The Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal is looking for a competitive, resourceful reporter to cover various sectors of the Twin Cities economy, including the airlines serving Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport and the airport itself as well as the private executive aviation market, technology and med-tech firms and startups and the region’s biggest manufacturers.
This combination of coverage areas is the essence of top-level reporting. It requires building — and working — strong source networks to uncover stories before anyone else and tell our readers why these stories are important. It also requires the ability to work with and find stories in data using tools such as spreadsheets and databases.
We need someone who is driven to do the hard work of digging up scoops and is intrigued by the challenge of putting together the pieces of news to present a larger picture of the forces shaping our community. A good Business Journal reporter is editor of their own beat coverage and is easily able to assess what merits a story, an in-depth investigation or just a brief.
Candidates must be able to blend traditional journalism skills — source building, sharp news judgment, data analysis, interviewing prowess and scoops-driven reporting – with digital and social media know-how. Reporters don’t just turn in copy; they must think more broadly about multimedia options, such as videos and slideshows.
Business Journal reporters are expected to provide forward-looking business intelligence to savvy readers not just to inform them, but connect them with decision-makers and educate them on the strategies that work — or don’t. A focus on the people behind the deals is essential.
Job Responsibilities
Business Journal reporters are expected to contribute short-form and long-form stories for the websites, emails and weekly paper. Here, reporters must own their beats and dictate day-to-day coverage. To bring in source-driven scoops, reporters are expected to be vigilant networkers and relationship managers. Our best stories come from people and data, not press releases. Scoops matter — a lot — and on top of that, readers demand to not only know what is happening, but why and how. You break hard news that sometimes sources don’t want brought to light, but you never burn bridges.
Skills & Experience
• Proven excellence in reporting and writing
• Desire and ability to break news and to identify newsworthy events and sources
• Strong analytical, data and investigative-interviewing skills
• Ability to work both independently and collaboratively
• Ability to relate comfortably to a wide range of people, in person, on the phone and virtually
• A clear drive to develop sources and build audience
• Solid understanding of news writing, journalistic ethics and story structure
• Ability to leverage relationships with sources to deliver content that differentiates the organization from competitors
• Multimedia skills, including video, photos, broadcast, on-camera, helpful.
• 2-5 years of journalism experience
• Track record of building, maintaining and engaging a high-level audience in person, in print and online
• Social media mavens held in high regard
• Knowledge of the coverage areas mentioned above is a plus
• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent work experience
To apply, go here.
