Pocatello, Idaho

http://www.journalismjobs.com/Job_Listing.cfm?JobID=1053318

The Idaho State Journal, an 18,000-circulation (and growing) daily in Pocatello, Idaho, is looking for an energetic sportswriter/page designer to fill out the staff on its award-winning desk. If the idea of working on a staff that prides itself on being the best sports section of its size in the Northwest — one that has won multiple APSE awards in the past two years, including Top 10 in the under-20,000 circulation category for daily and Sunday sections — appeals to you, read on. The ideal candidate will have been a big shot at his or her college paper (or have written for a local paper), and have maximized just about every opportunity he or she has had in the business to this point. The job will be primarily general assignment reporting, but you will have the chance to assist with one NCAA Division I beat at Idaho State University, which is in Pocatello. The job will also include design work, so experience in InDesign or Quark XPress is a plus. You will be expected to write features, enterprise stories, a weekly column and more. In the past two years, ISJ sports writers have had the chance to cover ISU alumni Marvin Lewis and Jared Allen in the NFL and ISU graduate Stacy Dragila at the 2008 U.S. Olympic track and field trials in Eugene, Ore., have followed the ISU women’s basketball team to the NCAA tournament in Palo Alto, Calif., and have made the short drive to Salt Lake City to cover the Utah Jazz. Aside from those bigger projects, the ISJ routinely travels with the Idaho State men’s basketball and football teams. Mountains surround Pocatello, an area of roughly 65,000 people, and southeast Idaho provides myriad opportunities for outdoors enthusiasts. Each year, the city hosts two major national sporting events -- the Simplot Games, a premier indoor high school track and field meet where national records are broken on a yearly basis, and the Dodge National Circuit Finals Rodeo. We have fun here. It’s a great place to work and the staff is made up of a bunch of great people. We want someone who has as much lust for greatness as we do and as much desire to make their mark in this business, starting here. The Idaho State Journal is family owned and an equal opportunity employer. So if you’re still reading, get in that cover letter, resume, references, five writing clips and two design clips by e-mail to sports editor tflagstad@journalnet.com or by mail to: Tim Flagstad, Sports Editor Idaho State Journal 305 S Arthur P.O. Box 431 Pocatello, Idaho 83204 The deadline for application is June 5.

Any questions, feel free to ask.

 

Two general questions that I'm sure everyone will be curious about:

Pay - I know pay is going to depend on experience, but what would the ballpark be?
Growth Opportunity - Is the new-hire going to have a chance to "move on up" in the company?

Thank you in advance.

 

Ballpark number would be between 20K-25K plus health, vision, dental and 401K.

Of course there's a chance for advancement for anyone. The current city editor served as a reporter here first, and actually the publisher came from one of the company's smaller papers.

The most recent hire on the sports desk started 18 months or so ago, and after a long period of stability, we lost our Idaho State football writer. So after a year on the job, the new guy got the biggest beat in the sports department.

Hope that all helps.

 

Remember that "short drive" has a different meaning in the West. It's 2 1/2 hours from Pocatello to SLC.

 

I miss Idaho.

 

Was that Kellis? Or is he exclusively hoops? If he's gone where'd he go?

 

Short drives in Idaho give you plenty of time to write your stories in your head. But this would be a good job. I covered a vaguely overlapping beat in Twin Falls for 3-4 years and Tim and the staff was always helpful. Good high school sports programs to cover with Highland, Pocatello and other smaller schools, and ISU is a nice draw. Some good people have come out of Poky to go on to bigger and better things. But I still have good money that the 2007-08 CSI men's basketball team could have taken ISU. It would be close though.

 

The pay sucks. I'm sure you could get by if you're single on $20k, but not if you're trying to raise a family.

 

While the pay may suck, Tim is good people.

 

It works as part of two incomes as well, but yeah, not as a sole one.

 

Plus you have to live in Pocatello.

 

I've swung by there a few times. It seemed nice.