New York Times is hiring

Groundout · **Posted:** Thu Jun 07, 2007 3:06 pm

Curious: Anyone know anything about the hours, especially the start time? Other inside information would also be appreciated...

Here's the ad:

The New York Times has several openings for copy editors that it is actively seeking to fill. Applicants should have three to five years experience on a copy or assigning desk of a major metropolitan newspaper or an equivalent news operation. Because copy editors at The Times exercise broad responsibilities and
because The Times uses its copy desks as a primary recruiting ground for assigning and other supervising editors, the best-prepared applicants will have experience as an assigning or supervising editor. Web experience is a plus. Salary and benefits are competitive with the nation's top newspapers. The Times offers a stable employment environment with many opportunities for rapid advancement. Several of the editors listed in the newspaper's masthead started on the paper's copy desk.
For more information or to apply, please contact copydesk@nytimes. com.

Because of the volume of applications, we will reply only to those
who are under serious consideration.

The New York Times Company is an equal opportunity employer and encourages minority candidates to apply.

Heartodixie · **Posted:** Thu Jun 07, 2007 7:08 pm

Groundout wrote:

Curious: Anyone know anything about the hours, especially the start time? Other inside information would also be appreciated...

Here's the ad:

The New York Times has several openings for copy editors that it is actively seeking to fill. Applicants should have three to five years experience on a copy or assigning desk of a major metropolitan newspaper or an equivalent news operation. Because copy editors at The Times exercise broad responsibilities and
because The Times uses its copy desks as a primary recruiting ground for assigning and other supervising editors, the best-prepared applicants will have experience as an assigning or supervising editor. Web experience is a plus. Salary and benefits are competitive with the nation's top newspapers. The Times offers a stable employment environment with many opportunities for rapid advancement. Several of the editors listed in the newspaper's masthead started on the paper's copy desk.
For more information or to apply, please contact copydesk@nytimes. com.

Because of the volume of applications, we will reply only to those
who are under serious consideration.

The New York Times Company is an equal opportunity employer and encourages minority candidates to apply.

*stable environment*

Phillip Blanchard · **Posted:** Thu Jun 07, 2007 7:47 pm

I think it's fair to describe the New York Times as stable, especially compared with many other newspapers.

As far as the hours are concerned: I wouldn't concern myself with such details. That said, you can probably count on working nights, like everyone else on news copy desks.

Wabberjocky · **Posted:** Thu Jun 07, 2007 9:40 pm

Quote:

The Times uses its copy desks as a primary recruiting ground for assigning and other supervising editors, the best-prepared applicants will have experience as an assigning or supervising editor

I find that annoying. Many fine copy editors have no particular desire to become managers, or to be anything other than copy editors. I see no reason they should be penalized for this.

copynomad · **Joined:** Wed Feb 08, 2006 12:07 am **Posts:** 623

The Times has something like 140 copy editors. They're also happy to have people who want to just copy edit. It's good that there are opportunities for copy editors who might want to do other jobs later. The more people with copy editing experience in a newsroom, the better.

egable · **Joined:** Thu Dec 01, 2005 10:24 am **Posts:** 310

Quote:

Because copy editors at The Times exercise broad responsibilities and because The Times uses its copy desks as a primary recruiting ground for assigning and other supervising editors, the best-prepared applicants will have experience as an assigning or supervising editor.

Oh, gratuitously capitalized "the," how I loathe thee.

Editer · **Posted:** Fri Jun 08, 2007 1:02 pm

I've been through part of the hiring process and have some friends working there now, so I can address some of your questions. The Times copy editors also perform like second-read assigning editors, which is why they want assigning-desk experience. Essentially, once you, the copy editor, have a story, it's your baby: if it gets in the paper with big problems, it's because you didn't take the necessary steps to fix them. That can mean getting a reporter, or a higher-up, out of bed to make some follow-up calls. Many copy editors also rotate into actual second- and even first-read duties some shifts; it's considered part of the job.

