Three P's: Passion, persistence, precision

A friend and former colleague who teaches journalism at the University of Oregon asked me recently if I had any advice for students who are closing in on the end of the term and looking to apply for jobs and internships. It's a question I often got when I was The Oregonian's newsroom recruiter and internship coordinator.

It didn't take long for three of my favorite intangibles to come to mind because, after all, I think they apply to seasoned vets as much as they do starry-eyed beginners. They're also relevant no matter if it's a good or bad job market.

For me, these Three P's separate the best from the rest.

Passion: More than ever, a person needs to WANT to do journalism and LOVE doing it for the right reasons -- public service, watchdog role, giving voice to the voiceless, telling untold stories, etc. -- rather than the ego trip of a byline or photo credit. Students need to convey that in no uncertain terms in their cover letter.

Perseverance: Does anyone get or achieve something on their first try? What do they do when they're turned down or stumped? Do they quit? Or do they demonstrate resourcefulness? Same applies to a job or internship hunt. Apply often, expect to get rejected, dust yourself off and apply again.

Precision. Nothing gets a person bounced from consideration quicker than a preventable mistake. We value accuracy, clarity and completeness in news stories, so why wouldn't we value it in every aspect of a person's application materials? Every flaw raises a red flag about attention to detail. Is one of your references a professor or adjunct professor? Do you spell "adjunct" correctly? Do you misspell the name of a reference? Details matter.

I'm gearing up to teach a weekend class at Portland State. You'd better believe that I'm going over my materials again and again in the hope of making them error-free. You've gotta walk the talk, right? In that same vein, I hope my preparation and organization translate to a good experience for the students. Maybe some of the passion I have for journalism will rub off.