You've sent the tapes, you've gotten the call, now you have to close the deal. The interview is one of the hardest things to endure for a news person. After all, we're usually on the other end asking questions. While you should always just "be yourself" in any interview, there are some things for which you should be prepared. There are some questions News Directors will use to trip you up, and other seemingly casual questions designed to find out what truly lurks beneath your television exterior.
So here are a few standards to help you prepare.
"What got you interested in television news?" This was my favorite question, because if the answer was, "I've always wanted to be on TV," I knew the person had an ego problem and was more interested in self-promotion than in journalism. This question offers you the opportunity to talk about your interest in gathering stories, being part of a news team and community, making the world a better place by informing viewers. It's about the rush you get when you've got an exclusive and if you don't get it on the air you'll explode. It's about your passion to find the truth and present it objectively to the viewer.
"Where do you see yourself in five years?" This question has been around forever, and while the answer we're all thinking is, "A bigger market or the network," the more polite response would be, "Working at a place that keeps me happy and challenged. I don't know where it is. It could be right here."
"So, what did you think about the (big story of the day yesterday)?" This is a little test to see if you actually read newspapers and watch newscasts. If you're on a plane, use every minute to read as much current news as you can. If you go to a hotel the night before your interview, get up early, watch a newscast and read a paper. If you have no response to this question and have no idea what yesterday's top story was about, it will tell the ND you're a news presenter, not a news reporter.
"Tell me about yourself." An opportunity for you to show that you're more than just a reporter. "Well, I grew up in the New York area, worked in my father's delicatessen for eight years, but even when I was a kid I knew I loved to write, so my first job was at a newspaper. A customer in dad's store owned a radio station, and that's how I got interested in broadcasting. When I'm off the clock I love to watch baseball... and I'm hoping the station has a softball team. And I love to cook." A little history, a little about you behind the scenes.
"Ok, are you ready for the current events quiz and writing test?" You'll get one or both of these in many interview situations, so make sure your facial expression remains casual. Any show of fear isn't good at this point.
"Do you have any questions for me?" (Yeah, are you gonna offer me the job?) It's always nice to ask how the ND got into the business and his or her own history. And if you're young, you want to say something like, "You won't have to hold my hand, but I have a lot to learn. Do you often give feedback and are there some veterans in the newsroom who can be good mentors?" This tells the ND that you're not one of those college students who thinks, "Yeah, you're old and out dated and I know everything." Show a News Director you're open to suggestion and constructive criticism.
Do not bring up the subject of money or contracts. Let the ND do it. This shows you're more interested in the job than in the numbers, even though the compensation is very important. And when the ND does throw out an offer, remember that the first offer is almost always negotiable. You can politely ask for more money, perks, moving expense, contract outs, etc. But do that after you've had a chance to think about things and review the contract. You might get a "no" but it never hurts to try.
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