1 post tagged “job seach”

I intend to post a few times about location, because it was so crucial to me when I graduated.  I actually refused all job offers from in-state newspapers (even though I interviewed at some to get interview practice), because I wanted to move out of the state so badly.  More on me later.

For this initial location post, I'd like to use Jessica Beym, staff writer for the Gloucester County Times (26,000-circ. daily in New Jersey), as an example.  I met her when I interviewed at the GCT for a municipal reporter opening and had a trial day there.  I was given a tricky story, and Jessica helped me out a lot with it. 

I ultimately stopped pursuing a full-time position at the GCT, in favor of a freelance one there.  However, Jessica is a smart and sophisticated journalist, who is still wonderful to talk to.  Here's what her experience was with the location-selection process:

"(After I graduated from Rowan University), I lived about 10 miles south of (South Brunswick) in Hamilton township (outside of Trenton.) That was ideal for me, because it was where my parents were living. So after college, I just moved home to save money.

I'm not sure if I mentioned before, but the GCT offered me a job after college, as did the (Princeton) Packet. The Trenton Times offered me a freelance position immediately after college, and ultimately, that was what I picked.

I did so because I didn't want to work full time right out of college, and I wanted to move home. Then in the fall I reapplied to the Packet, and they hired me. After about a year, I moved back down to south Jersey, because my boyfriend (who is from south Jersey) and I decided to move in together.

So I guess you can say location plays into it as a major factor. If you don't have any ties to any specific place, then you have many more options, I would think."

As you can see, Jessica took many factors into account in choosing her first post-college reporting job.  And location dictated a major part of that choice.  Especially in reporting--a career which you will be interacting A LOT with the locals and be up close and personal with the community--I suggest considering location. 

However, location may not be important to you, and you'll make different decisions based on factors that are important to you.  Deciding what's valuable to you and what's not will determine how the whole job search will play out. It's completely up to you.

More on location soon...