Sports Reporter, Sun-Sentinel

Maybe he can get another internship. He had several of those as well.

 

I'm guessing he must already know that this other job (so, what/where is it, Freddie?) is his if he wants it. I simply can't imagine leaving a job I already had, at the Sun-Sentinel no less, if that wasn't the case....Can you?

(Not that I'm Tyler Dunne, of course. )

First-time poster thalwig doesn't understand just how rare it really is that someone -- anyone, of any talent level -- would even seek to go after so many jobs, and let alone get them, in one's first year after leaving school.

It is virtually unheard of, and, on some level, there is something not quite right about it, either on Dunne's end, or else, on all the papers' ends.

I can see and understand a talented person maybe never landing in anything but several high-caliber gigs, and never having to schlep along or really pay dues, ever, in his whole career.

But Dunne has packed it into the first year of his career. It's mind-boggling, from both his side, and/or the newspapers'. I don't know if it's a red flag, exactly, but it's certainly questionable.

 

OK, let me start by saying I'm pretty close friends with somebody pretty close to this situation, so I am biased. But because it keeps coming up that Tyler has advanced on his talent I think this is worth pointing out. Keep in mind, it is coming from the point of view of someone close to the situation.

But what my peeps in FTL are telling me is that when Tyler interviewed there several managers raised HUGE red flags that he had already jumped around too much. He was able to get the job largely because two people recommended him highly. From what I hear, although everyone recognized his obvious talent, he never would have gotten the job otherwise.

One was Rachel George, Gators beat writer. I've no idea how he knows her, maybe when she was in Wilmington, N.C. and he was in Fayetteville, N.C. The other was Todd Adams, who Tyler worked for in Fayetteville. Apparently Adams spoke with several managers down there assuring them that Tyler was a good guy (which he probably is) and would NOT jump on them quickly.

It worked, because Tyler received the job.

Less than a week later he jumped for Milwaukee.

Some would consider the job he's apparently been promised a great one. But he's made a couple of people who helped him out when they didn't have to look pretty bad to their peers.

That's pretty crappy.

 

I guess I don't get the big deal.

He never even STARTED the job. He was professional enough to inform them beforehand that he was strongly in the running for another job. That allows them to select another qualified candidate, of which I'm sure there are many.

I was faced with a very similar scenario about 10 years ago, and I'm glad I didn't follow the advice of people who were urging me to show blind loyalty rather than do what was best for my career.

Look, I have no idea who Tyler is, but I'm sure he probably feels bad about the way it went down. But at the end of the day, he's accountable to his own best interests, not anyone else's.

The fact that there is so much hand-wringing over a preps job for which the paper will easily and quickly find other suitable candidates is amazing to me.

 

You don't accept a job and bail unless there are extenuating circumstances. Being in the running for another job doesn't seem to be one of those. His record of short stints this past year doesn't help his image.

 

Needles, thank you for providing the info/context.

Noted this:
"One was Rachel George, Gators beat writer. I've no idea how he knows her, maybe when she was in Wilmington, N.C. and he was in Fayetteville, N.C."

From what I can tell he interned at the Olean Times Herald in high school at the same time she did work for them while at St. Bonaventure (2004-2006). I'd guess that's how they know each other.

 

I guess I'm just an old dude.

But a text isn't enough. Backing out of a job - especially one as competitive as this one - requires a phone call, a conversation. And if you don't have the guts to do that, an e-mail explaining your reasoning seems appropriate. Just something that acknowledges the fact that this employer sifted through many resumes to find yours, take the time to interview you, and go through the hiring process with you.

A text . . . isn't enough. I'm sure Mr. Dunne did more than say "Sorry, taking another job I can't pass up. Thx 4 your time. Kthxbai!" But it just seems like a text is too impersonal, even in 2011.

I'm sure some will disagree, including perhaps the people at the Sun-Sentinel. But even being considered for a competitive job like this one merits some kind of return of courtesy.

 

I'm embarrassing myself how? By posting and judging someone I don't know? Or by providing a little more context to a discussion that interests me?

If you want to know how I came to learn this last fact (without any personal involvement), it's pretty simple. I used google. Amazingly people sometimes post their resumes on the internet. Using basic research skills I looked over both, and noticed the common paper.

I read what Needles said, wondered myself how that connection happened and satisfied my curiosity (considering how little time passed between when each was posted here, the N.C. connection appeared unlikely). Really pretty simple. Sometimes I wonder other things too, like how you know this guy ever turned down an offer at the Post-Standard. Seems like you might be closer to the situation than me.

Note: And reading what has come to light, well that changes some of my earlier feelings. If he needed two well-regarded people to go to bat for him, and there were major concerns before hand, and he still did this... well that was just pretty foolish.

 

It isn't at all. That deserves a call. Even the smallest weekly in the most Podunk town deserves a call. Preferably a call initiated by the person pulling out (as compared to the editor calling to check up on something and finding out that way).

 

And you clearly have some sort of agenda to be so heavily invested in this relatively minor job opening.

I imagine Tyler will be fine without your support.