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I recently applied for a Comunity Editor position at the Local Newspaper.
Backstory:
I worked there for 2 years as an Ed. Assistant (read, editorial grunt)and worked my way to staff writer. By the time I left, in 1998, my responsibilities had grown to layout of the stocks & weather sections (piece by piece in Quark, I pulled it off the AP wire & reformatted it), obituaries, and filling in reporter's beats when they were away or the spot was empty. I covered Education for 2 monts or more, never recieved a raise and was passed over (not even given the courtesy of acknowledging I had applied, much less an interview) because I lacked a Bachelors Degree, at least that was the meme they sold... Hmm... but I was good enough for cheap labor?
About 3 years ago I started freelancing again on a more prominent basis locally, and one of the older members of the newsroom (Community/Arts & Religion Editor) called on me to fill in for her when she went on vaction. She knew I was one of the "only ones left" who knew how to use a runsheet and who had the connections in the community and knew how to write the Obits. I did this 2 times a year, sometimes for a month at a time (she was a senior member of the staff, had lots of time to travel) - as a freelancer with 2 different Managing Editors. I enjoyed the exposure and the networking, and as always loved the "feel of the newsroom" and never hesitated to let the other young journalists know that, editors as well. I had old friends there, and new ones that were formed.
When the Elder reporter retired, I figured I could be a shoe in. ("Could" being the functional word here, because I knew I had been burned before...) Well, the current Mg. Ed. was a temporary transplant from the carolinas, didn;t know or care for the community. And with corporate running the show, they consolidated the position and pushed it to one of the Photographers...then laid of BOTH photographers in the next year. The newspaper took a dive and lost 2 days of publication and went down to 2 basic reporters, doing their own photos... ya its been bad for a bout a year. I have done only a few stories on community people, but no real filling in for about a year as well. No money.
Fast forward to this current opening, I filed for it in the first week of August.
I emailed followed up with the current Mg. Ed. (used to be the city editor, she's kind of a place holder, not a leader)
She said she would get to the pile by the end of the following week
after giving her 2 weeks, I let a voicemail and an email asking where she was in the proces and if the could use some freelance help to fill in the gaps ...as always, staying upbeat and professional.
I called back and caught her a week later and she verbally said that they had over 100 applicants, that the pile had gone down to "central" for review to see if they fit into other positions with the newspaper group...and she'd get back their word on interviews...
MmmmHMMM
I gave her the alotted time and then folowed up again
she said she is leaving the paper and wil forward my info to the next guy
I called central myself and asked if they had recieved my resume and if I had been considered for any of the positions and WHEN are INTERVIEWS?
no call back from the DIRECTOR OF HR
Today, I decide the dust has settled from her departure for about a week.
I checked the website to see if there was any more info on the incoming Mg. Ed....(and got ready to call him, but he's not there till Tuesday...)
and see that the staff pages had been updated and there was a NEW Community Editor...
so they HIRED the position and NEVER even gave me the acknowledgement!
...again?
...are you kidding me?
and ironically, I am completing my Certification in HR Mgmt at Sac Sate right now and we were just talking about hiring/recruiting and how important it is to communicate with your allpicants...
BAD MANAGEMENT ugh!
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So I know, that now I would rather tell them to shove it up their collective corporate asses than to EVER work for them again.
And remind them they just lost a VENDOR who will be discussing their poor business practices with every business owner I know.
...and I've decided it is time to put forth the energy to make MY business grow. So I gotta find someone to work with that can do some of the number crunching, figure out how to write a business plan, and then I can just create my own publishing company focusing on Eco-Tourism and "Show 'em ALL"
...it could Happen! right?
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