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Longtime, award-winning newspaper reporter Jim Gaines was surprised at his reception when visiting a busy southern metro paper to meet with an editor about employment. Security blocked his path and wouldn't let him phone the newsroom upstairs, despite the fact that the editor had repeatedly told Gaines to "just come on by anytime." Gaines had driven hours for the appointment, all for nothing. "I knew this was a big and busy paper, so I'd called long in advance to ask for a few minutes of the metro editor's time," Gaines said. "I was told that I didn't need an appointment. I was skeptical, and checked more than once."  The security guards made a half-hearted attempt to contact the newsroom on Gaines' behalf. "They sent down word that all the editors were too busy to talk to me now … or ever," Gaines recalled. Preparing for a job interview:
Navigating the murky waters of job interviews can be difficult for even the most seasoned media professional. In Gaines' case, further probing could have resulted in two very different scenarios, according to Marty Nemko, contributing editor for career issues at U.S. News and World Report. "It could be that they are disorganized and it may not be a great place to work anyway," said Nemko, who also authored the book Cool Careers for Dummies. Alternatively, Nemko said, such an unfortunate incident could give a job seeker an advantage in the future. "Everybody wants to hire nice people," he said. "You could revisit that opportunity and say something like, ‘I stopped by, nobody was able to meet with me. I wondered if you would like to set up another meeting.' If they screwed up two or three times, then it puts them at a disadvantage and they may be more likely to hire you." If persistence pays off and a job seeker does manage to get through the door, there are some general rules to abide by in preparing for a job interview. Always arrive a few minutes early with resume in hand, dressed professionally. "There's a general rule of thumb that says you always dress a half-step better than the prospective employer," said Randall Craig, career expert and author of Personal Balance Sheet career planning guide. "First impressions are critical. The worst that could happen is the employer could say, ‘This person is overdressed, but they look professional.'" Ask intelligent questions

While a cursory Google search and about 5 minutes of research should be sufficient for the initial application phase, a bit more will be required for a face-to-face interview. Nemko recommended preparing for a job interview by researching the names of the organizational leaders and affiliations, as well as the organization's stated mission. A person might also use networking and reliable web sites to discover what others are saying about the organization. Media professionals are expected to have strong research, fact-checking and interviewing skills. "Don't ask about things that are perfectly obvious because it was already in the job description or on the company web site," Craig said. "You've got to demonstrate by example that you ask insightful questions and are a thinking person." Although job-hopping is quite common in the media industry, no employer wants to hear that in the five-year plan. If this job will merely act as a career stepping stone, that fact should be kept quiet. "Nobody wants to hire somebody who explicitly says, ‘I don't want this job,' because that will impact their motivation," Craig said. Other sensitive topics include company policies on such things as dress, salary, benefits and work-life balance. These may be discussed, but typically not in the first interview. In the follow-up interview, it is not unreasonable to request permission to speak with current employees of the company and the person who would be the direct supervisor, if that person is not already involved in the hiring process. There are plenty of services available to compile the work history and personal mission statements of job seekers, but "ghostwriters" can pose a problem in the interview. For instance, they may choose to highlight details of a person's history that are so obscure they're difficult to remember, let alone discuss. Each sentence on the resume should have a detailed story that is relevant to the employer, according to Craig. Ghostwriter or not, look over the resume carefully and prepare to use it as a tool to "sell" the employer on the idea of hiring you. There can be strong temptation to put on a fake, stilted persona in interviews. Many career coaches recommend practicing in front of a mirror in preparing for a job interview but try to relax and behave naturally. This way, the employer will know exactly what to expect of you, and you are far more likely to be successful and happy in that job. It may seem old-fashioned and tedious, but the thank you note carries great weight. Take a few minutes to send a brief note, properly addressed with name and title correctly spelled, thanking the interviewer for their time and interest in you. As Craig pointed out, the interview does not stop with the farewell handshake. "It continues when you deal with the receptionists, out in the parking lot where they can see you and it continues right up until the point of you sending a thank you note to them."

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