2011-2012 Staff Applications

Assignment Editor - News, Features/A&E,

Opinions, Sports
Applications due Friday, April 8, to The Chimes
office, located in the Upper SUB.
Label each page with your name, major, phone, box# and year.

Application Questions:
1. What area are you interested in editing and why?
2. What kind of experience do you have that you feel
will assist you in being an assignment editor? (Please list all coursework that is applicable,
high school newspaper experience, Chimes experience, and job related experience.)
3. What is your vision/goal for your content on the web?
4. How should journalism and the web interact? Are you willing to upload stories to the web?
5. This position may take 15-20 hours of your week. Does this work with your class schedule,
and can you handle the time commitment? (Please fill out your anticipated work schedule on
the attached sheet.)
6. The Chimes is a web-first publication, meaning stories must be generated, edited and
uploaded every day. How would you handle a job that is somewhat constant and
unpredictable?
7. How familiar are you with web programs such as Wordpress and Google Docs?
8. How comfortable are you with copy editing? How familiar are you with AP style? Do you
have a copy of the Associated Press Stylebook for when questions arise?
9. What are your standards for determining what is newsworthy and what is not?
10. One of the biggest problems that The Chimes has always had is finding enough writers. How
will you go about finding writers for next year?
11. Are you comfortable with working with reporters to edit their work and help develop their
writing?
12. What are your leadership and people management skills? How would you interact with
writers?
13. What unique talents, skills and abilities would you bring to the newsroom?
14. What are your two main weaknesses and how will you keep them from influencing your
work as an editor?
15. Sports only: What to you makes a great sports story?
16. Features only: How would you go about making your stories bold, yet thoughtful?
17. Opinions only: How do you determine when a writer has taken a story “too far?”
18. News only: What does it look like for a campus newspaper to have a watchdog mentality?

*Attach at least two writing samples. Published works/articles are acceptable, or articles written
for journalism/P.R. courses.
* Include a letter of recommendation from a faculty member familiar with you and your writing.
* Interviews will be scheduled individually. Make sure your contact information is located at the
top of your application.