So, you want to work for a startup?
August 11th, 2010 • (f)unemployment, startups • 1 comment
Three years in J-school prepared me for the job hunt and the demands of the 24-hour news cycle. What it didn’t ready me for was the evolving world of applying for jobs at and working for a startup.
Nearly two months to the day after I started my job as a reporter for KCFreePress.com, I left. While the details of my non-disclosure agreement don’t allow me to discuss the situation fully, I can say that I left after I felt that my ethics and credibility would have been seriously compromised had I continued to work for the company. That, combined with serious financial issues, made the situation unbearable.
I’ve been unemployed for a week, and between freelance work, interviews and the gym, I’ve done a lot of thinking about the job I left, and more importantly, the types of jobs I want. I still believe that startups are making great waves in the industry and I wouldn’t hesitate to work for another one. My friends across the country staff some of the best: Publish 2, Patch.com, Pure, Texas Tribune…
When it comes to being a young journalist, joining a startup means having the chance to be part of the core of something new. As a member of a small team, you get to be a bigger player, gain more experience and ultimately make a large-scale impact. What’s really crucial is picking the right startup, making the right moves while you’re there and ultimately, knowing when (and if) it’s time to leave.
Here are a few things to consider if you’re looking to take the plunge into startup life, and some wisdom I wish I’d stumbled on sooner.
Social media strategy and today’s newsroom
July 7th, 2010 • startups • No comments
If you’ve been reading the headlines, you already know that KCFreePress is going through a lot of changes. We’ve lost four amazing staffers and are currently in the process of trying to figure out what our next steps are. I’ve been answering a lot of questions from friends and industry contacts about what some of these changes mean for me.
Answer: More than I can explain in one blog post.
As one of two full-time staffers on board at KCFreePress, I’m doing more than I ever expected and learning lots. One of the big areas where I’ve been filling in is with defining the site’s social media strategy. KCFreePress has been on Twitter for quite some time and has a Facebook page that boasts nearly 2,000 fans.
But numbers aren’t enough. If you want to make an impact on the Web, you have to do more, work smarter (not harder), build relationships and make your brand meaningful for everyone you come into contact with.
I’ve been behind the helm of our social media operations for just a few weeks, and I’m already making big changes with how we are building a robust community through social media. Here are a few tips I’ve learned while using Twitter, both on my personal account, and now as the voice behind @KCFreePress. Follow us and say hi. Read more »
What I’m Doing Now
June 19th, 2010 • startups • 3 comments
Confession, I’ve been a bad blogger.
In recent weeks, I’ve promised myself I’d find the time to get back to my blog and update you guys on what I’m doing now. It’s been almost a month since I re-designed, and still no entries. I’m sorry for that, but it’s been for a good reason.
I’ve been transitioning into my new job as a reporter for KCFreePress, and saying goodbye to the amazing folks at Missouri’s State Capitol.
At KCFreePress, I’m one of four full-time staffers dedicated to covering news in the core of the city. I’ll specifically be focusing on politics, policy and education. I’ve already covered the nationally-recognized decision to shut down half of Kansas City’s public schools, as well as the most recent State of the City address by Kansas City Mayor Mark Funkhouser.
In the weeks to come, I’ll be starting our coverage of Kansas City’s mayoral race and reporting on the special session of the Missouri Legislature, which could bring thousands of new jobs to Kansas City and protect the automotive jobs already there. I’ll also be getting my hands dirty with some SEO and hope to get a better understanding of what it means to work at a startup and the challenges of funding one. KCFreePress is undergoing a lot of changes, and I’ll be interested to see where I stand in all of them.
Now that I’m back on the blogging map, I thought I’d share with you a few things I’ve learned in my first month working for a startup.
Lesson #1: You are always working.
When I told one of my professors that I was taking a job at a startup, she told me that I’d probably be doing everything – from scrubbing floors to reporting centerpiece stories. While I haven’t had to clean the floors at KCFreePress, I now see her point. Within my first week at KCFreePress, I realized that working at a startup means no convenient hours, no cushy accommodations and enough work to make college look easy.
Starting over
May 4th, 2010 • jobs • No comments
I’ve somehow managed to lose my entire blog which I’d been updating for the past year or so due to a technical glitch and my inability to fix it. I’m slowly rebuilding all portions of this site, so please bear with me. I’m hoping to have everything up and running with a new design by June 1, giving me a little time to settle into my new job and new home in Kansas City.
If you’re looking for samples of my work, email me or follow me on Twitter. You can also check out my link/quote blog on Tumblr.
Thanks for being patient with me as I move my site and move myself to a new home.
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