N.C. State beat reporter, The News & Observer (Raleigh, N.C.)

I didn't even notice the weapon, that's a fail on my part. Please don't eliminate me from job contention based on this (even though you don't know who I am). In fairness though, I never said it wasn't Michaelangelo, I just asked if Rafael was your favorite. Gotta defend myself somehow. I also didn't know that about the original TMNT comics.

Thanks for the second answer as well. I'm really interested, as are a bunch of people clearly. I've never had much luck with the automated applications, but one of these days that could change.

 

Keep working hard, man. Something great will happen for you if you stay positive!

 

What are you doing now @MiamiBoy?

I haven't applied for any of the jobs on here in a long while that I would have a couple years ago. I am working for a health care system now and make pretty good $$$ (a 20k raise from newspapers)...I have wanted to be a college beat reporter for a long time but now working for a good company seeing Gannett, McClatchy, Gatehouse, Lee etc....I don't feel like going back to a company like that after being at Gannett for a decade.

 

I currently am a college beat reporter for a newspaper. This type of position is at the top of what I want to do because I'd love to cover a Power 5 level athletic program. But I'm not naive, there's definitely a lot of competition for the job, as it always is for these type of positions. If it doesn't happen, then onto the next.

 

Power 5 is overrated. I would much rather cover a school outside of the so-called Power 5 because you will truly be a voice about the program instead of a school in the SEC, ACC, Big Ten, Big 12 or Pac-12 where the coverage is so saturated. You'll also have an opportunity to see new places instead of football teams never leaving their state until November and basketball teams just playing the same schedules year in and year out.
A dream job for me would be a college beat writer for teams at Arkansas State, East Carolina (my alma mater), Boise State, Western Kentucky, Tulane, USF, UCF, Middle Tennessee, Marshall, Fresno State, etc.

 

I agree to an extent, and I'd actually love covering an AAC school, bc I think that conference has my favorite set of cities to visit of any conference in the country, and the Pac 12 is probably second.

But I'd like covering a school like NC State as well bc they're not a blue blood program, but big enough to warrant big atmospheres, especially when they are having a good season. Right now, I'm covering an FCS school, and I'd like to make the next step. Also, as my name on here says, I'm from Miami, and would like to get a city bigger than where I currently (which is not Miami).

I do agree with you overall point though. Where I am now, I'm pretty much the main voice for the program. That won't happen at many bigger schools.

 

A couple of people reached out to me about this job.
Typical and very fair McClatchy financial concerns were raised and addressed. As for this beat? Told them:
It's the best sports beat at the paper. Not sure any beat anywhere is immune to cutting/travel restrictions, etc., but I'd have to think NC State is as close as it gets in Raleigh. The guy you're replacing, just like those before him, contributed to that legacy. And they absolutely were the must-reads for that program. (Along with Toot, of course.)
Your biggest challenge will be the fact that the guy you're replacing is still in town, on the radio every day.
Basically: If you don't like to compete, don't hit send. But this is absolutely a great job.

 

Is there a way to send work samples or links to work samples?

 

I would suggest finding the sports editor and the assistant sports editor and sending the clips to them. That’s what I did anyway.

 

Shouldn't be hard to find the sports editor.

 

Nah it is quite simple in fact

 

There is literally a giant button in the application process that says "additional files".

If you can't figure that out, this may not be the gig for you.