College to the Pros: Advice for Aspiring Journalists

It was like a clichéd love story.

I flew from Portland, Ore., to visit my sister in Washington, D.C. On a whim, we decided to visit the University of Maryland, where I quickly learned I’d discovered my school. I appreciated McKeldin Mall, the athletics tradition, the strong journalism program.

Fast-forward four and a half years. I’ve graduated from the Philip Merrill College of Journalism; served as a sports writer and sports editor of The Diamondback; and interned at The Baltimore Sun.

Philip Merrill helped me achieve my ultimate goal: a sports staff writer position for a major metropolitan newspaper. I cover Oregon State football, basketball and baseball at my hometown paper, The Oregonian.

But I didn’t come into college with some step-by-step plan. It took helpful mentors — and plenty of mistakes — for me to learn how to land that first job.

You’ve all already achieved one of the most important steps by being accepted to this college. So to help you make the most of this invaluable opportunity, here are a few of the most critical lessons I picked up during my four years in College Park:

Work at the school paper

I joined The Diamondback at the beginning of my sophomore year, and started covering the gymnastics team. At the time, I figured it was just an extracurricular activity that could keep me busy.

But I soon realized that the student paper is the best place to learn and make mistakes without severe repercussions. It also allows you to get those first clips for internship applications, and experience the stress and responsibility that comes with covering a beat.

The Diamondback was the first place that allowed me to learn how to balance multiple duties. I had to write daily stories while simultaneously working on features, editing other writers and finding time for class.

At The Oregonian, I have many of the same responsibilities I had at The Diamondback — other than that whole school thing, of course. So when I learned last month that I’d be moving from high school sports to the Oregon State beat, I wasn’t overly concerned. I knew I could handle the job’s requirements because I had managed an even heavier workload the previous year.

Still, that hardly means there wasn’t an adjustment period. The stakes are much higher when you’re responsible for delivering expert news to die-hard fans about their favorite teams. There’s minimal room for error.

Maintain connections

When you complete your internships, stay in touch with your editors and supervisors. These are connections that will help you land future internships and jobs.

When you apply to various organizations, they will call your references. A résumé can only tell employers so much — they want to know how you work in a professional environment. And if your supervisors like you, they’ll let you know about additional opportunities and keep you on their radar.

And you don’t necessarily need an internship to build valuable relationships. I had to apply to The Oregonian three times before I was finally accepted into their summer internship program last December. But I always kept in touch with the sports editor by emailing him regularly and seeking freelance opportunities. When it came time to apply again my senior year, I included some Oregonian clips in my application.

Since I had a strong relationship with my Baltimore Sun editor, he was able to give me a strong recommendation and let me know of any reporting opportunities that came up.

It’s on you, as the intern and student, to stay in touch with editors. Don’t let them forget you and make sure your hard work is remembered.

Showcase your talent

When you do land that coveted internship, show your editors and supervisors that you’re capable of more than they ever could’ve expected. Take on multiple responsibilities, don’t shy away from working extra hours (if allowed) and try to say “no” as little as possible.

Your editors want to see that you can handle working in a professional environment. That means conducting yourself accordingly, making yourself invaluable to the company, and balancing daily stories with in-depth features.

At The Baltimore Sun, I took any opportunity to write small, sometimes mundane, stories. And I pitched long-form features, rather than waiting for my editor to assign them to me. I did the same when I arrived at The Oregonian, and it helped me land a full-time job faster than I could have ever imagined.

My third week covering high school sports in the suburbs, I wrote a 2,500-word feature on a five-star local running back named Thomas Tyner. A few weeks later, the sports editor downtown called and offered me the Oregon State beat. He referenced the Tyner story, which I wrote while working on a host of daily stories, as the key reason he felt comfortable offering me the position.

The daily pieces show you can work on deadline, but feature stories showcase your reporting and writing skills. Those are the clips that will help you secure prestigious — and high-pressure — jobs.