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Q. I am a reporter in my very late 20s (nearly 30s) at a 45,000-circ., fairly rural New England daily. It's my second daily newspaper reporting gig and I've been here for two years. I have officially burned out

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on my beat and have gotten myself into a creative rut. I know that it's definitely time for me to take my leave.

I'm about to start the job search process again, but the problem is I don't really know how to get another job. There's no one in the state with whom to network since my paper's the biggest show in town and I don't know too many other people in the business who have any clout. Short of answering job ads on industry Web sites, which rarely yield any results, I'm not sure what to do. Any suggestions?

Many thanks. Stuck in New England

A. Before you invest in a search for a job at another newspaper, please reflect on what it is that makes you feel fulfilled professionally. Decide whether you should be looking beyond newspapers. Would an alternative magazine or online reporting do more for you than newspapers have? Are you burned out on your current newspaper or all of them?

Joe Grimm

Whichever way you decide to go, your networking situation is the same.

Use social networking sites to jump-start things. I see you have a Facebook account. I have added you as a friend. Join a group like Journalists and Facebook (registration required) and seek out some people who might be helpful in your job search. I would add another group, such as LinkedIn, where you do not yet have an account, and start networking by asking some questions and sending some messages.

Also, keep an eye out for conventions or association meetings in your region. These can be press associations for your state or one nearby or national meetings that come to the region.

You can start building a network today, but it won't be built overnight.

How about it, people? Can you help Stuck network? Leave word by way of a comment attached to this posting and we will help her build that network on Facebook or LinkedIn. If you have other suggestions, leave those, too. You'll be helping more than one person.

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Coming Friday: This reporter has attracted the interest of a free tab in a big city, but wonders about the wisdom of going into something non-traditional.

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