a must.

Utica is a great sports town. The O-D’s coverage includes prep athletics and college sports, including major sports at Syracuse University. A PGA Tour event comes to the area in September. And Cooperstown is only 35 miles from downtown Utica.

Observer-Dispatch editing alumni populate some of the finest newsrooms in the country, and those who choose to put down roots here enjoy four distinct seasons, the incredible natural beauty of the Adirondacks and a short drive to major cities.

We want to act quickly. The salary for this position is $30,000/year, plus benefits. Please send a cover letter, resume and work samples to Pamela Holmes, newsroom administrator, at pholmes@uticaod.com.

 

If I was in a better spot, I jump on this. The people there are good ones.

 

This one was posted less than three months ago. Applied and got an email telling me the position was on hold.

What changed?

 

I think it's pretty apparent that they want to see what fresh new talent is being churned out of our colleges and universities.

 

How much do they cover Syracuse? And how much would this position involve Syracuse work?

 

I'm amazed -- absolutely amazed -- that the planned salary rate/range is actually included in this ad.

Wish everyone would do that.

 

It's covered some. Syracuse football, basketball, etc.

 

Agree with you writethinking, but that's also one of the higher numbers you'll see. Most places want a kid fresh out of j-school so they can pay $20K.

 

Yes, I know letting people know the salary, or at least a range, early on, is usually not considered correct. But, I just think it would save everybody involved so much time and trouble because, frequently, a lot can be decided upon, by both sides, just based on salary expectations. This is particularly true in cases where an applicant would have to make a major move.

And, who really cares if people know what a job pays? It is what it is, and if that's the reality -- whatever that is -- so be it.

One thing I realize is that, for low-paying jobs (and that would be many of them in journalism), the papers may think they're scaring people away by listing the salary range. But they won't scare away everyone, and the people really interested, for whatever reasons, will still apply. And, aren't' those the people you'd be seeking, anyway?

On the other side of the coin, if papers are interested in someone, they should also be careful not to automatically assume they couldn't afford that person and that their suggested pay rate would be too low. (I've had this happen a couple of times).

Unless prospective hiring managers know, for sure, what someone made previously, they really should let the applicant decide that, or find out themselves whether the pay might be negotiable at all...or if that would even matter much at all.

Again, especially in cases of major moves, sometimes there are other explanations of why an applicant might be attracted to a position -- family considerations, wanting a major life change, actually seeking a move for a change of scenery/pace or greater affordability, or the opportunity for a better position in terms of career advancement, etc.

 

Thats what you think, but us kids fresh out of j-school don't exactly have newspapers knocking down our doors asking for our services either

 

You don't?
Look how many postings there are that prefer experience, adding the tagline, "but we'll consider a j-school grad with good clips."
That's code for, we're slotting entry level salary here.

 

Having applied for several of these, I think the issue is that now, they don't really have to hire someone straight out of college. There is a glut of qualified writers on the market who will work for 20k to 25k, because the alternative is not working.