Miami Dolphins beat, Sun Sentinel

Jwoodso1,

Are you serious? Trust me there is no way in the world you are ready to cover a competitive beat like the Dolphins with only college newspaper experience. Trust that covering a beat entails much more than knowing about a team. There are some high school opportunities at small newspapers where you can cut your teeth and learn how to work a beat that are much more suitable for your skill set at this point in your career. Don't waste your time because you can trust the hiring managers at the Sun Sentinel won't waste theirs on you for this job. Best of luck!

 

Oh, I know I'm not ready and wouldn't get the job but didn't know if I should send it to get my name/resume in their system. Thanks for the advice. I know there's a lot more to covering it than just "product knowledge."

 

jwoodso1 = PICKLE JUICE!

j/k ... maybe.

rb

 

Assuming that's a running joke about a member/former member. It's all good.

 

I say apply anyway.

A long time ago I applied for a job I wasn't ready for. The SE at that paper had a buddy at a smaller paper who had another opening. He passed my resume and a good recommendation ("This resume is good, but the guy is a better fit for your job than mine..."). I got that job, which was such a perfect job for me that I kept it for 11 years.

Anyway, if you've got something that makes you stand out from other people with your lack of experience (awards, great internships, awesome clips) give it a shot. Doesn't cost you anything.

 

BB, that's what I'd call good networking. I've seen it happen more than once.

 

The shop I worked at for 25 years . . . I never applied to.

I had applied to a paper on the West Coast and interviewed there, was told I "came in second" for the job and thought nothing else about it.

Until a month later, when I got a call from Fred Turner in Fort Lauderdale. Turns out the ASE out west had once worked under Fred in Florida, and Fred had called him asking if he know of any good desk candidates. The ASE passed my name along, and Fred hired me a few weeks later.

You never know.

 

It is. SJ hilarity at its best.

I am with the two most recent ... Apply. Heck, Tim might see something in you he likes for another one of the spots he might have open. What is the cost? Just postage?

Best of luck. It is a brutal business to be getting into at the ground floor ...

rb

 

Guys, him applying for the job could also backfire and the kids could be seen as someone who doesn't get it. Now if he wants to email Tim and say something along the lines of he would like to be in the mix in the event that internal promotions creates a position his skill set and experience would be qualified for ... blah, blah, blah. But I would not advice a kid out of college to apply for the Miami Dolphins job in a market like that out of the gate. If I were a manager I might be inclined to delete his package for wasting my time. Please let's really try to help these young people by giving them valuable and realistic advice.

 

I can see this. In my case, the job I was applying for wasn't a total Hail Mary. It was maybe a rung and a half too high. (I had three internships and five years at a major metro, covering preps, a college and minor league baseball, and I was applying for an MLB beat at smaller metro. I ended up getting a non-traveling MLB beat at a 100K suburban, which was where I belonged with my experience.)

So, jwood, I'd say you could apply if...

a) you've got something impressive on your resume (internships?) that sets you apart from every other kid fresh out of college

and

b) you make it clear in your letter that you understand you are aiming a little too high, but doing so with the hope that it might lead to something, if not this particular job.

And in the worst-case scenario, and this guy thinks you're being an arrogant prick by even littering his inbox with your resume, then you've pissed off one guy out of the 1,000 sports editors in the country.

 

I would say apply, but don't get your hopes up, which it already seems like that's your mentality. However, say you actually got the job, it wouldn't be in your best interest to take it. You're bound to make a million rookie mistakes in your first real job out of college and you'll be torn to shreds by everybody because your work will be viewed on a much grander scale than that of a small circulation newspaper. My first gig out of school fell into my lap and was hosting a show a regional TV network before MLB game broadcasts. I cringe when I see how bad I was! Luckily, we're all bound to improve. But I really wish I had that stepping stone job to really perfect my style and build up my confidence before getting on a larger stage. Good luck to you!

 

jwood, I wouldn't go as far as gosox2008. if somehow you were to get the job, please don't turn it down. go in knowing you don't know anything and become a sponge. work your ass off and let the chips fall as they may. at that point you are some insane editor's problem so your success is then tied to his. don't count on this but hell crazier things have happened...lol!