Patch Is Hiring Neighborhood Reporters in Brooklyn and Manhattan

By SIMONE WILSON (Patch Staff)

The rumors are true: Hyper-local news network Patch Media is expanding its coverage in New York City! And to help us up our game in NYC, we’re seeking two energetic, enthusiastic, entry-level journalists to cover neighborhood news — one based in Brooklyn and the other based in Manhattan. Both will report to our city editor, Simone.

Qualified applicants for these two new, full-time positions will be no less than well-oiled reporting machines — quick to spot a scoop, break a story and report it out in real time.

More about you:

• You have at least 2 years experience as a reporter. (Yes, school publications count!)

• You thrive in a fast-paced, creatively demanding work environment.

• You understand the value of local news and are determined to keep your community informed.

• You’re plugged into the breaking-news cycle and know how to stay ahead of it.

• You’re tech-savvy and stoked to experiment with new tools and formats in digital media.

• You’re a damn good writer — capable of turning out a wicked headline and sharp lede on the fly.

• You’re competitive.

• You aren’t afraid to talk page views.

• You know how to build a strong social-media presence, even if you’ve never actually used Periscope.

• You don’t hesitate to pick up the phone or approach an intimidating figure for an interview.

• You’re capable of writing a breaking crime story, an inspirational local story, a longer investigative piece and a viral hit — all in the same day.

• You know when to be wonky, when to be snarky and when to play it straight and simple.

• You’re just as comfortable banging out news shorts in a Manhattan office building as you are live-blogging a school-board meeting from a packed auditorium.

• You aren’t afraid to hold local officials accountable and shine light into the darkest corners of your neighborhood.

More about us:

• We’re in our second year as an independent company that was spun out of a large, corporate conglomerate.
• We’re a lean, boot-strapped startup. (Our CEO buys his airline tickets on Priceline.)

• We’re trying to innovate our way to a new, scalable and sustainable way of supporting and practicing community journalism.

• We’re growing! Our web traffic has risen 95 percent in the last 11 months, to 20 million unique visitors per month — due in large part to our stellar, 65-person editorial team.

• We value A players. Because we’re lean, we rely on a team of high performers who are committed to each other and to their communities.

• We’re innovating: Patch has invested in the latest tools to help us stay on top of community news.

• We’re on a mission. In an anonymous company survey at the end of last year, 95 percent of our editors said they found their work meaningful and fulfilling.

If you think you have what it takes to be a Patch neighborhood reporter, send your resume, a couple clips and a brief cover letter to NYC Editor Simone Wilson at simone.wilson@patch.com.

Please specify in your response whether you’d prefer to cover Brooklyn or Manhattan, and why. Starting pay for both positions is hourly and commensurate with experience.