Networking is crucial for finding a job in journalism or PR, as traditional job searches have a very low success rate. Networking involves using friends, colleagues, and any other contacts to further a continual job search effort. When networking, the focus should be on learning about others' jobs rather than directly asking for your own, and opportunities include attending industry events and talking to professionals where they socialize. Cover letters and resumes should highlight relevant skills, accomplishments, and experiences that match the employer's needs. Following up with potential employers within two weeks keeps your candidacy top of mind.

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How to get a first job in journalism or PR
Doug Bell | belld@msudenver.edu
Networking and why its crucial
• A leg up: Traditional job searches are time-consuming, discouraging and
ultimately offer a VERY low percentage of success. There are ways to
dramatically enhance your chances, and networking is chief among them.
• An unvarnished definition: Networking is a continual, tenacious, 24/7
campaign to use every person, situation and waking moment to further
your job search.
• Who’s on first? Friends, teachers, guest speakers, fellow churchgoers,
family members, barbers, hairstylists, hockey players and any other warm
body with a beating heart can provide a potential networking opportunity.
• Not-so-mad methods: Networking is all about your interest in industry
professionals and their jobs. Take a local editor or PIO to coffee. Ask to be
a guest at an afternoon news meeting. Ask to shadow a reporter or
producer on a typical workday. But DO NOT ask for a job during your first
three contacts with any member of your network; remember, it’s about
them, not you.
• Groups, conventions, lubrication: Target-rich networking
environments include conventions and professional organizations (SPJ,
Press Club, Colorado Press Association, PRSA, NPPA); conferences and
seminars; bars and restaurants; and anywhere that journalists or PR pros
hang out.
• The generational divide: Today, more than at any other time, the
cultural gap between the young (many of you) and the old (me, dinosaurs)
is enormous, especially when it comes to social interaction and interaction
via technology. Certain behaviors that are routinely accepted among the
young (you — job seekers) might be offensive to the old (me — hiring
managers). One mistake, and you are dead in the water.
• The stench of failure: Your attitude and outlook must remain as sweet
and promising as a sunny spring morning at all times. Searching for a job
is difficult, discouraging and often painfully disappointing. But if you let
dark clouds gather above you, it will be impossible.
Cover letters
• Paragraph one: Show you are dedicated to and passionate about your
craft, and say you'd like to bring that commitment to the employer.
Anecdotes are a good way to do this. Don't be afraid to reveal personal (but
not inappropriate) information. SIX SENTENCES MAX!
• Paragraph two: Talk about how your skills and experience fit what the
employer is looking for. Don't hesitate to repeat language in the position

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posting. Talk about specific accomplishments and mention items that
appear on your résumé. Be as quantitative as possible in talking about
your abilities, accomplishments, etc.
• Paragraph three: Try to set the stage for a phone or face-to-face contact.
Suggest a meeting time. Say that you will follow up with a phone call. Find
a way to suggest that next contact.
Résumés
General guidelines:
• Language selection is critical. Use active, expressive verb phrases: “effectively
communicates,” “repeatedly achieves,” “consistently outperforms.”
• Show, don’t tell. Bad: “An effective leader.” Good: “Led a team of three reporters
in producing an award-winning, six-part series on local fallout from the opioid
epidemic.” Quantify accomplishments whenever possible!
• Be specific and give examples. “As editor of my college daily, made print
deadlines for six consecutive issues while streamlining the editing/page design
process.”
• Embellish but don’t fib. You will be caught.
The sections, in order:
• Skills: Be specific and descriptive. Include software skills. Use bullets and
short, descriptive phrases. Example: “• Write fact-filled breaking-news
stories under the tightest of web deadlines; revamp stories with additional
reporting and background for the next print deadline.”
• Experience: List it in a way that shows the skills you gained in each job.
Chronological order is not a must; put your most relevant and most
impressive experience first.
• Education: Keep it simple; include any honors or scholarships. Give
anticipated date of graduation.
• Personal: Try to include information that shows you are a well-rounded
person, responsible, with many interests and talents.
Clips and work samples
• Five to six clips, on uniformly sized sheets of paper.
• Tailor the clips to the job you are applying for.
• PR folks should include brochures, event fliers, news releases, URLs for
maintained websites — any example of your work that might be relevant to
the job you are applying for.
• If you are applying for a copy-editing/design job, enclose five headline
samples, accompanying each with a one-paragraph summary of the story.
Also enclose the raw version of one story on which you’ve done substantial
editing. Include at least five full-page layouts.

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• Offer to take an editing, reporting or style test, or to do a tryout. In a best-
case scenario, offer to do real-world work on the spot to showcase your
skills.
• Photographers should prepare a portfolio that represents all types of pics:
sports action, environmental portraits, breaking news, feature shots,
enterprise, stand-alones, etc. Also demonstrate that you can shoot in low
light, both indoors and outdoors.
Follow-up
• Not more than two weeks after you have sent your portfolio, call and ask if
it has been received. Inquire politely — not aggressively — about the
possibility of a meeting.
• If the person seems talkative, steer the conversation gently toward
substantive issues and use the opportunity to show you are knowledgeable
about the publication or workplace.
• Be persistent. If the person gives you the brush-off, ask when you should
next call, or what your next step might be.
The interview
• Remember the three P’s: Be prompt (at least 15 minutes early), be polite
and present yourself well.
• Practice beforehand. Make sure the person you role-play with keeps track
of gaffes (too many “uhs,” “likes,” etc.; physical ticks; running off at the
mouth/meandering responses).
• Make frequent, but not constant, eye contact.
• Interview the interviewer. Seize every opportunity to steer the
conversation to specific examples of your strengths. Talk about concrete
examples of your diligence, skills and abilities. (“During my recent
internship, my knowledge of InDesign and PowerPoint enabled me to help
train several of the company’s full-time staffers …)
• Have your “agenda” prepared in advance, and keep steering the
conversation to the five or six points you want to make (your top skills or
strengths).
• Always bring extra copies of your résumé.