It’s the question students across the country all have in common, “how do I get a job?”
On Thursday, MediaFest attendees were able to receive advice from recruiters on what to include in their reels and portfolio to stand out from other applicants.
Here are five things to keep in mind while crafting your resume and reel:
Be mindful of what you put on your resume
When you’re early in your career, recruiters expect your resume to be one page. Because of this, you want to make sure you use the space wisely. Focus on relevant experience, even if it’s not job-related. If you volunteer, recruiters want to see that because they’re looking for applicants that are involved in the community.
Use numbers to show growth and impact
Chip Mahaney, the emerging talent leader at Scripps, looks for two things on a resume, “excellence and interesting.” When it comes to excellence, that’s the time to use numbers to show your impact on your publication. Point out what you did that improved growth, and by how much.
Share your recent work, and make sure it’s your best
Lesley Van Ness, the director of talent acquisition at Gray Television, says she prefers to see clips within the last 6 months because it shows who you are today.
For reels, it’s also important to put your best stuff first. “I want to know that you can tell me a great story, and I want to know you can do it in a minute thirty or less,” said Patrick McCreery, co-founder of Glass City Talent.
Once you’ve submitted your work, be prepared for the call
Think of what your elevator pitch is, and what it is that you are bringing to the team that will help push them forward. This is also the time to ask questions, how is the role you’re applying for going to benefit you?
Make it easy for recruiters to find the information they’re looking for
Mahaney suggests that your home page should feature four things; your reel, resume, contact info, and links to other work. Keeping your website simple and to the point allows the recruiters to focus on what it is that you want them to know about you.
@thespjnews “The reel, and a link to the resume and contact information.” For more information about what journalism recruiters want to see from your website visit our link in bio #journalism #journalismadvice #journalismjobs #howtogethired #MediaFest22 #SPJNews22 #SPJ #societyofprofessionaljournalists
Tagged under: Carolyn Burt, MediaFest22, SPJ, job skills, jobs, journalism jobs, recruiters, society of professional journalists