The Social Path

Why we've launched #ALNewsJobs and how you can help.

One of the two best decisions I ever made was going into newspaper journalism. The other was leaving it.

Being trained as a reporter and editor taught me invaluable professional skills, including the ability to look at any situation objectively and analytically. I also ended up marrying the incredibly smart police reporter who sat next to me, which was quite a bonus.

But when I lost my job as a newspaper city editor in 2005, I found myself at a difficult crossroad — one that eventually led me here, to a new career that proved even more exciting and rewarding.

This week, hundreds of other seasoned journalists in Alabama found themselves in the painful situation of being without a job. Advance Publications, owner of three major Alabama daily newspapers and the New Orleans Times-Picayune, cut an estimated 600 jobs, 400 of them in Alabama. Some may be re-hired as the papers restructure to focus on digital, but many will find themselves without work and without a lot of clear options.

I’m not the only ex-journalist here at Luckie, so our team decided to do what we could to help. We’ve launched a project called #ALNewsJobs, a grassroots effort to find and share good job openings for all those affected by this week’s layoffs.

You can help by following @ALNewsJobs on Twitter and Liking ALNewsJobs on Facebook. Of course, you can help even more by sharing great job openings that could be a good fit for the diverse array of talented writers, editors, designers, photographers and others now available for hire.

This project has already gotten great support within the community, and we hope to see that grow. Helping one person find a job is a monumental task these days. Helping 400 people is all the more daunting.

But it can be done. Not by one small group alone, but by a community that earnestly cares about neighbors, colleagues and friends. A community that’s willing to repay those who’ve kept us informed and connected, with few perks beyond the pride of a byline.

This is a painful moment for Alabama. But this state is home to the best storytellers in the nation, and that’s not going to change. What is going to change is the woefully narrow perception many companies have of journalists and their value.

Hiring a journalist isn’t an act of charity. It’s an investment that will pay off for your organization with greater productivity, innovative problem-solving and outstanding professional ethics.

Now let’s go find some good jobs for some great people.

David Griner is the VP/Director of Digital Content for Luckie and Company and contributing editor for Adweek’s blog, AdFreak.com. You can reach him by e-mail or on Twitter.

 

 

We're looking for an intern. Know anybody?

We've got a lot of exciting digital projects in the works here at Luckie, and truth be told, we could use a few more hands. We've decided to add a fall Digital Content Intern position for November and December. It's a great opportunity for anyone looking to break into digital marketing.

So if you or someone you know is passionate about writing, highly knowledgeable of social media and obsessed with attention to detail, then be sure to check out our new job posting for the Digital Content Internship. It's a (modestly) paid gig based at Luckie's headquarters in Birmingham, Ala., and it's a great place to learn about the intersection of marketing and emerging tech.

Also, free doughnuts on Fridays.

UPDATE: This position has been filled. Thanks to everyone who considered us.

David Griner is the Director of Digital Content for Luckie and Company and contributing editor for Adweek’s blog, AdFreak.com. You can reach him by e-mail or on Twitter.

Live the dream: Luckie is hiring a social media planner.

UPDATE: The position's been filled, and it wasn't an easy choice. Thanks to all our great applicants. Updates to come on our new hire. -DG

Yep, you heard right, an awesome social media marketing position is up for grabs here at Luckie & Company. Upside: Great job at a great company doing great things in social media. Downside: You'd report to me.

But if you think you (or an awesomely talented person you know) could endure my benevolent tyranny, check out the job description below and get a résumé in pronto. While not quite entry-level, this position might be a good fit for someone who's had a few years of real-world experience out of college.

Job Opening: Social Media Planner
If you’ve got a passion for social media, a proven knack for organizing big projects and strong writing skills, you could be the new Social Media Planner for Birmingham-based marketing agency Luckie & Company.

You’ll need to be fast, flexible and accurate as you manage everything from launching corporate blogs and Twitter feeds to coordinating national blogger-outreach campaigns. Whether you come from an advertising, PR, interactive or journalistic background, you’ll end up doing all of the above, so we’re looking for someone with a solid track record of taking initiative and getting results. This position reports to the Social Media Strategist and requires that you work full-time at the Luckie headquarters in Birmingham.

Requirements:

• 3+ years of relevant experience in online marketing, PR or journalism.
• Bachelor’s degree in journalism, PR or a related field
• Clear examples of work for clients in the social media space
• Proven experience with blogging, Twitter, Facebook and video sharing
• Excellent grammar, spelling and attention to detail
• Provide links to your public blogs and Twitter feeds
• Must complete criminal background check 

Must be experienced with business use of:

• Facebook
• Twitter
• WordPress
• YouTube
• Flickr
• Adobe Photoshop
• Microsoft Excel
• Google Documents

 Ideal candidate will also be experienced with:

• TypePad
• SquareSpace
• Microsoft PowerPoint
• Radian6 or similar social analytics tools
• Web traffic analytics tools

To apply, e-mail a resume, cover letter, electronic samples and relevant links to our HR manager, Melissa Wheeler, at Melissa dot Wheeler at Luckie dot Com. PLEASE NOTE: We will not consider any résumés without clearly noted experience in professional social media.

Please help spread the word about this great opportunity. If you have questions about the job, please direct them to Melissa.

Obviously, I'll keep you all posted when our new addition arrives at Luckie HQ.