What is your current job?
I’m a producer on POLITICO’s Playbook team.
What was your first byline?
My first college byline, or at least the first one that stands out to me, was a story in The Battalion at Texas A&M University. I was assigned a profile-style Q&A with retired zookeeper Jack Hanna, who was visiting campus for a presentation. It was the first time I had ever formally interviewed anyone one-on-one, and one of the most nerve-wracking experiences I’ve ever prepared for. The story ended up just below the top fold of the paper, and I’m pretty sure my mom still has a copy stashed away somewhere.
Technically, my first professional bylines were a series of stories and essays in the collegiate magazine HerCampus.com. I contributed as a writer during undergrad and was later brought on as a national correspondent in D.C. Essentially, everyone worked for free just to gain experience. While the articles were mostly short listicles and essays, the experience helped me get my feet off the ground and build up my portfolio.
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What was your first real job in journalism?
My first official job in journalism is technically this one. Prior to this, I was a D.C. reporting fellow for the Texas Tribune, where I covered the Texas congressional delegation.
How did you get it?
Weirdly enough, I got the job I’m in now by not getting one that I thought I desperately wanted. After finishing my fellowship with one semester of grad school left, I had no idea what I was going to do next. I ended up applying and interviewing for a job as a news assistant at a different outlet. Shortly after my final interview for the assistant role, I was cold emailed about a phone interview at POLITICO. I found out later that someone from the other interview team recommended me to a former colleague. It was definitely a case of “right place, right time.”
What advice do you have for people looking to break into journalism?
One key thing I’ve learned in the job-hunting world is not to lose hope too soon. I know several colleagues and friends who got their biggest breaks right before they almost decided to give up on this industry altogether. Or, in my case, landed in the right place after another didn’t end up working out. So keep going, and make sure that whatever is around the corner, you’re open-minded and ready to jump on that opportunity.