Searching for a job is hard, but landing a job is even harder. As the career landscape evolves, so too does the job search. Personal brand, social media, digital footpoint - what does it all mean and do you have to pay attention to it.

1. LANDING A JOB IN
THE DIGITAL AGE
2015.09.05
NLGJA
Convention

2. PRESENTERS
Paul Cheung
@pcheung630
Director of Interactive and
Digital News Production
Associated Press
Sharon Pian Chan
@sharonpianchan
Director of
Journalism Initiatives
Seattle Times

3. YOUR RESUME

4. Pet Peeves
 Not targeted to the role, lacks a narrative
 Listing of duties instead of accomplishments
 Overplay or downplay key various skills sets
 Use words that sounds important but explains
nothing
 Bad, Crazy and boring designs

5. The resume is a story
about you

6. What’s your
goal?
• First job
• Moving up to management
• Transition from freelancer to
permanent staff
• Transition into a different
platform (From print to
broadcast or online)
• Landing a job after layoff

7. Build a narrative
 Organize a narrative that builds up your skills and
experience
 Be specific about your accomplishments.
Remember PAR. Problem, Action and Results
 Have a sense of direction on where you want to
be and why this job is the next logical step

8. Design matters
 A good resume design is like a good suit. It will last
for a long time
 Keep the design clean and simple but not
BORING

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

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

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

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

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

14. YOUR DIGITAL
PRESENCE

15. Your checklist
 Personal website (preferably not free)
 Public social media presence
 Good photo
 LinkedIn profile
 Brand consistency

16. Consistent
Voice
• The voice determines
the audience you
attract and how
people perceived you
• Is your voice consistent
across all of you social
media presence
• Be authentic, be
yourself

17. Consistent
Design
• It matters!
• Don’t be a twitter egg
• Don’t catfish me with
an outdate headshot
• Does it reflect your
identify & voice

18. Prep a bug-out kit
(aka earthquake survival)
 When it comes to the Internet,
assume ALL IS LOST
 Back up your portfolio: download
PDFs of articles, screenshots of Web
pages you designed, photographs,
video
 Download your contacts emails,
phone numbers

19. Extra credit
 Develop a personal news mission
statement and add to your
website, LinkedIn, Twitter profile
 Upload any training presentations
you’ve developed to Slideshare,
add them to your LinkedIn profile
 Add a few “how I got this story”
posts to your website

20. Example: Personal website

21. NETWORKING

22. The Ecosystem
Formal
Email
Social
IRL

23. Formal
Stand out from the crowd, send a card

24. Email
 Hi Marty, Congratulations on your newsroom’s
Pulitzer! You totally deserved it. – Sharon
 Dear Suki, Congratulations on your new job at the
Star-Tribune. We have a great chapter in
Minneapolis. Let me intro you. – Paul
 Dear Ken, Liked your angle on Xi Jinping’s new
leadership style in this week’s story. – J.L.

25. Social
Follow them on their social networks, mention them

26. In real life

27. YOUR INTERVIEW

28. Interview DON’Ts
 DON’T ramble
 DON’T be too brief
 DON’T just speak in generalities
 DON’T be too negative, too arrogant, too pushy
or too know-it-all
 DON’T take anything for granted

29. Interview DOs
 DO practice 30 second elevator pitch
 DO have a few key points to make and stories to
back them up
 DO be memorable. (i.e. offer interesting details)
 DO your research on the company, person in
advance
 DO be enthusiastic, passionate, and grateful

30. Let’s do some role
playing. Volunteers?
 Career Booth
 Breaking into a conversation
 Graceful exit

31. Q&A

32. PRESENTERS
Paul Cheung
@pcheung630
Director of Interactive and
Digital News Production
Associated Press
Sharon Pian Chan
@sharonpianchan
Director of
Journalism Initiatives
Seattle Times