Topeka, KS design opening

OK, so the job's not posted yet, but it's worth putting up here.

The Topeka Capital-Journal (circ. around 50,000) will be looking for a designer next week to replace ... me.

The job is about 95 percent design and, in fact, the desire here is for someone who is more focused on being able to put out attractive sections over a copy editor.

You work in both sports and news, with sports being the primary need.

It's a K-State paper first (the manhattan paper sucks, so we sell more there than Lawrence), with KU a very close second and plenty of ink for Washburn (in topeka) and the rest of Kansas colleges. A lot of preps, too.

I came from Sacramento because we were moving to the midwest. It's a place where they'll give someone who has experience the room to take the paper and make it better. They have DTI and you get to do as much illustration/tinkering/fun stuff as you can. If it looks good, you'll get kudos. If it doesn't, well, try again tomorrow.

The goal is to replace me ASAP, but they'd prefer someone good with experience next week over a warm body today. They need someone who can step in quickly with the InDesign and CS2 software and who knows how to put a section out.

I'm leaving for a job I can't refuse. I'll answer any question about my coming, my going and the time in between by PM.

Lots of good bars in Topeka, and I commute about 20 minutes from Lawrence, which is one of the best towns I've ever been to. Cheap housing, cheap gas and Free State beer are all draws.

If you're interested or have questions, PM me. Sports Editor is Eric Turner. Good guy. E-mail him at eric.turner@cjonline.com.

And spare the "design is the devil" rants. Please.

 

I know Eric Turner. He's a great guy. He'd be a good guy to work for.

 

No one would ever do that.

 

I'll second the post about Eric Turner. From my limited dealings with him, seemed like a class act. Ian has told me the same thing as well.

 

I almost went to the C-J on a couple of occasions, and can back up the kudos already heaped on Eric Turner.

Topeka is, well, Topeka, but you are 20 minutes from Lawrence and at most an hour from K.C. ... And you'll have more than enough opportunities to cover and present Kansas hoops in what looks to be a great season. (Or at least it did, pre-ORU. But maybe Florida offset that.)

 

And people wonder why circulation is declining.

 

Actually, C-J circulation is seeing some growth. Thanks.

And they could use a great line editor, too. And a couple great headline writers. Editing is every bit as important as design. But this opening is for a designer. Thanks for trying, DyePack. Now, I will ignore your attempts to bait.

 

It speaks for itself.

 

Ian, best of luck with the new job. I'll back up what's been said about Eric Turner, who I first met in my days on the Emporia State beat when he covered Pittsburg State. The C-J also happens to have the state's best preps reporter in Brent Maycock, so they have that going for them, which is nice.

Desk in Topeka is a good situation to be in. Close to Lawrence, you know.

 

What's the pay like?

 

This sounds like a cop-out, but it depends on your experience. The management stepped up when they hired me, and I have 12 years experience. I don't know what they really can afford, but they didn't shy away from someone with experience and a resume.

 

Is this really a job opening yet?

I am just curious.