SPJ to “Slice n’ Dice” with professionals, pizza

Kayla Hanley, Reporter

This week Ohio University’s Society of Professional Journalists will hold a “slice n’ dice” event in which journalism professionals such as editors, professors and others with hiring experience in the journalism industry will offer resume critique.

Attendees will present their resumes to the professionals who will “dice” the resumes by giving their opinions of what to add, take out or edit. The “slice” part of the event refers to the free pizza that will be available to all who attend.

OU SPJ Secretary Gina Mussio helped to organize the event.

“We feel this is a beneficial event for students as a resume is a student’s ‘face’ when applying for internships or jobs and they want that to be the best it can be. A bad resume can make or break an application and this meeting will help prepare students and give them the advice they need to make their resumes presentable,” Mussio said.

The question of, “How can I make my resume stand out?” is one that often lingers in the minds of those applying for internships and jobs.

“Be succinct,” Professor Andy Alexander, who will be present at the event, said.  “Don’t leave out important elements. But make your resume a quick read. Prospective employers see tons of resumes and, in giving yours an initial review, will spend little time studying it. Help them. Be concise.”

Many students have different interests within the journalism field, so it can be hard to choose what experiences to include in a resume.

“Stress any multi-media expertise or training. Most employers are looking for people with these skills,” Alexander said.

Professor Alexander also said that it is a good idea to try and make references applicable to the prospective employer.

“If one of my students were to apply for a job or internship at The Washington Post, I would hope that they would list me as a reference because I used to work there. Familiarity of a reference can help ensure that your resume gets special attention,” Alexander said.

By speaking to journalism professionals such as Professor Alexander, those who attend will also have the opportunity to put their foot in the door and make possible internship and job connections.

SPJ encourages students to attend and take advantage of this opportunity for helpful resume critique this Tuesday at 5 p.m. in Baker 231.

Intern veterans pass on advice

Kayla Hanley, Reporter

Ohio University’s Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ) is back at it again with their many meetings to better prepare Scripps students in their journey through journalism.

Last Tuesday, SPJ held an internship panel consisting of five current Ohio University Scripps School students. The panelists were Catherine Caldwell, Wesley Lowery, Sarah Grothjan, Nadine Ajaka, and Graylyn Roose.

The panel provided an opportunity for the students to hear the trials and tribulations of interning within the journalism field.

Panelists Catherine Caldwell, Wesley Lowery and Sarah Grothjan share their experiences.

Catherine Caldwell recently interned at Marie Claire Magazine in New York City this past summer and the way she said she heard about the job was by googling “internships in New York City.”

“I never thought I’d be interested in beauty,” Caldwell said,” “but what I found interesting was how a magazine process works.”

Caldwell said she preformed a variety of tasks, whether it was walking around Manhattan in her heels to different stores, or writing pieces for the magazine. She was focused on the Public Relations aspect of the magazine, but broadened her views by helping out in every department.

“I didn’t get to do as much writing as I had hoped, but I did gain a lot more contacts through each department I took part in,”said Caldwell.

Wesley Lowery had a similar experience in his internship this past summer in New York City while working at The Wall Street Journal.

“I started writing for real estate and then ended up in politics,” Lowery said. “You honestly have to take what you can get.”

Lowery  said he was lucky that he got to do more hands on experience in NYC, along with his previous internships, which have included the Columbus Dispatch and Detroit News.

Lowery said, “I really had to be open-minded about the different topics I was writing for that I had not one clue how or what to write about. If you don’t know how to do something, ask for help and an explanation.”

Sarah Grothjan recently finished an internship this past summer in Las Angeles for an online entertainment news source called Celebuzz.

Grothjan spoke of very strong organizational skills she had to obtain for her internship by keeping her resume and cover letters up to date.

“With my previous internships I made sure my resume and cover letter complied with the other. I even had similar letterheads for each one,” Grotjhan said.

All three panelists agreed that a strong cover letter is what you need for any internship.

Journalism   students want to have the experience of an internship to better shape their future after college, but once students are in the process of the job there are a few ups and downs along the way.

“If you’re finding yourself sitting around, go to other departments and ask if there is anything you can do to help,” Caldwell said. This is a high profile way to gain contacts with other employers so you can make them aware of what you can do.

They key thing the panelists said interns shouldn’t do is to sit down and log onto Facebook.

“It really is the worst option you could do,” Grothjan said “Employers will see you do it, but not say anything because in their mind then they are thinking ‘oh they’re only here for a month’.”

The panelists’ helpful advice allowed attendees to leave with some sense of direction and key insight concerning their employment futures.

LinkedIn fails to add personal touch to networking paradigm

Nick Robbe, Reporter

When I first came to college I repeatedly heard one word: networking. It was drilled into my mind as well as the minds of my fellow first-year classmates. We were told about it but were never really told the correct way to do it.  Graduate student Molly Yanity explains the phenomenon of networking and why, though beneficial, it will never replace a genuine attitude.

How easy is it to maintain the network of professional relationships once created?
It’s not easy.  I think it’s a whole lot easier now that you have LinkedIn and Facebook, but there is also a fine line between keeping a network strong and being a nuisance.