A former co-worker of mine is now at the Times, and he says one of his first days on the job he had a biggish story given to him that had problems, so he got one of the higher-ups responsible out of bed, and it was held for further reporting. That was the right thing to do, even though (as he found out later) the higher-up was a deputy ME.

BTW, the NYT pretty much is always advertising for new hires; people tend to stay there a long time, but the sheer size of the editing crew means there's constant turnover, and the hiring process can take months. If you want to work there, though, it's worth the hassle. And yes, 4 to midnight or thereabouts is the normal schedule.

Wabberjocky · **Posted:** Fri Jun 08, 2007 2:42 pm

Are we talking about line editing or fact checking?

Heartodixie · **Posted:** Fri Jun 08, 2007 2:49 pm

copynomad wrote:

The Times has something like 140 copy editors. They're also happy to have people who want to just copy edit. It's good that there are opportunities for copy editors who might want to do other jobs later. The more people with copy editing experience in a newsroom, the better.

Goodness. Shouldn't that go in the "In copyeditor heaven" thread?

ReporterType · **Joined:** Thu Nov 04, 2004 1:01 am **Posts:** 88

And in the digital sweatshop of the future, the Times also is hiring part-time copy editors for some kind of new venture called daypost. It's on the Web, hiring, and in NYT filings with SEC. But it doesn't say what it is... daypost.com is a shell at the momen.

It's hiring copy editors "to handle lots of copy." See the ad here: http://careers.poynter.org/jobdetail.cfm?job=2570422.

A clue to the focus of the site:

Experience copy editing articles about health, home and garden, consumer technology, autos, travel, personal finance or food strongly preferred

Wabberjocky · **Posted:** Sat Jun 09, 2007 2:05 pm

Does the NYT pay well relative to the cost of living there? Or is it the equivalent of $25K in Beaufort, S.C.?

Bumfketeer · **Posted:** Sat Jun 09, 2007 5:02 pm

I believe scale for copy editors at the NYT is in the $90,000 range, which won't make you rich if you live in Manhattan.

copynomad · **Joined:** Wed Feb 08, 2006 12:07 am **Posts:** 623

Here's pay info.

copynomad · **Joined:** Wed Feb 08, 2006 12:07 am **Posts:** 623

Wabberjocky wrote:

Does the NYT pay well relative to the cost of living there? Or is it the equivalent of $25K in Beaufort, S.C.?

By the way, this salary calculator is handy now that Homefair's has been "upgraded" to something worthless (at least to me):

Click here.

No salary calculator I've seen accounts for taxes, so you have to do those on your own. If anyone knows of a better salary calculator, please let me know.

paulwiggins · **Posted:** Tue Jun 12, 2007 12:01 am

Wabberjocky wrote:

Quote:

The Times uses its copy desks as a primary recruiting ground for assigning and other supervising editors, the best-prepared applicants will have experience as an assigning or supervising editor

I find that annoying. Many fine copy editors have no particular desire to become managers, or to be anything other than copy editors. I see no reason they should be penalized for this.

It's succession planning. What they need is more relevant than what we want, as I've found to my cost over the years.

LAEdtr · **Posted:** Thu Jun 14, 2007 1:49 am

I've been through the entire process, which does drag out for months. The editing, both in the extensive pre-tryout tests and the tryout itself, is a combination of line and copy editing. You are expected to make stories great, no matter what you start with. Oh, and the headlines, even on the tests, need to be very specific and sophisticated on a Times level. OT is a part of the deal, and there is a high base, but it is an especially expensive place. I like my spot on the other coast but would encourage any confident editors to give it a shot.

Connfused · **Posted:** Tue Jun 19, 2007 11:29 am

I agree with LA. Give it a shot (I did about five years ago). You'll probably interview with Merrill Perlman, who's been talked about quite a bit on this board.

As I learned, she clearly loves the minutiae of copy editing and expects her hires to love it, too. Even in a three-day tryout that didn't result in a job offer, I still learned a lot.

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