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. @TheHustle just had an opening for a staff writer. Hundreds of people applied.
I wrote up a few takeaways on the search, including:
- what we look for in writers
- how you can make yourself stand out
- who we settled on and why
I wrote up a few takeaways on the search, including:
- what we look for in writers
- how you can make yourself stand out
- who we settled on and why
Let me start by saying: If you’re out of work right now, I feel for you. I was unemployed last year and it sucks. I hope this little thread gives you a few pointers that can help.
1) Follow instructions. Out of the 1,000+ people who have applied for editorial openings @TheHustle this year, I’d say only 20% included what we asked for in their application.
2) Blasting out your resume doesn’t work. It didn’t work before the pandemic, and it’s even less effective when 40 million people are out of work.
3) Tell me why I should hire you in the most succinct, creative way you can. If you don’t include a cover letter (or email/DM me) explaining why you’re a great fit for the position, I don’t even read your application.
The most creative application I’ve seen lately: One candidate wrote up an entire @TheHustle daily email to show us what she could do (it helped her make it to the final rounds.)
4) One bit of advice for the cover letter: Don’t just talk about yourself. Show how your career experiences will help our company, not just what you can do.
Sounds simple, but you’d be shocked at how many people don’t do this.
Sounds simple, but you’d be shocked at how many people don’t do this.
5) Build a narrative. I won’t discount you if your career path isn’t straight (whose is anymore?). But connect the dots so I can see how your experience casting people in movies or building haunted houses (actual jobs of one candidate) prepared you for the job we need you to do.
Here’s a paragraph I loved from one applicant. What made it great:
- He bragged, but not too much
- He showed how his interests aligned with the needs of our audience
- He was already a fan (and I could tell he wasn’t faking)
- He bragged, but not too much
- He showed how his interests aligned with the needs of our audience
- He was already a fan (and I could tell he wasn’t faking)
6) Do NOT write this in your cover letter:
“To the person taking the time to skim through this”
“My background and experience in journalism makes me a skilled journalist”
“My work experience is so varied, there’s a picture of a guy next to the word generalist in the dictionary”
“To the person taking the time to skim through this”
“My background and experience in journalism makes me a skilled journalist”
“My work experience is so varied, there’s a picture of a guy next to the word generalist in the dictionary”
7) Don’t just rely on your clips. The best writers are engaging (and engage with others) on social media.
I look at everyone’s Twitter. What you tweet won’t make me hire you. But it can help you stand out, especially if your day job doesn’t allow you to show your creative range.
Here are the top qualities I look for in a writer:
- Curiosity (has wide-ranging interests + big ideas)
- Perseverance (is determined to get the story)
- Adaptability (does well in a fast-changing environment)
- Coachability (is always trying to improve)
- Curiosity (has wide-ranging interests + big ideas)
- Perseverance (is determined to get the story)
- Adaptability (does well in a fast-changing environment)
- Coachability (is always trying to improve)
The most underrated quality in a writer (or any employee for that matter): Having a positive, can-do spirit. It’s baked into @TheHustle's values. We look for people who “default to optimism.”
You could be the next Ernest Hemingway, but if you’re a pain in the ass to deal with, I don’t want you.
If you want to work @TheHustle, be prepared to prove yourself. We ask the strongest candidates to take a timed writing test and share story ideas. We pay you to freelance a story or two for us. Sometimes, we put you on a month-long contract to make sure you have what it takes.
After ~2 months of interviews/tests, we narrowed our search down to two writers. Both had all the qualities we were looking for. I’m grateful @thesamparr did what any forward-looking founder would do: He told me to hire them both.
So happy to have @CarolineDohack and @michaelwwaters as @TheHustle colleagues (they’re also great follows, if you like reading the most interesting stories on the internet)
We’re set for now on FT writers, but we’re always looking for talented contributors. DM me or @njdesantis if you’re interested, or send in your application here: https://jobs.lever.co/thehustle/483987dc-6b93-4183-b634-26293cedae32 (just don’t forget to tell us why we should hire you)
