This document provides 10 tips for landing a first journalism job, including setting career goals, gaining experience through internships and freelance work, networking, building an online presence, attending industry events, and mentoring other students. It emphasizes gaining a variety of experiences rather than focusing solely on academic credentials, making connections through internships and volunteer work, consistently following up with contacts, and helping other journalists early in their careers as you progress in yours.

1. LAND YOUR FIRST
JOURNALISM JOB
UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON
SHARON PIAN CHAN
2016.05.10
a

2. 1. Big Hairy Audacious Goal

3. Picture yourself at 50
 What do you want to be doing? Where
do you want to be living? What kind of
life do you want to be living?
 You have to see it within yourself before
others can see it.
 This is your true North. (And true Norths
can move.)

5. 2. ALL IT TAKES IS ONE

6. How I got my first job
Pre-med in
college
Magazine
summer
internship
2
freelance
jobs
Magazine
managing
editor

8. Here is The One
You are always
interviewing for
a future job
Don’t burn your
bridges
Buy his books

9. 3. DEGREE ≠ JOB

10. Why
Not having a degree guarantees
you will not have a job.
Hiring managers care little about
you did at your college radio
station/ newspaper/TV station.
It’s your initiative and relationships
that will get you your first job.

12. My next job
Ready for
a new job
CCNMA
job fair

13. My first day at The
Seattle Times

14. Still here…
3-YEAR
REPORTING
RESIDENT
TECH
REPORTER
HIGHER ED
REPORTER
CITY HALL
REPORTER
MICROSOFT
REPORTER
SENIOR
DIGITAL NEWS
PRODUCER
ASSOCIATE
OPINIONS
EDITOR
DIRECTOR OF
JOURNALISM
INITIATIVES
DEPUTY
MANAGING
EDITOR

15. 4. FIND YOUR FLOCK

18. 5. BUILD A
STRONG RESUME

19. The resume is a story
about you

20. Your SAG
(Specific Achievable Goal)

21. Do
 Tell a story that builds up your skills and experience
 Have a sense of direction (BHAG) and why this job
is the next logical step
 Be specific about your accomplishments.
Remember PAR. Problem, Action and Results
 Copy edit for AP style
 Mention your flock!
 Include a line about personal interests
 PDF

22. Pet Peeves
 Not targeted to the role
 Listing of duties instead of accomplishments
 Bad, crazy and boring designs
 Not copy-edited
 Overselling your experience
 Fancy terms that don’t mean anything
“successfully executed the desired outcome”

23. Bad
 Too much design
 Resume tells me nothing
about her experience
 Lacks a flow and narrative

24. Bad
 Inconsistent layout
 Too much color
 Different type fonts and sizes

25. Boring
 No design
 Looks like the 500 other
resumes I received today

26. Good
 Has a visual hierarchy
 Sub headlines allow for
scanning
 Mix of list and sentences
 Contact info easy to fine

27. Good
 Layout allow for easy
scanning of info
 Efficient use of space to
pack in tons of info

28. Should you write a cover
letter?
YES!

29. 6. GET ONLINE

30. Build your digital presence
 Website (LinkedIn works):
 A description of you
 Resume
 Samples of your work
 Social media links
 Contact info
 Public social media presence
 Good photo
 LinkedIn profile
 Consistent voice

31. Example: Personal website

32. 7. MAKE SOME FRIENDS

33. Friending (aka networking)
 Make some Super Friends (aka mentors) who
have the job that you want

34. Super Friends can:
 Give you career advice
 Introduce you to other people
 Give you feedback on your resume
 Help you prepare for an interview/negotiate job
offer
 Help you figure out your next step
 Provide inspiration!

36. 8. SHOW UP

37. 80% of success is showing
up
 Volunteer for journalism nonprofits: AAJA Seattle,
Seattle Globalist
 Help plan the AAJA Chef Showcase (email
venicebuhain@gmail.com 1st meeting 5/14
 Volunteer for The Globies on 10/14
 Local (join the Facebook groups)
 NW Journalists of Color Scholarship reception 6/2
 National conventions
 AAJA, NABJ, NAHJ, NAJA, ONA, SPJ, RTDNA.
Volunteer or apply for scholarships to get in free,
crash with a friend.

39. 9. FOLLOW UP

40. Send a card. A real one.

41. Social media:
Follow, tweet, mention

42. Quarterly email check-in
 Include what you’re up to, and what you’re
looking for
 Look for excuses to email: congratulations on an
award, a job change, a story

44. 10. PAY IT FORWARD

45. Journalism is a small world
 Help each other edit your resumes, websites,
cover letters
 Be each other’s sidekicks at networking events
 When you land a job, mentor journalism students,
speak to classes, help them find jobs

47. 10 tips
1. BHAG
2. All it takes is
one
3. Degree ≠ Job
4. Find your flock
5. Build a strong
resume
6. Get online
7. Make some
friends
8. Show up
9. Follow up
10.Pay it forward

48. MORE READING
Interviewing tips:
http://bit.ly/1SZTtSe
“Presence,” a book by Amy
Cuddy. Her TED talk:
http://bit.ly/amytedtalk
“Show your work,” a book by
Austin Kleon

49. THANK YOU!
QUESTIONS?
@sharonpianchan
schan@seattletimes.com
(206) 464-2958
Replay this presentation at:
http://bit.ly/uwjournojobs