RESUME TAPES

Whenever a station has a reporter job available, the news director will be inundated with resume tapes. Paul Lewis at WTIC-TV in Hartford, CT, got more than 200 tapes for one recent opening. How can you make your tape stand out from the crowd without resorting to annoying gimmicks? We've collected advice from dozens of news directors and other news managers and developed this list of suggestions.

Applicant qualities: News directors want to see tapes that reflect professionalism, good writing and storytelling skills, and intelligence. "Know how to write to compelling video, how to select compelling sound, and when to stop talking and let the sound tell the story," says Lynn Heider, news director at WEWS-TV in Cleveland. Beware of cliches and mixed metaphors. Show that you are comfortable in front of the camera, live and on tape. Al Jaffe of ESPN says he looks for smart people who can ask tough questions.

What to include: Showcase stories that demonstrate your writing skills and enterprise. Don't feel obliged to include a national story--news directors say they'd be more impressed if you do a great job on a routine story. Bob Walters at WTVW in Evansville, IN, says he likes a range of stories--spot news, general assignment and feature. Make a good first impression. Dave Wertheimer, chief photographer at CBS46 in Atlanta, agrees. "Spot news first; I like to see how a person handles a breaking news situation," he write in a recent issue of NewsPhotographer magazine. Dave Busiek of KCCI-TV in Des Moines says he's been known to pop a tape out in as little as three seconds, if the applicant shows no on-camera skills. Tom Cochrun at WISH-TV in Indianapolis looks for storytelling, writing to video, and relevance. Don Bradley of WPTA-TV in Ft. Wayne has a simple request: a beginning, middle and end. "I see a lot of stories that are just middles," he says.

What to leave out: Include only your best work. Don't put a live shot or anchor example on tape unless you are proud of it. And don't ever re-track someone else's work and pass it off as your own. Some news directors also advise against including photos with your tape, believing the work should speak for itself.

Tape organization: Most news directors like a quick montage at the top of the tape. Include stand-ups that show movement and creativity. "Grab me in 20 seconds," says Lisa Hall of WFXT-TV in Boston. "Give me a reason to sit through five minutes."

Tape format: VHS remains the preferred format. News directors like to be able to screen tapes at home or in their VHS-equipped offices, rather than an edit booth. But if the ad requests a specific format, be sure to send what's requested.

Video and audio quality: Most news directors say they will look past poor video quality if it's not the applicant's fault. Do what you can to make the video as good as it can be--avoid making VHS to VHS dubs. "Don't bother submitting a tape to me if your audio editing is not seamless," Wertheimer tells prospective photojournalists. "Don't bother sending a tape to me if you do not have strong closing shots. Don't bother sending me a tape if you have unmotivated camera moves and are shaky."

Common problems: Avoid over-production. Keep your tape simple. There's no need for slates with flying graphics and music. Send a tape that's designed for the opening. If a station wants a reporter who can shoot, don't send your anchor tape.

These suggestions are based in part on a survey of 49 news directors conducted by Jonathan Lloyd of Florida State University and Catherine Luther of the University of Tennessee. Read the full report.