I knew almost immediately upon starting my job that I had big shoes to fill.
The reporter I was replacing, Frank, was greeted at every meeting I shadowed him at with certificates, farewell speeches, hugs and parting gifts. I heard tales of how he was beloved in one community because he was the first Ionia Sentinel-Standard reporter to really venture there, and he did a better job reporting on them than our competition. And I saw the ease with which he interacted with school board members, teachers, city council members and concerned citizens.
Being completely new and fresh out of the gate, I knew I had my work ahead of me. These people didn’t know me, didn’t have any reason to trust me… that was something that I was going to have to build up.
The transition has, I think, in large part been smooth. I’ve made a handful of fairly minor mistakes, as is to be expected, but no one has had a serious problem with my reporting. I’m starting to get on a first-name basis with a number of officials, and, from time to time, I actually have people giving me tips.
I have only been with the paper a few months and by no means have run into everyone that knew and had worked with Frank in the past. I still expect questions and/or remarks about the fact that he is gone. But perhaps the most annoying way people choose to remark on his absence is with the statement “So you’re the one who took Frank’s job.”
Perhaps I’m being touchy, but that seems to imply that he left it unwillingly, that I was cheaper labor that the paper hired to cut costs. Which isn’t remotely true — Frank opted to leave for a number of reasons (so I’ve been told, from Frank himself among others) but in large part because he wanted to explore another career and life in Texas.
With the economy being what it is, I bristle a bit when I hear people talk about the switch from Frank to me in that way. Even “So you’re the new Frank” is preferable… that’s just a reiteration of how much Frank had come to be seen as a face of the Sentinel. It’s even more true, I suppose.
What do you think? Am I wrong to be put off by the repeated “so you’re the one who took his job”s?
Filed under: Life | 1 Comment
Tags: Journalism, lessons learned, musings, networking
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"It is impossible to discourage the real writers - they don't give a damn what you say, they're going to write." ~Sinclair Lewis
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Holly, Holly, Holly. I knew reporting was in your future and I am oh-so-proud! People are people whether they are young or old, and they never deal with change as efficiently and effectively as we would hope for them. In general look at this discouraging statement as a chance to begin a conversation with that person, and possibly make a connection, rather than just stating “No,” in disgust, shaking your head slightly, and walking away as I would do. You never know how it may benefit your future. Frank probably would tell you this, “It’s all about the networking in the newspaper industry.” Good luck and keep me posted.