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JFP Jobs
Available jobs, internships, freelance gigs:
Note: All employees working 30 hours or more are invited to participate in the JFP’s health-insurance plan and are offered paid vacation after time accrued. All employees are eligible for free health-club and yoga memberships.
Updated: May 18, 2012
Cub Reporter
The JFP is looking for a high-energy reporter to train in news coverage. You will cover city, county and state meetings, and work with other reporters on group packages. The ideal candidate will be a thorough, fast writer and a curious reporter who isn’t shy about picking up the phone. You must be creative and have the energy and drive to combine text, images, video, social media and other elements into compelling online reporting packages that drive community conversation. If you don’t get up every day motivated to “go get it” and dig out the truth, don’t bother to apply. This person will work very hard and be visible in the community, as well as be organized and focused. You need to be outgoing and love interacting with a vast array of people. If you fit this description, please apply for the position to erica@jacksonfreepress.com. Tell us why we should hire you in a cover letter and send us links to or PDFs of your best work. Position will start hourly from 30 to 40 hours a week depending on what you have to offer.
Multimedia Reporter/Editor
The JFP is looking for a dynamic, tech-friendly multimedia reporter/editor to report, edit and assemble story packages. The ideal candidate will be a thorough, fast writer and a curious reporter who isn’t shy about picking up the phone. You must be creative and have the energy and drive to combine text, images, video, social media and other elements into compelling online reporting packages that drive community conversation. If you don’t get up every day motivated to “go get it” and dig out the truth, don’t bother to apply. This person will work very hard and be visible in the community, as well as be organized and focused. You need to be outgoing and love interacting with a vast array of people. If you fit this description, please apply for the position to erica@jacksonfreepress.com. Tell us why we should hire you in a cover letter and send us links to or PDFs of your best work. Need to fill this long-term position by mid-June, latest. Position will start hourly from 30 to 40 hours a week depending on what you have to offer.
Social Media Contractor(s)
The JFP seeks social media contractors who love Facebook, Twitter, Foursquare and have a great social “voice” and a strong comfort using social media to further marketing goals. Local businesses need you to help them craft their campaigns, monitor their feeds, scheduled tweets and build relationships with customers. You’ll spend a few hours a month of each client’s business, building a plan and executing it to improve their standing and their customer service. Pay is a flat rate per client; work-from-home is fine with a little local travel (Jackson area) to meet with the clients, get to know their products and services, and build a great relationship that focuses on their needs. Please apply for the position to erica@jacksonfreepress.com.
Full-Time Sales Account Executives (Filled one position; still taking resumes for additional reps)
The JFP and BOOM magazine seeks full-time sales representatives to join our team and help manage our growing advertising client base. You must have a passion for making a difference in the community. Sales experience is great, but not as important as a love for local business, a strong customer service orientation and a desire to be an invaluable part of the JFP’s and BOOM Jackson magazine’s success. Commission-driven compensation with serious $$ potential. Come grow with two fast-growing publications. Send confidential resume and cover letter to todd@jacksonfreepress.com. Start date open. Car necessary.
All employees working 30 hours or more are invited to participate in the JFP’s health-insurance plan and are offered paid vacation after time accrued. All employees are eligible for free health-club and yoga memberships.
Internships: All Areas More on internships and past interns here
The JFP and BOOM offer extensive internship training programs in all areas of newspaper and magazine publishing: editorial, marketing, graphic design, Web design, fashion, business, more. The unpaid internships include workshops and training sessions and materials. Email interns@jacksonfreepress.com for more information. College credit available where applicable. Please apply to interns@jacksonfreepress.com.
Recently filled positions:
Copy Editor/Factchecker - FILLED
The JFP and BOOM Jackson are seeking a part-time copy editor/proofreader/factchecker. We need someone 10 to 15 hours a week to start who never misses a typo (or seldom does) and knows the difference between a dependent clause and a compound modifier. You must be extremely detail focused and be familiar with AP Style, or willing to become an expert at it quickly. Only apply if you have excellent editing skills and a focused eye for detail. We will give you an editing test. Send a resume and cover letter to donna@jacksonfreepress.com.
Features Editor - POSITION FILLED
The JFP and BOOM Jackson are seeking a creative and energetic features editor. The winning candidate will have excellent communication, editing and organizational skills. He or she will develop story ideas and oversee all “soft” assignments for the weekly newspaper, and assist BOOM Jackson editor with quarterly magazine assignments and editing. The features editor will coordinate the direction of the JFP’s lifestyle and cultural coverage, including arts, film, music, food, technology, books, style and people features. This editor will be responsible for assigning and editing 10 to 15 stories a week, and maintaining a six to eight-week slate of assigned/edited stories. The features editor will work closely with freelance writers and photographers, and is expected to attend local cultural and networking events to be the cultural eye of the JFP and BOOM. A great attitude, delegation and teaching skills, and an excellent time-management mindset are vital. This position will involve some writing as the editor wishes to and has time, as well as use of social media. Must have a passion for Jackson and Mississippi. Prefer at least three years experience as an editor. Position is salaried for experienced editor or can start hourly for promising trainee. Send a confidential cover letter and resume to Editor-in-chief Donna Ladd at donna@jacksonfreepress.com. Car necessary.
