Q. I'm a recent college grad, and my ultimate goal is to become a copy editor for a major daily at some point. I have been working for a newspaper office with a very small weekly circulation for about 5 months, and I was hired under the pretense of filling a copy editing/page design position. I thought this would be a great way to break into the business; however, I have done very little editing and zero page design since I began working there.
Right now, I basically design ads and help with advertising sales, and I'm pretty unhappy with it. The person who is actually doing the page layout is moving soon, and the manager is working to fill the position quickly so someone else can learn the job before the current page designer leaves. I would really love to take over the page design and have someone new hired to design the ads because I would get to learn skills that will be valuable as a copy editor in the future. But I'm not sure how to approach my boss about this and I'm not sure I'll be working at the same office for more than another year (mostly because I want to move on to bigger and better things).
Should I tell my boss that I would like to be considered for the position? If so, what is the best way to present the idea? If not, what can I do to put my editing skills to good use (I am the only one in the office with working knowledge of AP style) and ultimately be happier with my job? Thanks for your help.
Unhappy and UnsureA. This is a good question. In "Ask the Recruiter" we spend more time talking about moving from company to company, but by far most new jobs are internal moves. We need to know how to navigate the internal moves, too.
You should absolutely tell the boss that you want that position. Be strong and direct and say it face to face: "I know we need someone to fill that position and that is exactly what I wanted to do when I came here. I would like to get that job. How can we make that happen?"
As you apply for that job, do not volunteer any promises about how long you will stay in it. Judging from your description of your newspaper, you are about as far from a major daily as a person can get. You are going to have to make many large moves to achieve your goal. So, make a strong, clear and immediate application -- and if you get that job, learn quickly so you can be on to your next job. You will largely be judged by the work you are doing now, so I hope it is top-notch.
And if you don't get that job, start looking. An employer who puts people into jobs other than the ones they accept should have no reasonable expectation that they will stick around. Of course, you are way too smart to bring this up during your negotiation.
Got a question? I'll answer it here, just e-mail it with your full name. If you prefer that your surname not be published, please indicate why.Coming Tuesday: She has a great job at a shriveling newspaper and two outside offers. One is in journalism and one is in an area that has been like a hobby to her. Which way to go?
