Do's and Don't's of the first job

Take business cards from everyone. Never throw away a number. You never know who might be a source.

And don't forget to be a human being. Treat others well, and they might do the same to you.

Good luck.

 

Get a second job

 

Even if you think you're better or more talented than someone on staff, or if you think someone flat-out is bad, don't ever criticize them - to anyone. Those things have a way of getting back.
It never makes you look better to knock someone else down, just brings you down for doing it.
Sometimes it takes awhile to figure out that people you might not think are very good have some skills that are useful in the overall makeup of a department.

(Yup, learned all that the hard way. Still learning it).

 

Find out what deadline is and make it. 10 p.m. may be fine for a live game but the desk won't be happy if you're turning in features at 10 p.m.

Don't bristle about questions/changes from the desk. Learn from them.

Read your stories after they have been in the paper and compare them with what you filed.

If you are writing a story and aren't quite sure about something. Do some more digging. Most mistakes happen when writers figure they have enough info to write a story but really don't have a handle on it.

 

Read your competing papers (if there are any) every single day.

Meet your coaches, etc., and develop as many sources as possible.

Learn as much as you can about the history of the place you live. One thing I prided myself on, after leaving a state I'd never lived in and barely heard of before living there for seven years, if that I probably knew more about that state and its history than 90 percent of the natives.


And the first bit of advice on this thread is the most important. Listen. Then listen some more.

 

Lots of good advice on this thread.

Don't be afraid to ask stupid questions, either in the office or on your beat. Even preface it by saying "I know this may be a stupid question, but ..." It's always better to say that in front of one or two people than assume something and be wrong in print.

Turn in clean copy and hit deadline. It sounds so simple, but it helps you build a relationship with your desk.

Communicate with your editor(s). It will make your life so much easier.

Have fun. Even with all the crap in this business, it still is a fun way to earn a buck. Don't forget that.

Good luck!

 

As the new guy, people are going to test you, especially sources, coaches, players, etc. Take nothing at face value, double check your facts and treat others' opinions as just that.

But above all, have fun. You're doing what you wanted to do, so enjoy it. I remember lots of things about my first gig, and after 30 years in the biz, I still keep in touch with some of those contacts.

Good advice above on keeping up with contacts. You never know who you will meet down the road. A HS girl who played on a state championship basketball team that I covered at my first stop is now a successful D-I college coach in our extended coverage area. She returns my calls me before she calls her beat writer. Sports is a small world.

And NEVER criticize a co-worker behind their back. You never know who's sleeping with who.

 

Don't see your first Christmas party as an opportunity to get absolutely hammered, table dance and hit on the boss.

 

What are you talking about? How else do you get a promotion?

 

One time one of our writers was doing a story on NBA player Eddie Jones. In the piece Jones talked about how on the day he was traded in 2000 he went from a team "20 games out of first place to a first-place team."

Only one problem: The 2000 season was only 50 games. Jones was traded about midway through the season.

It was practically mathematically impossible for a team to be 20 games out of first place on the day of that trade. In fact, Jones' team was 8 games out of first.

Just because someone tells you something, don't believe it.

 

What he said. Very important.

The AD says its the first high school state title ever and the next day you get a call the the girls soccer team won state just two years ago.

The coach who is leaving for "family reasons" has knocked up a sophomore.

The player whose dad is in Iraq is really in Dubuque.

Some lies are easy to figure out. Some are real head scratchers. You never know.