Every journalist has this entry at least once – the first day on the job.
All journalists remember the unbridled optimism they had on that first day. They even showed up early – which is still five minutes late for a journalist – wore their best unironed slacks and even decided to pass on that second bloody mary that morning.
The first day is always busy with filling out employment forms, learning and forgetting everyone’s name, learning what does and does not constitute sexual harassment and learning how to scam free pretzels from the vending machine.
There’s the familiar booting screen of a 10-year-old operating system (XP never gets old) and that distinct burnt coffee and hydrogen sulfide smell that is unique to newsrooms. The setting up of the email, deleting the first spam and ignoring the first email about the upcoming dog show.
And despite it being the first day, editors will expect new journalists to miraculously know the 20-year intricate history of the water rights case that starts in 30 minutes.
On their first day, journalists should be prepared to see a dead body, meet the mayor, piss off the mayor, attend a 100th birthday, be arrested, get lost and quietly sob in a bathroom stall.
And while the newbie frantically tries to figure out the newsroom’s archaic filing system as deadline looms, the veterans in the room snicker at the fresh fish while also quietly hopes that he's not there to replace their jobs.
And some journalists, for better or worse, have a first day more than once.
Then there's that first story.
Though most journalists can first see their stories published online, it’s not as rewarding as getting up at 5 a.m., running to nearest stand and being the first (and perhaps the only) to buy a copy. Plus mom will be more impressed with a newspaper clipping than one from the Interwebs (though it still won't make up for the disappoint she has for going into the profession of journalism).
And the high from that first day will last and last . . . until payday.
That’s why journalists like the first day on the job.
On a personal note, Chris would like to report he has returned to the world of journalism and had the pleasure of reliving that first day all over again.
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early first day at the job
My first day at a real paper after coming from my college paper, where I was pretty much the rockstar, was like that Bill Murray sketch from an early Saturday Night Live episode, when he said he remembers being funny at one point. For some reason that first day stretched into a month.
Congratulations, Chris!
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Sean: Good analogy. Glad to know I’m not the only one who felt that way
Yup… check, check, & check.
This applies to broadcasting newsrooms as well as print ones (with the addition of garbage-cans full of styrofoam lunches from the day before, falling-apart headphones, and musty-smelling green rooms…).
I’m hoping to have another “first day” in the future, and believe me, I’ll be re-reading this email between bathroom sobs and keyboard wipedowns.
My first day as a business reporter at a daily newspaper was during the week between Christmas and New Year – my new boss had nicely suggested beginning before the next year started so I’d qualify earlier for the company’s 401(k). No dead bodies for me. Not even a water rights case. In fact, not much of anything happened that day or the next or the one after that. My big assignment was going to the store for cake for a going-away party for a departing staffer. And filling out that 401(k) paperwork. And reading the paper. A lot. The inactivity didn’t last long. I probably filed 200+ stories over the next 12 mo. Made me appreciate those first few days even more.
Michelle Rafter
WordCount: Freelancing in the Digital Age
Remember when tainted spinach was making people sick about three years ago? That was my first day story–the classic localized story of a national issue.
I can still taste it, see it, feel it. It seems like a lifetime ago (that first, first job) — I guess it was! But it is all still so real. I was beside myself with excitement because I got to type in the TV programme and do the shipping and tide times… I thought I had really made it.
oh yeah, that’s just how it was.
i’m doing a huge project on the lifestyles of journalist, because thats the career i’m looking into …the list is so going to be mentioned
This had me reliving my first day. I walked into the office, and (literally) a massive hurricane hit, flooded and killed. I want to say it was in that order too. -Which would have been fine except that I was the only one in editorial in at 8 a.m. Mass chaos and secret panic ensued. The second day seemed easy (and a bit dull) after that.