Cover the Minnesota Vikings while the ink is still drying on your diploma

Completely agree with this. That's why it was easy for me, as a Wisconsin native and lifelong Packers fan, to cover the Rams objectively for three years. That being said, covering a team after a win is a lot better than covering a team after a loss and I saw many Rams' losses during the 2009-2011 seasons.

 

I never said that would help me or make me more qualified for the job. I was simply stating fact. When I was little all I did was watch or play sports. That's what led me to selecting this profession. If the 12-year-old me saw this, he'd be jumping for joy.

I understand what you're saying and I agree with you, but you really took what I said out of context.

 

Any idea when they want to hire someone? I'd assume soon considering the season already started.

 

From my experience with an H1B visa in the U.S., your employer has to get it for you.

It's expensive, it takes several months, and if you're applying for one once the maximum cap has been reached for the year, you're out of luck.

They also have to show that there were no American candidates who have your unique combination of skills. Given how many applications they'll probably get for this and how there's no standout experience or expertise for what they consider an entry-level job, that's a pretty serious challenge.

IOW, it means they really, really have to want you. Doesn't mean it can't be done, though.

 

So exposababe, what you're saying is I'm essentially screwed? Because I'm not going to be the most qualified for any of the jobs that I apply for, meaning it's a VERY long shot that I'm even considered for one of these positions?

What are my other options then? How can it be that hard for a Canadian to get a job in the US? Those sound like extreme measures. It can't be that difficult and expensive of a process can it?

Do I have to move to the US first? And if I do, how can I even move there without a job?

 

You're pretty much screwed, yes.

Unless you've won a shit-ton of awards for your work, or have an unparalleled visibility at what you do (like Onrait and O'Toole), or have some other way to prove what the INS would agree was an exceptional (EB1) or extraordinary (O1) talent. The O1 visa is used by hockey players, actors and musicians, that sort of thing.

You could also marry an American and get a work visa based on that.

Failing that, enjoy building your portfolio in the many wonderful small communities of Canada, like the rest of us did, and work your way up to Onrait-O'Toole status.

 

Well, you have two options here:
1) You can choose to believe me from my personal experience with the process. Or,
2) You can believe that I'm just F.O.S. and funnin' with you. I mean, your choice.

Geez.

 

Does anybody know when they might hire for this job? Seems odd that they'd hire a Vikings reporter (even the No. 3 guy) after the season is at least three weeks old. I'd guess they don't want to waste much time on the hire.

 

I'd assume interviews have already begun. If not, that would be a one- or two-week process and then you'd have to wait two or three weeks for the candidate to quit his/her old job and move to Minneapolis. That would be midway through the season before even starting.

 

If you really want to work in the U.S. (or anywhere, really), you should be talking to an attorney, not a message board.

But no, unless you're already work-eligible, you're not going to get a job by just blindly applying for positions. Because it would be a pain in the ass for the employer to get you a visa, and there are many applicants that would not require so much paperwork.

 

Chip Scoggins will fill in and do the beat the rest of the season because they couldn't get any of their top hire choices to move at this point in an NFL season and then will resume the search after season's end. This posted job primarily for the web has nothing to do with the lead beat job for the paper.

 

Well, omgosh. They want me to be qualified, able to actually show up to work, and maybe even know a thing or two about what I'm supposed to be doing? What an outrage and a continuing sign of the degredation of 1-2 nations.