1. Landing a Job (In a chaotic market)

2. Self inspection ► How badly do you want to work in media?  Do you have a passion for news?  Do people & their actions fascinate you? ► How flexible are you?  Are you content to just get in the door?  Can you work cross-platform?  Do you truly understand the Web as a way to reach people?

3. You have already ► Followed up on your internship ► Used the TTU Career Services TTU Career ServicesTTU Career Services ► Checked out MC Career Center MC Career CenterMC Career Center ► Checked class Web site careers page class Web site careers pageclass Web site careers page ► Checked state press / journalism orgs journalism orgsjournalism orgs ► Done the networking thing

4. Now you get passionately serious ► Get a map showing your preferred area ► Draw a circle of about 150 mile radius or so about 150 mile radius or soabout 150 mile radius or so ► ID communities of any size within circle ► Use directory to ID properties, players  TV stations (Broadcast & Cable Yearbook)  Radio stations (Same)  Newspapers (Editor & Publisher Yearbook)  Magazines (Folio Yearbook), Writer’s Market

5. Plan a week in your car ► Plan a trip to visit media sites within circle ► Plan no more than 2-4 per day in each town (or nearby towns) ► Pick your days / towns for efficiency: Book motels and / or friends / family ► Count up the number you will do in a week ► Assemble your packets

6. Phase I: Letter / phone ► Send letter to each person you identified, 3 weeks ahead of your trip; sell self and tell person you will be in town on Day X ► Follow-up in 1 week with phone call, asking if they got resume / package

7. Phase II: Phone, visit ► About 1-2 days ahead, call again. Suggest a time if you don’t have time set already ► Show up at the appointed hour – 5 minutes early (not 10, and definitely not late) ► At a minimum, you should get some eye contact, and be able to leave another packet

8. Phase III: Thank you letter / call ► Write thank you letters to each person you visited. Again sell yourself ► Approx. two weeks after the thank you letter, telephone again

9. Follow-up ► Use judgment regarding follow-up calls  Be persistent, not too annoying ► If necessary, draw a different circle and start over