Desk jockey needed in Tupelo, Miss.

I’m posting this here first, so don’t say I never did anything for you.

We’re looking for a fulltime desk person immediately at the Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal in Tupelo, Miss. That’s 5 nights a week, probably 4 of those in the lead role, for a 35K daily in SEC country with a seven-person sports staff.

We’re filling a position as a result of someone leaving to become an editor at another paper.

Previous lead desk experience is preferred, but I’ll take a flier on a real talented youngster who can do the job but can’t find a job in the current economy. We’re not looking for Mr. I’d Rather Be a Writer. Don’t waste your time or mine.

Our sections have beefed back up recently, averaging 4-6 pages daily and 8 on Sunday. In addition to the SEC, we keep up with 55-to 60 high schools, two community colleges and a buttload of other stuff. We use Quark on Macs and poopy IQue NewsEdit for our text needs.

We’re the rare newspaper that’s owned neither by chain nor family. The founding owner set up a foundation before he died and that’s how we roll. The local economy is on the brink of a huge breakout when a $1.5B Toyota Prius plant comes online ... one of these years. (It’s already built, they swear they’re gonna use it but it’s on hold right now. Best guess: 2012-3.)

Tupelo is about 90 minutes from Memphis and despite what you may have heard, all homes here have running water and ’lectricity, assuming they pay the bills.

We want this opening resolved as quickly as possible. I’d like to have the new person in place no later than March 1.

You can PM me with any questions. Nobody’s gonna get rich in this spot, but the salary range isn’t insulting, either.

Here’s an e-mail address to reach me: john.pitts@djournal.com

 

Am sure dip will post this sometime today...

Good luck with the hire...

 

Who left?

Anyway, I have relatives scattered all over Tupelo, so I can vouch for the quality of the area. You won't find many better smaller cities anywhere in the Deep South.

 

Pitts is good people. His Lou Brown impersonation is a little overrated, though.

 

"You may run like Hayes ..."

 

"...but you hit like his sister." [/tvversion]

 

I'll second that.

 

"I think you can go get him now."

 

Back on topic, I have heard from 4-5 folks through this method, each of whom looks like a decent candidate.

We'll probably post this on a statewide jobs board on Monday.

First guy in the clubhouse responded within 15 minutes or so. There's a guy who had his ducks in a row.

I'm gonna look over the folks I've heard from on Sunday and probably make a first round of calls and replies on Monday. I'm moving quick on this one, folks.

 

You guys run an Afghan operation?

 

Well, you must admit, the CEO has done some pretty good work in that part of the world.

For my part, I'd like to add a helicopter to the rapid response circulation team: "You didn't get your paper? Go out on your porch in 3 minutes and we'll drop one off."

 

My $.02: I worked there (alongside Pitts) for about four years. You want this job. Period.