Reporter/Photojournalist - POSITION FILLED
The JFP and BOOM Jackson are seeking a talented, high-energy in-house photojournalist with writing and reporting skills (or a reporter with great photography skills; you pick) to cover breaking news, develop photo essays, and shoot for indepth feature stories, fashion spreads, product features and all other departments. You will also photograph local events, providing online “people” galleries. Must have high-level photography skills and and an eye for photo editing and be skilled with Photoshop. Ideal candidate will have experience writing short news pieces and compelling photo captions. Must be organized, manage time well and have a positive, team-oriented attitude. Video experience helpful. Position will start at 20 to 40 hours a week depending on candidate and your skills. Hourly pay to start, but may grow into salaried position. Write donna@jacksonfreepress.com with links to your photography and three writing samples, a resume and a cover letter explaining why you want to work at the Jackson Free Press and BOOM Jackson. No phone calls, please. Also seeking freelance photographers in all sections of JFP and BOOM. NOTE: This position is likely to go to a candidate with good photography *and* reporting skills. Car necessary.
Administrative Assistant - POSITION FILLED
The JFP and BOOM Jackson are seeking an extremely organized administrative assistant. Successful candidate will have a passion for organizing and keeping the company running smoothly. Must be able to balance a lot of duties and be willing to plan well in advance. This position will assist both the editor-in-chief and publisher and work as a liaison between the editorial and business sides of the company. Excellent communication (phone, social media, email) skills are needed, as well as a desire to find and engage high-tech productivity tools. Only apply if you have high energy, a strong work ethic, an excellent attitude and a desire to help Jackson be all it can be. The winning candidate must believe in systems, know how to manage time well, and know how to create calm and order among occasional chaos. This isn’t a job for the faint-hearted, but it will never be dull, we promise. This is NOT a writing or editing position, although writing skills are handy in the job for communications purposes. Write donna@jacksonfreepress.com with a resume and a cover letter convincing her that you are the above person. The position will start at 25 to 30 hours a week, hourly, with growth potential. Car necessary.
Reporter (Filled)
The JFP is taking resumes for a new reporter. Intense interest in local and state issues are vital. Must be interested in more than the horse race of politics—and have the energy to dig out the “why” and the “how.” We are seeking a candidate who is a great narrative writer, or who has the desire to become the best possible writer possible and get far beyond the inverted pyramid. Experience is nice, but we can also train the right candidate. Who is the right candidate? Someone who has the passion to tell the truth no matter what, and who is willing to dig deep into documents, as well as interview as many people as necessary to do so. You need to be self-directed and focused, but still be part of a larger news team. You also need to be multi-media-savvy, with a desire and ability to use all social-media tools possible to get the story out; experience with video a plus, although not required. Send confidential applications to ladd@jacksonfreepress.com; include resume and a cover letter saying why you wish to to be hard-working reporter at the Jackson Free Press. Impress us. Send up to five of your best clips; no more. This position could start as full- or part-time. Start date open. May be short term through election season or longer term.
Office Assistant/Receptionist (Filled)
This new position will work at the front desk of the Jackson Free Press as a receptionist, including answering phone calls and greeting visitors. The office assistant will perform a variety of administrative functions such as copying and assembling materials for media and client welcome kits; arranging food and refreshments for meetings; helping coordinate calendars of the editor and the publisher; running errands; assisting with marketing duties and events; keeping an inventory of office and kitchen supplies and ordering replacements; and many other duties. This position will start hourly (from 30 to 40 hours) a week. This position includes no writing or editing duties. The successful candidate will be extremely organized; follow up on tasks without having to be reminded; manage time well; work independently and take direction well; have an energetic, positive attitude; and great communication skills (in person, by phone, via email).
Start date: early fall
The Jackson Free Press Inc. is an Equal Opportunity Employer. It is the policy of the Company to provide equal opportunity for all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, creed, religion, gender, sexual orientation, national origin, age, marital status, mental or physical disability, pregnancy, military or veteran status, or any other basis prohibited by state or federal law. This policy also prohibits employees from harassing any other employees for any reason including, but not limited to, race, religion, sex, national origin, age, or disabled status.
