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Ben Stewart Offline Buy and Sell: On Offered job .. need help Hi all, Posting this in the Sports Corner forum because I am most familiar with the people here, and I've always received a response! Long story short, I am a photographer for a college paper in Minnesota where I cover mostly Division 1 Hockey and some basketball, football and occasionally news. Apparently our local daily has been watching me, or has noticed the young guy with a 1D Mark II and a 300 2.8! I've talked to the photo editor/sports photographer a couple times. Two weeks ago, he walked up to me during a game and asked if I wanted a job. Of course I do! He asked me to send him an email - I sent a link to my site and he responded asking if I graduate this spring or this summer, the answer being summer. I'm not really surprised, but it's been a week since he last had contact and most of the opportunities I have to talk face to face have been eliminated because we are between "important" seasons right now. So, should I.... Wait? Send him an email asking if he'd like to see a full portfolio? I'd rather show initiative and interest than desperation, but the job offer, from what I understand, is exactly what I'm looking for - a good sized daily paper that covers plenty of sports and community in a community I happen to like. I apologize for the entire novel, but I'm sure there are many posters who have forgotten more about this than I know. Do I need to learn? Yes, and the time is now! Thanks! Mar 26, 2008 at 02:42 AM

NickyD Offline Image Upload: Off Offered job .. need help In between seasons is the *best* time to talk about things. Call the editor (or whomever you've been speaking to) and ask if you can come over and talk, get a tour of the operation, and bring in your portfolio. It's much like getting any other type of job... In between seasons means they might be less busy, and have more time for you. Mar 26, 2008 at 05:00 AM

andrew81 Offline Image Upload: On Offered job .. need help call, email.. whatever it takes I was offered a job at my local paper when it went daily. I called every morning lunch and afternoon until I got it... Mar 26, 2008 at 06:16 AM

James Broome Offline Image Upload: Off Offered job .. need help Yeah, call him and arrange to make a visit. Bring your work. Good luck! Shooting for a daily was the best job I ever had. Mar 26, 2008 at 12:00 PM

leewoolery Offline Image Upload: Off Offered job .. need help Ben: Call him...don't rely on e-mails. Schedule a face-to-face. Show them you want the job...don't worry about making a pest of yourself. Maybe the editor didn't have the proper authority to hire and needs to check with his bosses or it's just a part-time position? Some newspapers are facing tough times with many people getting their news from the internet so they could just be taking their time before making any personnel decisions. Lee Woolery Speedshot Action Photography Mar 26, 2008 at 12:42 PM

Gerry Szarek Offline Image Upload: Off Offered job .. need help Welcome to the adult world Ben. The new rules, the fossils (thats us) do not text, we do not interview people over email, we talk face to face over lunch. The facts the decision to hire somebody is done in the first 30 seconds (yes thirty seconds). Translation this means you show up in a nice pair of Kaki's, collared shirt (that has been pressed), tie, dress shoes (yes you need to polish them), groomed hair (ask for the interview cut), clean shaved (people with beards get less job offers than those that don't have them), no grease under the finger nails, no cigarette smoked clothes. Lastly if you have glasses wear them over contacts. Remember to shake hands, don't sit until asked, bring your portfolio, don't bring up salary unless asked, shake hands and thank him/her when leaving and send a thankyou card (you did get his business card didn't you?). Good luck. Mar 26, 2008 at 01:00 PM

profurious75 Offline Image Upload: On Offered job .. need help CALL CALL CALL CALL CALL CALL CALL CALL CALL CALL CALL CALL CALL CALL CALL CALL CALL CALL CALL CALL CALL CALL CALL CALL CALL CALL CALL CALL CALL CALL emails suck Mar 26, 2008 at 01:10 PM

PShizzy Online Image Upload: Off Offered job .. need help I can't emphasize enough on agreeing with Gerry. While I am a very progressive communicator (I text, email, skype, video conference, Webex, etc), nothig beats a phone call or face time. Also, looking the part is very important. I'm a very laid back dresser, as anyone on this board who knows me personally will attest to. However, when interview time rolls around, I shine my shoes, get the interview haircut, make sure I get my best clothes pressed, and then I consider what I will be asked, and how best to prepare for it. I don't rehearse, but I do consider what I really would like the emphasize in a meeting and how best to represent myself. Porter Binks of SI wrote a follow up on SportsShooter to an article Darrell Miho wrote on interviewing and showing his book. Porter explained what he felt the portfolio reviewing process should be like. The article is here, but I will also quote the most relevant text: http://www.sportsshooter.com/news/1468 "One other nit to pick: You can ask me to look at your portfolio online. But if you want to represent my magazine, and me your chances are slim I'm going to hire you sight and work unseen. Putting in "face time" with editors cannot be emphasized enough. " Face time isn't old school, as Gerry would say. It's just a very personal way to communicate. And when you're going to hire a coworker, that's really important. You want someone that will fit your company culture. Max Mar 26, 2008 at 03:58 PM

