A regional editor is asking would-be reporters to send him 140-character job applications via Twitter.
Essex Chronicle boss Alan Geere says he is fed-up with wading through “turgid” letters of application and over-long CVs.
In an advert for junior and senior reporters posted on HTFP today, he is asking candidates to send in applications by tweeting him @alangeere.
Alan, who is also editorial director of Northcliffe Media South East, exlpained his thinking in a blog post in which he also took a swipe at the quality of most would-be entrants to the profession.
“I’m fed up wading through turgid ‘letters of application’ and monstrous CVs outlining an early career in retail handling and a flirtation with the upper slopes of the Andes,” he said.
“I want reporters who can find stories that no-one else has got and write them quickly and accurately.
“That’s why in my latest recruitment ad potential recruits have to respond via Twitter. They’ve got 140 characters to tell me what they can do and why I should consider them.
“I keep getting told there is an over-supply of qualified people wanting to do journalism. Well, maybe there is but there’s definitely not an over-supply of people who are any good.”
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Which is all fine and dandy if you don’t mind the world and his wife knowing you are applying for the job. Not sure many senior reporters on, say, the Evening Echo would fancy going down this route.
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wow – that really is getting down with the yoofs. What next? Permission to remove top hats and spats on warm days?
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How modern. I hope he feels the same way when he gets his first tweet of resignation.
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Wud lk 2 aply. Can break PCC rules & maintn plumeting circ figs wit best of em.
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Great idea. Well done
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What a ruddy stupid idea.
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Got a name, Sussex Journalist? Thought not.
Twitter is a bit restricted, isn’t it? One hundred and forty characters, for heaven’s sake! It reminds me of the old Telex days when every word cost money.
‘Dear Geere. Gizzajob, sunshine. Been there, done that on seventeen papers. 120wpm shorthand. NCJ. Hard worker. No baggage. Driving licence. Desperate. Jobless.’
And that’s yer lot…
Resignation will, of course, be simpler. Remember the Reuters man in Nairobi who quit with the telegraphed words ‘Upstick job arsewards’? With Twitter, he’d still have 119 characters left to play with…
‘Go crap in your hat’ would still leave him with 100.
‘I’ve always thought you were a plonker’ would get him down to 62.
‘Oh, and by the way, I’ve poured superglue on your laptop’ is almost there, just six short.
Any suggestions for the pay-off line apart from ‘Donkey’?
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Oh dear, he is having a rant. There have always been bad CVs. Most people just bin them. I can’t see that Twitter will be helpful.
Who is going to advertise to the world that he or she is applying for another job?
Being able to send a message in 140 characters doesn’t prove a thing! This man is just being lazy!
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Great idea Al.
Nw prnt ur ppr in Twitterspeak.
No more literals – no more readers.
No wonder the regional press is going to the dogs.
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This should work, fewer than 140 characters …
Willing to work for less than £15,000, no overtime and lots of Sundays
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Of course I have a name Mr Warren…
Out of interest, why do you think this is such an excellent idea?
For a marketing job? Possibly. For a reporting job? Cannot see how it will work. I could write an amazing 140 word application but have no qualifications whatsoever.
An office I used to work in had more than 200 applications for a trainee job on about 13k a year. I imagine a lot were discounted very quickly. Unfortunately, that is just part of recruiting someone.
With a lot of people out of work it seems arrogant not to give each applicant the respect they deserve and at least read their CV / letter.
Requesting CVs be limited to one page would be far more reasonable.
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Come on all you moaners and groaners, it’s not a bad idea.
It’s a chance for an applicant to catch the Editor’s eye – of course he would then want to know more about them before taking the big decision of offering a job.
I have seen some of the young entrants who have been admitted into our industry by editors who just want to get a bum on a seat…and you wonder how they ever got through the selection process.
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Sussex Journalist – why don’t you validate your opinions by giving your name?
What a ludicrous idea. How can you determine who will make a good reporter on the basis of a 140 word tweet? Still its a nice little gimmick and has bagged Mr Geere some free publicity on HTFP! The way this guy is talking he is working on some top tabloid, only willing to take on the cream of the crop. Instead he’s in charge of the Essex Chronicle. Maybe he needs to show a little more respect to the people applying for his paper, or (dare i say it) lower his sights slightly.
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Paul,
Why on earth are you stalking this site asking people for their full names? Who appointed you King of the Messageboard? Quite frankly, it’s a bid odd.
Richard.
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Alan is a great editor – an enthusiastic as ever and full of ideas. However, he also has the attention span of a gnat and therefore I think this is a sensible way for him to go.
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Perhaps because Paul suspects that people may be posting from the same computer under multiple identities.
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Hackwatcher – how perceptive.
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All these comments are a big fuss over nothing. Or do people really expect he’s going to appoint somebody from one 140-word message and not hold any interviews?!
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Paul Warren may have enough time on his hands to keep an eye on these comments, but I doubt anyone has either enough time, nor the inclination, to post under multiple names.
What on earth would be the point for starters?
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“Alan has also been involved in training and educating journalists for more than 20 years. He was director of the Journalism Training Centre and is currently head of journalism at the University of Worcester.”
http://htfpnew.adaptive.co.uk/2008/news/globetrotting-editor-to-take-charge-of-his-old-paper/
So Alan, I take it you’re not going to suggest the quality of candidates is down to the quality of the training then…
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Don’t be deterred, Alan. Great idea. At least you can come up with some ideas and are prepared to put your name to it and take the flak.
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