Subscriber post: Advice for Technical.ly job applications from Julie Zeglen
'Our editorial team is small but mighty'
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A big thank you goes out to Julie Zeglen, Managing Editor with Technical.ly, for her thoughtful answers to a few questions about what it’s like to work at the digital news outlet serving “technologists, entrepreneurs and people who care about technology’s local impact.”
What advice would you share with those who aspire to work for Technical.ly?
Our editorial team is small but mighty, so for reporters, a passion for owning a beat while working independently is a must. We cover tech and entrepreneurship primarily, but any experience with niche, community-focused reporting is helpful. An interest in new models to sustain local journalism is also a must. Technical.ly is a digital-only site funded by things like an active tech jobs board, sponsored employer branding packages, events, a handful of project grants and a few other odds and ends. We’re unique, and overall, the company is driven by a journalism-thinking mentality (CEO Chris Wink’s take on design thinking); read all about that here.
How can candidates make their applications stand out?
For the director roles, a few teammates filmed short videos describing how they'll interact with those positions and what working for Technical.ly is like. Check those out in the job posts and mention something that stands out to you. Our news site reports often on workplace culture trends, and we try to reflect those trends in our own culture; tell us what you think could be implemented, too.
What is it like to work at Technical.ly?
In non-pandemic times, we’re big on in-person gatherings to bring together our teammates across the mid-Atlantic. This includes a summertime retreat, a wintertime brainstorming day and quarterly visits to each of the four (soon to be five!) markets we cover. Nowadays, we rely on Slack, weekly team and one-on-one check-ins and monthly all-team calls. Check out Chris’ letter on our values and learn more about the people on our team. Work-wise, we’re a small and fast-moving operation. You’ll be asked to wear different hats in different scenarios — say, a reporter will be asked to moderate panels at the events put together by our biz team, or to emcee an awards show after also informing the nominee selection. You’ll aim to be the most informed person in your local tech community.
Is there anything else you'd like to share?
I've been at Technical.ly for five-plus years and still feel like I'm learning every day!
Send me your feedback and your job openings!
I'd love to hear from you with any questions, feedback or job openings you might have. Hit me up at mandy.hofmockel@gmail.com.