Senior Staff

The Lead Reporter is required to exhibit strong writing skills in news. They should be able to write multiple stories within one to two days, and thus are required to have good time management, confidence in interviewing and diligence to ensure their work is factually correct. Due to the nature of the sections, it is preferable that the Lead Reporter is able to work comfortably in high stress situations. They must also:

• Cover last-minute stories for the respective section editor;
• Assist in coverage during special events such as elections;
• Contribute at least two stories each week;
• Be responsible for the “Vocal Cord” each week alongside a Lead Photographer
• Utilize social media, such as Twitter, in their coverage;
• Attend All-Cord meeting;
• When using social media in regards to The Cord or WLUSP, the reporter is expected to conduct themselves in a respectful and professional manner

Applicants are expected to provide two (2) sample pieces of writing that are preferably news-related.

The Copy Editing Manager must be knowledgeable in grammar and spelling as well as Cord Style and CP Style. They must have strong leadership skills to manage a team of volunteers. They must also:

• Assist in recruiting, hiring and training volunteers;
• Schedule copy editors to attend production nights;
• Ensure copy edits are completed in a timely manner;
• Approve copy edits that are subsequently submitted to the respective section editor;
• Attend All-Cord meetings;
• When using social media in regards to The Cord or WLUSP, the manager is expected to conduct themselves in a respectful and professional manner

Candidates for this position will be required to conduct an editing test at the time of their interview. They will be provided a news story and given 20 minutes to edit it as thoroughly as they can. This test is to show the applicant’s knowledge of proper structure, grammar, spelling and CP style.

The Lead Photographers will not have as much of a workload as the Photo Editors, however they will still be relied upon for multiple photos every week. Whoever fills the position will need to be available to cover stories on both a planned and last minute basis. They will need to demonstrate strong communication skills. They must also:

• Receive photo assignments from the Photo Editor;
• Have an existing knowledge of photography and editing;
• Have knowledge of multiple areas of photography (i.e. sports, speakers, staged photos, concerts, etc.)
• Contribute at least two photo requests each week;
• Edit own photos for online and print; assist Photo Editor in editing any other photos;
• Be responsible for taking the photos for “Vocal Cord” with the Lead Reporter or volunteer weekly;
• Be responsible for putting up the online photo galleries on Wednesday mornings;
• Be available to cover stories during production;
• Attend All-Cord meetings;
• When using social media in regards to The Cord or WLUSP, the photographer is expected to conduct themselves in a respectful and professional manner

Applicants are required to provide any two (2) relevant pieces of sample work. 

The Social Media Coordinator requires good time management skills and the ability to work with a team. Candidates for this position must convey an understanding of how The Cord operates and also have experience in all major social media platforms. They must also:

• Work alongside the Web Director to develop a social media strategy;
• Make posts on Facebook and Twitter every day;
• Manage The Cord Instagram with the Photo Editor;
• Communicate with other section editors to ensure that all stories are receiving adequate social media attention;
• Engage readers through social media;
• Have a strong online personality;
• Attend All-Cord meetings;
• When using social media in regards to The Cord or WLUSP, the photographer is expected to conduct themselves in a respectful and professional manner

Candidates for this position will be required to make two (2) mock social media posts for a given story at the time of the interview.