<p>My D is graduating this May from college. She is having the hardest time applying for jobs in the field. Her career center did not help, told her, go to the posted jobs online. Her prior internships only helped her for the experience, but her superiors told her she need to go to a vey small town, cut her teeth, and then return. The problem is, even in the small towns they want someone with 3-5 years of experience. Any clue?
ANyone who went through that, where did you get your "teeth cutting"
Thanks!</p>
<p>here’s a link to the reporter/anchor bios from a station I’m familiar with here in LA :).
Many of them mention the stations where they got their start.
[CBS2</a> /KCAL9 CBS2 / KCAL9 CBS Los Angeles](<a href=“CBS Los Angeles - Breaking Local News, Weather & Investigations”>CBS Los Angeles - Breaking Local News, Weather & Investigations)</p>
<p>The small towns may want someone with 3-5 years experience, but they won’t always get it! Good luck to your daughter.</p>
<p>Public stations seem to have a number of interns. Otherwise the typical route is starting as a gofer in a small market at minimum wage–or less. Many sell ads to make enough to live.</p>
<p>My niece’s husband graduated from one of the best known broadcast journalism programs about seven or eight years ago. He worked in a couple of small towns at very low pay, weekend anchor and reporter positions. Eventually he got a TV reporter position in a ‘mid-size’ market (KC), continued to get inadequate pay. He left for a year to work for an advertising firm, then returned to TV work. A couple of years ago they laid off all the camera operators and told the reporters they are now doing their own filming–with a large pay cut. He has hung on with short-term contracts, but is looking to get out.</p>
<p>Obviously, some people make it big, and some do well enough that they stick with it for a long time. My impression is that it is a very tough field right now.</p>
<p>Talking to my relative-by-marriage, and casual observation, have led me to conclude that the field is not open to anyone who is not physically attractive and has a ‘good’ voice. My relative is quite handsome, but has a soft, not-at-all-booming voice, and he feels this has been a big problem.</p>
<p>Tough field.</p>
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<p>Exactly. Small markets.</p>
<p>Every employer would rather hire someone with experience than someone with no experience and that is why you will hardly ever see a help wanted ad that dose not list a certain number of years of experience. The reality is that people with experience have more options open to them and probably have no interest in applying for what they consider to be an entry level job which a broadcast journalist position in a very small market would be seen as. Some employers are going to finally have no choice but hire an inexperienced broadcast journalist and hope for the best. It seems that being an oriental girl improves one’s prospects for getting one of these entry level jobs for some reason but I am pretty sure it is not a requirement.</p>