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Job search communication

Discussion in 'Journalism topics only' started by busch, Jun 29, 2015.

  1. Doc Holliday

    Doc Holliday Well-Known Member

    So what the hell happened? When did our society decide that it just didn't give a fuck any more about people in the hiring process? I've hired a few people in my time and I can say, for the ones that got interviewed and didn't get the job, that they got a phone call back with an explanation and the opportunity to ask all the questions they wanted about themselves and the interview and what I was looking for. What I found was that most of them generally were interested in finding out so they could do better the next time. I tried to help them as best I could.

    It feels like the invention of email has made it so easy to apply for a job and so easy to use as an excuse for not replying to people who applied "because I got hundreds of applicants and it will take me forever to respond to them all" that we've become a rude, disrespectful and disassociated society.

    The truth is, email has made us lazy and desensitized us to people's feelings.
     
  2. MNgremlin

    MNgremlin Active Member

    At one point, I remember being told that if I haven't heard back from a potential employer that I should call them to check the status of my application/interview. Is this no longer the case?
     
  3. Ace

    Ace Well-Known Member

    It is not unusual to have an interview and not hear back for two weeks. They may be interviewing others and haven't decided yet.

    Generally, you wouldn't call someone to tell them that you still are doing interviews. Nothing to report, etc.

    Waiting is hard, though.

    Chin up! Good luck.
     
  4. Drip

    Drip Active Member

    Here's a new one. Fly out for an interview. Put up in a nice hotel. Given a car rental. ALL ON THEIR DIME. And have yet to hear from the company. Truly a WTF moment in journalism hiring practices.
     
  5. Ace

    Ace Well-Known Member

    You left 'em speechless, Drip!
     
    slappy4428 likes this.
  6. Doc Holliday

    Doc Holliday Well-Known Member

    Yes, but how long has it been since such deeds took place?
     
  7. Bronco77

    Bronco77 Well-Known Member

    I'm wondering if we interviewed at the same place about 25 years ago, because it happened to me. This was at one of the largest papers in the country, one that often made top-10 lists and had a reputation for treating employees well. They paid my way there -- airfare, rental car, hotel, meals -- for a three-day copy editing tryout. The copy desk chief said he liked my editing and praised a few of my headlines. As far as I knew, I didn't introduce any errors into copy or display type or miss anything obvious. Went home full of optimism -- and never heard a thing. I had a friend who worked there covering major league baseball, and he said he tried to find out what happened and couldn't get an answer. Never found out if that was the case -- or if the truth was so horrible that he didn't want to hurt my feelings.

    That was the only newspaper job I've interviewed for and didn't get so much as a rejection call, and it leaves a bad taste to this day.
     
  8. murphyc

    murphyc Well-Known Member

    Good for you, Doc. You're the type of guy I'd like to interview with, since you would give good feedback and suggestions.
    I once interviewed for a job and thought it went well. Hiring guy got back to me and said I was neck-and-neck with the guy who got the job, with the only difference being that guy had 10 years more experience than me. I didn't feel too bad, because it meant that guy must have had 25 years of experience in newspapers. I had a good interview, good experience and good feedback. Then I got a job -- that guy's old job. I discovered he's a few years younger than me and has less experience. I somehow doubt he entered the industry at age 5. Once I learned that little detail, I was glad to not get the job. I mean, if they're going to be that dishonest up front, who knows what kind of stunts they would pull down the road?
     
  9. Ace

    Ace Well-Known Member

    If you interview, it's always good to ask the potential employer the next steps and timeframe.

    Do you need anything else from me? Do you know when you expect to make a decision?

    Then the next day mail a "Thank You" note for taking the time to interview you.

    If they said they expected to have a decision in 2 weeks and you haven't heard anything, I would probably email the boss in about 2 1/2-3 weeks and reiterate your interest.

    Update the boss on something you talked about, a great story you did, etc., rather than simply ask what's up with the job search. That's the best way to go to get your name back in there without seeming desperate.
     
  10. Doc Holliday

    Doc Holliday Well-Known Member

    Wow, that's pretty shitty. Some people just don't know how to deliver bad news. I always figured it's best to deliver it up front, honestly and professionally. My thought was how would I want to be treated? So I treated each applicant as if they were myself.

    I had to tell a few people things that I wasn't very excited to tell them, things like they needed to work on their grammar or their interpersonal skills. I also had a few who were really close but lost out because of the experience factor. The thing that always surprised me was how appreciative each candidate was. In my mind, I thought they were going to be pissed off, think I was a jerk and be insulted. But the truth was, the more I told them, the more questions they asked basically in an attempt to make themselves better for their next interview. I was impressed with how they handled the rejections and many of them I held onto their files. I even hired one later down the road.

    Honesty is always the best policy.
     
    Rick Thorp, steveu and murphyc like this.
  11. KJIM

    KJIM Well-Known Member

    Exactly what happened to me, but it wasn't journalism.
     
  12. steveu

    steveu Well-Known Member

    THIS. Why can't more people be honest with potential applicants?

    I can count on two hands the amount of people who are up front with everyone, including people on this board. It includes Tommy Deas in Tuscaloosa, Phil Kaplan in Knoxville, and Paul Vigna in Harrisburg. A lot of other editors simply can't be bothered to get back to people via e-mail.

    If I don't get selected for a job or an interview, the first thing I ask is what was I lacking? How can I improve? I may be a two-decade vet in this business, but I'm not perfect. I can improve.
     
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