Taking the second step

[Kritter47]

I've started entertaining the possibility of moving on from my current shop in the somewhat distant future, 4-8 month. I just can't stand this town, which makes me so very miserable. I also want to move on to the next level in circulation size and, ideally, have a job in which I'm focused on one thing (could be a beat, could be full-time preps, I don't care. Here I do preps, college and low-level pro, which I think limits my ability to create relationships since I'm never with one group very long).

I found my current job through an online posting, a semi-blind resume/clips send and a little bit of luck. However, when scanning the online job listings, most of them seem at the level I'm at (circ. approx. 30,000) or below. I know a lot of jobs at mid-sized papers don't publish openings, so I'm wondering how you go about creating a network that would alert you to openings at papers you'd be interested in.

I'm not in any hurry to move on from this job, but I'd like to start at least mapping out how I need to go about looking for this next step. I learned the hard way jobs you want can be hard to come by unless you're persistent.

For those of you that have moved up the ladder, how did you find out about your second job? How did you land the job you were at now?

(I know, I know. I'm hired.)

 

[Frank_Ridgeway]

For my second full-time job (1982), I was on vacation and called SEs at a 400K, a 150K and a 75K and asked if I could meet them while I was visiting. They all said OK. The largest paper had no openings, the two others made offers and I accepted a job at the 150K.

 

[Angola!]

Wait, so you are bitching about how much your paper sucks and you hate working there, yet you have to come to SportsJournalists.com to get state tennis results? Maybe you should concentrate on doing your job better and then worry about moving up.

 

[Bullwinkle]

Wait, so you are bitching about how much your paper sucks and you hate working there, yet you have to come to SportsJournalists.com to get state tennis results? Maybe you should concentrate on doing your job better and then worry about moving up.

Angola! 1, Kritter47 0

 

[Tom Petty]

For my second full-time job (1982), I was on vacation and called SEs at a 400K, a 150K and a 75K and asked if I could meet them while I was visiting. They all said OK. The largest paper had no openings, the two others made offers and I accepted a job at the 150K.

i tell ya frank, and you might be thinkin' i'm bullshirtting you, but you are like a fine scotch my friend. that's good stuff.

 

[User 4755]

I did the exact same thing Frank several years back and more than doubled my salary. When I got back, editor of paper asked me "How was your vacation?" My reply was "So much fun, I never want to work for you again. Here's your notice." ;D