Just Graduated from College

[WSKY]

That's bad advice. If you want to write, then write. Don't learn paginating, or take prep calls, or do agate. The only thing that'll do is get you pigeon-holed away from writing.

That's about the dumbest shirt I've heard all day, and I've heard a bunch today.

 

[txsportsscribe]

That's bad advice. If you want to write, then write. Don't learn paginating, or take prep calls, or do agate. The only thing that'll do is get you pigeon-holed away from writing.

by all means, refuse to learn page design and don't take any job where you have to answer phones or cover prep sports. don't at all try to make yourself more appealing to prospective employers by having more tools at your disposal because it's so much better for you to stick to your guns and be unemployed. afterall, everyone winds up covering the big beats for the big papers. :

 

[Barsuk]

Don't settle. Hold out for the DI college beat or the backup NFL gig. If that fails, write for a cutlery publication.

Seriously, kid. The student loans will come due sooner than you can imagine. Take whatever newspaper work you can get, if only to get a newspaper on your resume. And get crackin'.

 

[Gorndawg]

For the record, anyone who want to delude themselves and believe that I don't have any experience can go ahead and do so. I have been doing journalism writing for 10 years at top-quality programs and I am only 22. I have also been covering major sports at a top Div I university for the past four years. Don't give me that inexperience line.

 

[Big Buckin' agate_monkey]

Well, douchebag, perhaps you'd like to mention that in the initial post before coming back with that shirtty attitude.

 

[baskethead]

No shirt. Make sure you bring that attitude with you to any interviews you have, you're sure to make a great impression. And be sure to include those stories you did when you were 12 and 13 in your clips package, I'm sure they were dazzling. A little advice: If people are trying to help you out - which they don't have to do - try taking it without coming across as an ass. Besides, if you already have all this experience, what do you need advice for?

 

[rolling]

Seriously though Gorndawg, what's your experience? Anything on the resume besides the college rag? Any internships? Do you have any leads on jobs at all?

I'm a year behind you as far as school goes, meaning I have another year of school to go. I've already learned that one of my biggest mistakes you can make is thinking that, because you have a little DI experience at the school paper and maybe a little more "experience" in the field, that you are going to be handed big-time job right out of school. Like I said, I'm a year younger, so maybe I'm in no position to offer advice, but read the following and take it for what it's worth.

1) Read this board inside and out. No need to post, you've already gotten yourself on the shirt list after two. Just read, and absorb everything relevant to your situation. Gain a little perspective. Realize you're not Chris Snow, and you still have dues to pay, regarless of your experience.
2) Hit up the jobs board. Send resumes and clips out to ALL of them. Why not? Either you hear "no" or say "no" if they say "yes" and you decide you don't want to go to BFE.
3) Check out the Emporia, Kan. gig. Send clips and resume. Go after that one hard.
4) Read, read, read, read. Make yourself a better writer while you're not writing for a paper. Do you play video games? I still do this, corny as it sounds, but it's made me better. Play some college football. Start a dynasty. Jump over to utopiafootball.com's message board. You can write about your dynasty their. Write game stories about the games you play, construct feature stories on "players", even if you don't know their real-life background, write game advances. Be creative and write. Who cares if it's stupid. You're writing.
5) Take a deep breath, but keep your head in the game. The raman at the frat house won't last forever.

 

[Dale Cooper]

Respond to job postings around the country, and hit the phones locally. Send resumes/clips to all your local papers, regardless of whether there's an opening, and let them know you're availalbe if they need anything. If they're not hiring, they won't need you for a couple of months. But get your name out there now, and then when football season rolls around, call back and say, "Hi, it's Gordawg, the UGA grad who did so and so for the Red and Black, calling again. Can I help you with high school football, volleyball, softball or field hockey?"

 

[Ace]

Hit up the top-quality editors you know from those internships/freelance assignments you have been doing since you were 12 and ask them if they know of any openings and would keep you in mind.

 

[Canyonero!]

I've already learned that one of my biggest mistakes you can make is thinking that, because you have a little DI experience at the school paper and maybe a little more "experience" in the field, that you are going to be handed big-time job right out of school.

Amen! I covered football at a Pac-10 university while in college and was more than happy to come on with a small daily after graduating. Meanwhile I have friends who did much less than me assuming their degree alone will land them on the New York Times. College kids  :

 

[PEteacher]

I hope you don't seriously believe that, PE.  ???


This kid has no experience. There's a very good chance he's going to have to do some things besides just writing in order to get his first job, which beats sitting at home with mom and dad, eating ramen noodle sandwiches. I don't think anyone is going to be pigeonholed by a job they take at 21 or 22, right out of school

I do believe it, because I'm seeing signs that its going to happen to me as we speak.

 

[Cadet]

For the record, anyone who want to delude themselves and believe that I don't have any experience can go ahead and do so. I have been doing journalism writing for 10 years at top-quality programs and I am only 22. I have also been covering major sports at a top Div I university for the past four years. Don't give me that inexperience line.

Didn't we see this kid on here a few weeks ago? You don't live in San Diego, do you?