Some newsrooms take steps toward a different kind of hiring process

"Would you send a job candidate their interview questions ahead of time? Or spend over an hour talking with an applicant, when the meeting was slated for just 30 minutes? Although the hiring process can sometimes seem broken, leaving employers exhausted and applicants disappointed, there are glimmers of possibility in the field for a better approach. Journalism job applicants and hiring managers shared what practices have made a difference when it comes to hiring humanely."

""I don't think I even knew how to confidently put together a crime brief at the time," she said. She'd previously written and edited features and service journalism for a Philadelphia digital news outlet. "But the Inquirer's hiring manager did not care that my skills were all over the place, and was excited by the challenge of helping me build the fundamentals I lacked while empowering me to keep taking the big swings I already was.""

"This article was inspired by a common question from the participants in a massive online open course I recently led through the Knight Center for Journalism in the Americas. The course included more than 1,200 journalists from the world, and they frequently wondered: How can I find newsrooms willing to hire someone with nontraditional experience? That set me on a quest to interview these mythical humane hiring managers."

Many hiring practices in journalism produce frustration for employers and applicants, but humane approaches show promise. Hiring managers who prioritize hiring as an investment seek candidates who meet requirements and can grow into roles. Some managers welcome nontraditional experience and commit to building missing fundamentals while encouraging existing strengths. Massive online open courses revealed widespread interest in finding newsrooms open to unconventional hires. Praised hiring managers allocate time, clear communication, and thoughtful evaluation to identify potential and support growth. Applicants value practices that respect their time, provide transparency, and enable development through mentorship and on-the-job learning.

Read at Nieman Lab