Christina Erne is a meteorologist and a journalist at News 10, Albany's ABC/FOX affiliate.
Political Reporter was updated on July 6th, 2017. Learn more here.
Question 1 of 28
How to Answer
Example Answer
The candidate should be inspired that the new job will help them grow as a person while they help the organization gain a good reputation as well. The candidate may strive to improve their writing, on-air skills and personality, their credibility, and more. They should discuss where their strengths lie and what they hope to improve upon over the years of working the job.
"During this job, I hope to be a stronger reporter but also learn much more about working in politics. I studied international relations in college but I hope to learn more about the way each individual state works."
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1.
The candidate should be inspired that the new job will help them grow as a person while they help the organization gain a good reputation as well. The candidate may strive to improve their writing, on-air skills and personality, their credibility, and more. They should discuss where their strengths lie and what they hope to improve upon over the years of working the job.
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2.
Reporters, whether they are in print, online, or for television, often get other kinds of benefits with their job that help them prepare for what they do. Some receive stipends or allowances for hair, makeup, gas, and more. The candidate should describe what they hope they receive in benefits and why.
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3.
The candidate should talk about what inspires them to work in politics and how they began their career and developed their interest. Whether it was something they loved as a child, began their interest in college, or something they became passionate about later in life, they should talk about what motivates them to go into work each day and report on politics.
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4.
The candidate should show that they are a team player who is able to work well with others and coordinate throughout the day. Being a political reporter means working out of other buildings like the state house, so the reporter needs to be able to stay in constant contact with their points of contact like their producers throughout the day providing updates.
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5.
A good hiring manager is looking for a candidate who can show their passion about certain topics or parts of the job. This demonstrates that the candidate loves what they do. The person should talk about their favorite story and why they felt so proud of it.
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6.
Whether the candidate has progressed slowly, fast, or somewhere in between in their career plans, the candidate should find positives in their particular trip. The candidate can talk about things they regret, certain avenues they are proud of, and ultimately how those routes have lead them to this job.
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7.
The candidate should talk about what their near-future plans may be within the station they are applying for, and what skills they hope to gain within that time to make them a stronger worker in the future. The candidate should remain positive about wanting to work in the job for the next few years, although the future is uncertain, and should discuss where they may see his or herself in the company down the line.
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8.
The candidate should talk about what kinds of writing they have worked on in the past and how they plan to write for the publication. Oftentimes the hiring managers are looking for a specific type of writing style to fit with their works, and the candidate should have done prior research into the company to make sure they would be a good fit. The candidate should talk about their writing strengths and how they know they will be a good writer for them.
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9.
The candidate should be someone who will be respected in governmental offices like state houses for their reporting and overall professionalism. The candidate should talk about their experience working in these types of environments and how they get politicians to respect them.
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10.
Political reporters are expected to be updating social media with information about their stories so the public can have the most up to date information throughout the day on stories they care about. They may be expected to tweet, use Facebook, Instagram, and even Facebook Live during their shifts. The candidate should discuss their experience with social media and what kind of social media user they are.
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11.
A hiring manager is looking for someone with an intense passion for what they do. The candidate should talk about why they love doing this job so much and why their love for the career stands out among other candidates.
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12.
Whether the candidate's final career move is a few years away or a few decades off, the candidate should talk about what they believe is their ultimate goal. This will show the interviewer what kind of ways they will be trying to improve on their skills, and what kind of worker they may be.
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13.
Political reporters often travel for the job, whether it is following a certain candidate on their campaign trail, or traveling to a state house for work. The candidate should talk about their ability to travel for days at a time if necessary and their willingness to do so.
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14.
A hiring manager is looking for someone with some kind of prior experience in reporting, whether it is for a written, online, television, or radio outlet or publication. The candidate should talk about their experience reporting in the past and how they have grown over the years to make them an experienced candidate for this job opening.
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15.
The candidate has the opportunity to talk about why they are so interested in politics and why they keep coming back for more in the career. They may talk about whatever they love most about being a political reporter, whether it is being surrounded by politicians, learning the inner workings of the government, or being the expert source in the newsroom on all things politics. They should be excited to talk to the hiring manager about their favorite part of politics to make them seem passionate and energetic about the job.
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16.
A good political reporter not only understands the inner workings of politics, but they also have special relationships with certain members of various branches they speak to often to get stories. Candidate should discuss their personality as it applies to befriending politicians and administrators and how that skill makes them a great reporter.
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17.
The interviewer is looking for someone who has some kind of experience in politics, whether they studied it in school, were a political reporter previously, or some other kind of experience in the field. They should demonstrate to the interviewer that whatever experience they have in the field makes them superior to other candidates.
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18.
The candidate should discuss their ability to work at various times of the day and throughout the week, based on what times the scheduling manager assigns the candidate to work. Reporters are asked to work early mornings, late nights, and at various times based on breaking news. The candidate should make their availability clear.
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19.
The candidate should find a few examples of skills that make them a unique hire at the station and why they are the best candidate for the job. Perhaps the person has special skills that make them a creative writer, a passionate interviewer, or something in the realm of politics. The hiring manager is looking for someone who is special, and the candidate should prove they are worthy of elevating the job.
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20.
The candidate should talk about their weaknesses in the job and what they find to be a challenge that makes them feel uncomfortable. While being challenged in a job is usually good, the candidate should talk about the troubles they face doing hard things and how they believe they can improve upon those struggles in the future.
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21.
A political reporter should have the experience to ask hard questions to politicians and draw out answers that are superficially answered. A hiring manager is looking for someone with the skills necessary to get the truth out, and the candidate should describe their experience doing so.
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22.
The candidate should discuss what range of salaries they hope to make based on their experience and the market they are planning to work in. They should have a good idea of what other reporters make at that station and give a realistic estimate of what they feel they deserve. Political reporters make a range of salaries, anywhere from $50,000 to $80,000 in most cases.
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23.
The hiring manager wants to find someone who is qualified for the job and believes they are ready to take on all responsibilities that come with it. The candidate should talk about their past experiences and what has lead them to this point and why those past experiences make them the best possible candidate.
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24.
The candidate may talk about other jobs they once were interested in or other things they studied in school that they are passionate about. This shows the interviewer their other interests and realms where their knowledge may extend to help the entire team.
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25.
Political reporters are often asked to be on television or on some kind of visual reporting site like a website to tell their reports on a regular basis. The candidate should discuss their experience being on television or on an online show if this is the type of job they are applying for. They should be confident in improving their skills and conforming to the job's needs.
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26.
The candidate should talk about their strengths in political reporting, whether it is the writing aspect of the job, or the entire package including presenting their work on an online or broadcasted platform. The candidate should be positive about being able to do whatever the job requires of them, but also should talk about their strengths so the interviewer can properly place their talents.
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27.
The candidate may name someone, whether it is someone in the field of political reporting or beyond it, who inspires them to grow in the job. The candidate should give the interviewer an idea of someone they hope to become or learn from.
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28.
Political reporters often have short periods of time to share information with the public during breaking news to make newscasts. The candidates should talk about their experience working under pressure during a time crunch. They should talk about how their work is affected when they only have short notice and how confident they are in their work regardless of the time they have to do it.
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