Problems at Patch.com

Tough question, since a lot of it is based on feel and other applicants, and like any other media job, it sometimes comes down to who the hiring person knows and past relationships. If you know one of the other LEs in the area, try talking to them about it, since they can probably give you a more accurate picture than I would. Sometimes, they do advertise for multiple areas, but because they normally like to launch in clusters (two to four sites in a month or so), there might not have been enough interest in the other areas.

Hiring generally skews younger, like in the 20 to 35 range, just because those applicants are generally more comfortable with the web-based stuff you have to do. However, of the 15 or so sites in my area, there is a senior citizen-aged LE, two women in their 40s, another in her late 30s with two kids, a single woman in her 30s, and the three bosses are all in their late 30s. We only have three people straight out of college, although I still get "when do you graduate?" from some people because I look a bit baby-faced.

 

Like NPC, I hit most of what they need, too. I had a couple of interviews, took the writing test twice and was recommended for hire by one of the local regional editors, but my candidacy was kiboshed in New York (discovered this not from NY, but from the RE, who said he was not supposed to be telling me this news and was shocked I had not been told anything by NY). However, of the four towns I could've feasibly been LE in, only one was hired for - the other three have been lying there since November without anybody being hired.
The senior citizen-aged LE Greenwell refers to (if I'm guessing right) was a former boss of mine. Let's just say I do not use him as a reference when looking for jobs.

 

Are we talking about the man with the initials R.W.? If so, I'd love to know more. He seems a bit odd. Perhaps PM me?

 

Eff no, that guy is a horrible freelancer I keep telling people to fire. It would be better to run no story than some of the tripe he writes, plus he gives off a horrible image of the company to people he chats with.

Unfortunately though, they claim they can't find any other good freelance sports help in their areas, which is probably true. The only kid worth taking at the local college paper already writes for you guys, high school kids are incredibly limited in what they're allowed to do for us, and the other guys I've stumbled across have been flaky or just don't want to get any better. (I don't mind rough copy; it becomes a problem when you try to coach the person up and they just ignore you.)

 

I know RW, but he's not the guy I'm talking about.

 

Stop reporting, writing, and editing and post already, damn it!

 

I was going to post something substantive, but in the three minutes I spent choosing my words, I could have posted at least four times.

 

So I decided to just post.

 

Hope it boosts traffic.

 

Wow, I'm at four posts already, and it isn't even noon.

 

Dooley just sent in his application to Patch. He'll be the Grand Poobah by the end of next week.

 

I was going to say BYH, but the point is the same.

I'm just glad Arianna isn't the new owner of SportsJournalists.com.