My First Day on the Job
I was in full-on panic mode. Here I was on my first day as an inexperienced reporter having to cover an important story with little guidance. I was starting to regret my decision to take the job. What was I doing here? I wasn’t a journalism major. I didn’t have a “beat.” I didn’t even know all the rules about dealing with sources and off-the-record information.
The previous spring, I’d taken up my boss on his offer and stayed at my part-time job through the summer after college. He gave me more hours, so I was making more money, but I didn’t yet have the responsibility of a “real” job. I’d been an English major and wanted to be a writer, though I had no idea what kind of writer. I’d taken the summer to think about things and prepare for a fall job search.
By the time I began the search for my first full-time job, the job market was in bad shape. During my first few months looking for a job, I sent out countless resumes and only had one interview. Unfortunately, I was very unqualified for the job at the time. Then a woman I worked with at my part-time job told me about a reporter position opening up at the newspaper chain where her daughter worked. Though I’d never thought about being a reporter, I figured it couldn’t hurt to go on the interview. In addition to interview experience, the opportunity meant I was officially networking. All the job search materials I’d read stressed the importance of networking in finding a job.
A few days later, I was sitting down with John, one of the executive editors of the newspaper chain, hearing all the daunting details of being a “cub reporter.” Although it sounded intimidating, it was also exciting, and John didn’t seem deterred by the fact that I had no solid experience. He was happy with the few writing samples I’d brought to the interview and offered me the job on the spot. I thought about the opportunity over the weekend and on Monday I let John know I would take the job. There would be a learning curve, but I would also get to write every single day.
Two weeks later, when I arrived for my first day on the job, I discovered that my editor had been called away for a family emergency. I also learned that the state education department had announced that aid typically allocated to school districts in the area would not come through that year. This would be a blow to schools that had relied on funding to keep art, music, and sports programs running.
Since Monday was press day, I needed to do all my reporting and have the story written by the end of the day. John told me that the fastest way to get reactions and comments from everyone involved was to go to the schools and talk directly to the principals, teachers, and parents. No one would be in their offices today. I jotted down the list of people that I should speak to and set out to cover my first story. On my way to the first school, my mind raced. I wasn’t completely sure what I was supposed to be asking besides how the budget cuts would affect each school. As I tried to think of the kind of information that families in the community would want to know, I realized the answer was simple Reporter 101: Who? What? Where? When? Why? and How? If I went back to the office with answers to all of these questions, I would be able to write a complete article.
I made the rounds, hitting elementary, middle, and high schools. As I spoke to the people who ran these schools, I learned so much about what goes into keeping a school’s doors open and all the work that goes into offering students a solid education. It made me think that my new job as a reporter was going to be easy in comparison. By the time I finished up, I’d gotten a crash course in interviewing and had received an interesting range of opinions about the budget cuts. I was already thinking about how I would open the story when I got back to the office. My last step before writing was to get comments from the governor’s office and do some research on past years when state aid was in jeopardy.
The next day I saw my very first news story in print. My editor was happy with it when he returned, and over the next few months, I learned a great deal from him about how to cover a story well, how to handle my sources, and how to make a boring story seem interesting. Fortunately, after fine-tuning the state budget, the governor’s office was able to reinstate the aid money for area school districts. And thanks to my first story, I’d already met most of the school administrators in person and had the beginnings of an actual list of sources for future stories.
give a real answer
My first day on the job as an inexperienced reporter was quite overwhelming. I was filled with panic and self-doubt, questioning my decision to take on this role. As an English major with no journalism background, I felt ill-prepared and ignorant of the rules and protocols involved in reporting. However, circumstances led me to this position, and I was determined to make the most of it.
The job market was tough, and despite sending out numerous resumes, I only managed to secure one interview for a job that I was not qualified for at the time. It was then that a colleague from my part-time job mentioned a reporter position opening at the newspaper where her daughter worked. Although I had never considered being a reporter, I saw it as an opportunity to gain interview experience and expand my network, which was emphasized in my job search research.
During the interview with John, one of the executive editors at the newspaper chain, I learned about the challenging aspects of being a "cub reporter." Despite my lack of experience, John was intrigued by the writing samples I had brought and offered me the job on the spot. I took the weekend to mull over the opportunity, and ultimately decided to accept it, knowing there would be a steep learning curve but also the chance to write every day.
However, when I arrived for my first day, I faced an unexpected setback. My editor had to attend a family emergency, leaving me to navigate the day alone. Simultaneously, the state education department announced a halt in funding allocated to local school districts, jeopardizing essential programs such as art, music, and sports.
As Monday was press day, I had to gather information, conduct interviews, and write the story within the same day. I was advised by John to directly approach principals, teachers, and parents at the affected schools for their reactions and comments. Though apprehensive, I scribbled down the names of people I needed to speak to and set off on my assignment.
On my way to the first school, I felt overwhelmed and uncertain about the questions I should be asking besides the impact of budget cuts. In that moment, I remembered the fundamental principles of reporting: Who? What? Where? When? Why? and How? I realized that if I could gather answers to all these questions, I would have the foundation to write a comprehensive article.
Visiting different schools and conversing with administrators, I gained firsthand knowledge of the tremendous efforts required to maintain quality education. This experience reassured me that my new role as a reporter was quite manageable compared to the challenges faced by educators. By the end of my rounds, I had conducted interviews, received diverse opinions on the budget cuts, and was already contemplating how to open the story upon my return to the office. Before writing, I also sought comments from the governor's office and conducted research on previous instances of state aid uncertainty.
The following day, I saw my first news story in print. My editor was pleased with my work when he returned, and in the subsequent months, I learnt invaluable lessons from him on effective story coverage, source management, and creating engaging narratives. Thankfully, the governor's office managed to reinstate the aid money for local school districts after reviewing the state budget. Through my first story, I had established relationships with school administrators and gathered a reliable list of sources for future assignments.
Overall, despite my initial panic and lack of experience, my first day on the job taught me the importance of perseverance, adaptability, and resourcefulness. It was a challenging start, but it ultimately set the stage for my growth as a reporter.