Ben Stewart Offline Buy and Sell: On Offered job .. need help Thanks guys! Got in contact with him. Sounds like I might be shooting later this spring and summer - which amounts to about what I thought. I will MAKE SURE to use the phone from now on! Mar 26, 2008 at 04:06 PM

James Broome Offline Image Upload: Off Offered job .. need help Outstanding Ben! Mar 26, 2008 at 04:39 PM

Gerry Szarek Offline Image Upload: Off Offered job .. need help May the force be with you! (Now I am really dating myself). Mar 26, 2008 at 05:03 PM

Ben Stewart Offline Buy and Sell: On Offered job .. need help Thanks for introducing me to the real world! I won't have a full-time position, but that can be saved until AFTER graduation this summer and really, the way in which I got the job doesn't reflect the same process that I understand for full-time employment with a newspaper. I certainly would have loved a full-time job, but in many cases, companies require the degree that I'm only a few short months from obtaining. My hope: Learn a few names. Take a lot of stellar photos. Make a few bucks. Get some experience, and hold on to hope. Mar 27, 2008 at 12:46 AM

andrew81 Offline Image Upload: On Offered job .. need help Ben Stewart wrote: Thanks for introducing me to the real world! I won't have a full-time position, but that can be saved until AFTER graduation this summer and really, the way in which I got the job doesn't reflect the same process that I understand for full-time employment with a newspaper. I certainly would have loved a full-time job, but in many cases, companies require the degree that I'm only a few short months from obtaining. My hope: Learn a few names. Take a lot of stellar photos. Make a few bucks. Get some experience, and hold on to hope. our paper couldnt care less if you dont have a degree in photography or whatever. Actually the pic editor will look at people who DONT have a degree more than those who do. News shooting cant be taught by a uni or a book. You really have to be in the job to know what it takes and even then you learn new things all the time. Something you could do before you start is offer to go out with a few of the full timers and see how they do things. Or sit in on conference (where they decide on the layout) and see how it all works. As much as us photographers would like to think we run the show and all we have to do is take great photos it isnt quite the case. The photos have to match the words, you have to be on the look out for what will or might happen next etc etc. I have shot some awesome awesome fames for sport before and then been rheemed because I missed getting the local person or the person the journo (laziest person in the office!) has already written the story about. Mar 27, 2008 at 01:46 AM

Ben Stewart Offline Buy and Sell: On Offered job .. need help I understand your point, but I was asked about the degree and my year in college. They may want to know when I "plan" to be available, or maybe even just starting a friendly conversation, don't know. I had an internship with a weekly paper in which I almost never worked with reporters and instead did mostly features and breaking news, but I hope that changes. Mar 27, 2008 at 01:53 AM

andrew81 Offline Image Upload: On Offered job .. need help Wasnt having a go at you Ben. Certainly some papers require formal quals. My point was more dont get too caught up in thinking you have to have this or that piece of paper to get you a job in news. I worked for a weekly too, couldnt wait to get out of there! Then again i still have to do "dog of the week" and baby photos... Mar 27, 2008 at 02:01 AM

Ben Stewart Offline Buy and Sell: On Offered job .. need help I didn't think you were "having a go" at me In fact, I really hope you are right in a way. Not being required to have a degree means that the portfolios and resumes I send out prior to graduation won't be ignored, but it also means that everyone who is like me now - has a camera, has equipment, and thinks he/she has an eye, competes. I liked my weekly internship because it turned into freelance and they started giving me more "serious" assignments, and of course the paper is basically published in my own backyard. At the same time, I wasn't really critiqued by anyone at the newspaper. I instead relied on critiques from college photojournalism courses - the problem with those being that students from all skill levels attended. It seemed like I was thought of highly, to the point where the teacher had me teach part of the sports photo class. I liked being "ahead" of the class, but earning a good grade doesn't mean a whole lot when you are learning mostly on your own anyway. Mar 27, 2008 at 02:16 AM

Caleb Williams Offline Image Upload: Off Offered job .. need help Ben, good luck. No advise. Just keep me updated as to whether you get the job. Good StCS images for the game vs. MN. Mar 27, 2008 at 02:40 AM

Ben Stewart Offline Buy and Sell: On Offered job .. need help Thank you, GREAT GAME with a remarkably depressing ending, at least for me! Mar 27, 2008 at 02:51 AM

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