Every now and then, drop an email. You see something that’s happened or something that’s happened where they work and you send them email (to let them know you are thinking of them). That makes a big difference.

I was at a speaking engagement in San Diego and some of the people that were on this panel, Howard Bryant of ESPN: The Magazine, Jackie MacMullan (who was a columnist and associate editor for The Boston Globe), and Rick Reilly, who is now a columnist for ESPN was the keynote speaker.  I got to meet them and it was the only time ever I saw those people.

Bryant still speaks in my classes on Skype and conference calls.  He has published some really amazing books, and whenever he publishes those books, I drop him a line.

I saw the guy one time in my life, but he is someone who I know I can count on and he has asked for favors and I’d do it in a minute.  You just have to make an effort.

What does a student hope to gain from being included in a network?
It depends on how much you put into it.  I think that aside from bylines the most important thing you get out of internships is building personal relationships.  A lot of times the personal relationships don’t lead directly to jobs, but it’s ‘Hey, I know someone who I can put you in touch with.’ That’s when the networking becomes invaluable.

The greatest thing any fledging professional has going, you’re young, you’re full of energy, you’re full of ideas, and people like to be around that.  If you have an engaging personality, it’s going to do great things for you.”

What are technicques for forming networks?
Be genuine and gracious. In a couple years I am going to have to go out and try to get a job as a professor somewhere.

I go to conferences and try to meet as many people as I can, and when I get back, I write them an email saying, ‘It was great to meet you. I hope to keep in touch in the future.’

I think those are the kinds of things that you need to be doing while you are looking for any job.  I still keep in touch with people that I had internships with.  Not just your superiors, but your colleagues too.  Be genuine and gracious.”

LinkedIn is utilized by a variety of professionals, but how much help does it really provide?
It makes it easier, but LinkedIn isn’t anything personal.  It’s a way to keep track of someone’s contact information sometimes.  It helps, but I still think you need the personal touches.

You can’t just say, ‘Oh that’s my LinkedIn friend.’  It’s really, truly a personal thing, and it has to be about your relationships.

If you can have a relationship, and you put forth some effort, you’re an engaging human being.  You’re not just taking advantage, and you’re giving something back.  You are going to be good at networking.

Journalism students rewarded by damage control

Story // Raquel Harrah, Reporter

Journalists are usually told to make sure to get their résumé “on the right desk.” However, what happens when the résumé makes its way to the desk of the“right” person, but a mistake lingers in the résumé or cover letter?

With spring here and the summer of opportunity and internships rapidly approaching, it is important to consider the do’s and don’ts of applying for internships and job positions. A simple mistake, like a misspelling in an email, can make the difference between landing a dream internship and waving the future goodbye.

The forerunning “do” is to start early and prepare so that a résumé or cover letter is not being put together last minute.

Michelle O’Donnell, director at the ad network Collective Media, stresses the importance of staying abreast of application procedures for internships.

“I’ve been in advertising for 11 years now, so I have a ton of thoughts. For right now, the best thing you can do is talk to a counselor and apply for as many good internships as possible,” O’Donnell said. “Try to get a paid one, even if the pay is low.”

Applying for as many internships as possible, though important for a journalist, can also lead to mistakes and a common “don’t.” Grammatical errors, spelling mistakes, incorrect formatting and typos stand out, especially for the journalists pursuing the very jobs that try to prevent and correct these mistakes.

Lauren Byrwa, a junior majoring in magazine journalism and interactive multimedia and visual communications at Ohio University, has experienced the heart-sinking feeling that results from an erroneous resume. Byrwa failed to change the headings to the multiple corporations to which she was mass emailing.

“At first I sent a couple emails and cover letters to places in Columbus: Resource Interactive and SBC Advertising. Then I wanted to look at places closer to home, so I started Googling places in Cincinnati,” Brywa said. “Well there were two Cincinnati firms where, after sending it, I realized I never changed the name of the firm in the email. I was mortified to say the least.”

To avoid job-comprising mistakes like Brywa’s, students are advised to take advantage of the Student Writing Center, which provides services like résumé help.

Dr. Candace Stewart, coordinator for the Student Writing Center, said one of the main mistakes students make with résumé and cover letters is making their name too small.

In A competitive field, anything that stands out to media corporations who see résumé after résumé can set someone apart, and it starts with the name. A large bold name can make it memorable and may help lead the résumé to the “right desk.”

Proofreading is essential to prevent mistakes from being sent out to multiple job corporations and agencies. Common proofreading tips like re-reading everything multiple times can be ancillary to success.

“You should have several people read it over; that’s a major one,” Stewart said.

An even more important tip is learning how to handle mistakes.  In Brywa’s case, fixing the mistake turned a “don’t” into a “do.” Her erroneous resume actually led her to seize a great opportunity.

“I think the fact that I’m willing to face my mistakes and try to make amends for them says a lot about my character, my ambition and my dedication to this firm,” Brywa said in an email to the company.

Brywa’s candid email led to a subsequent interview with the company.  While some mistakes are best avoided, Brywa’s case demonstrates that students are well advised to also practice damage control.