Don't fish if you don't know the pond.

More on my discussion with Joe, Shawn, Mike and Shana….


PEP: I encourage students to write to their favorite magazines/sites, throwing their hat in the job ring, even if there was no job advertised. Is this still decent advice? When you get those letters, what do you do with them?

JOE: It can't hurt. I seldom get any, but when they show a true interest in the publication and don’t seem like blanket form letters, they make an impression. I throw 'em in a file for future consideration when there's a position.

SHAWN: Networking worked for me. Friends knew I was looking and recommended me for the job. So the first time the editor heard about me was from another editor who said, “Shawn would be a great fit.” Networking sounds like a cliché, and some people handle it as such, but for me it’s all about maintaining connections that are very natural and two-way, so I guess you could say it’s an ongoing effort.

MIKE: Yes they should, no matter what. You never know. We can usually recognize legitimate passion versus form-letter enthusiasm. Many letters DO go in the circular file, so you REALLY need to stand out. You need to know your magazine inside out and convey genuine insight about what we do. As my magazine, Sound & Vision, is very enthusiast/subject-specific, general-interest writers and dabblers need not apply. We are the leading experts in our field, and we have to reflect that standard across the board. Don't fish if you don't know the pond.

SHANA: Submitting resumes to those employers they are interested in is always a good idea. When I need somebody, I need them right then, so it would be good to already have their materials on hand.


PEP: In today’s overworked climate, do you have time to meet with grads-to-be for an informational interview? If so, what do they have to do to appeal to you and get on your calendar?

JOE: I think grads would be willing to do so with students, though I don’t know if any busy Drake grad would take the time for non-Drake people – or vice versa. This is probably another can’t-hurt situation, though. Showing interest without being a pest about it often impresses. If it started with e-mail, I think the editor could determine if there was enough potential or simple kismet to make a meeting or continued contact worthwhile.

SHAWN: I loved working with students at Meredith and I would be more than willing to continue that at Minneapolis-St. Paul. To get on my calendar, though, students need to research my magazine and my job and show serious interest and aptitude.

MIKE: Not really, but if someone can cut through the usual cookie-cutter veneer, I may make the time. How do you do that? Be original. Be yourself. It's up to you to figure out the specifics of what those things may be.


PEP: Do you go through your HR department only, or is there a future in
applicants writing to you directly?

JOE: Our HR department is the first target. They separate wheat from chaff. That said, my colleagues always complain that HR doesn’t know what it’s doing. Not sure I always agree. I don’t think it a bad idea for students to write directly, but I’d go through HR, too – especially if there’s a posted position. Accounts for the possibility that the editor is too busy and doesn’t look at or act on it, or that HR mistakes wheat for chaff.

SHAWN: I called the department editor of Minneapolis-St. Paul directly, but only because I knew I had already been recommended for the job. And I simply called her to tell her my resume and clips were on the way and that I was serious about the position. Sometimes, editors look at applicants who already have good jobs and wonder if they’re just looking for an ego boost or to get a raise at their current job. I wanted to make sure the editor knew I was looking for a change. The application then went to HR.

MIKE: People CAN come to me directly, but I do have to refer people to HR because of company policy. Still, if you impress me, I can put in a good word when I pass your info along.

SHANA: I think the inside contact is always great. I would advise them to reach out to HR as well as to the inside contact. If you contact an editor, copy the HR department. Those hiring managers—the editors—are my customers, so when I know what is happening, I can be of more help to them. A good HR department helps people push things through more quickly and effectively.