Name:
Annie Reuter
Age:
26
Job Title and Description:
Music Journalist. I freelance for numerous websites like AOL’s The Boot and RollingStone.com where I cover concerts and interview musicians.
College/Major:
Rutgers/Journalism
Website:
http://yousingiwrite.com
yousingiwrite
What is a typical day like for you?
Right now I’m freelancing for WebMD so it’s your normal 9-5 office environment. I typically get up around 7a.m. and try to get some writing done and post something on the blog, whether it is a brief feature or an album I just reviewed. After work, I come home and work on album reviews or head to a show. I’m lucky that my day job is pretty flexible so it allows me to interview bands on my lunch break.
What was your first entry-level job in your field and how did you get it?
My first position out of college was an Editorial Assistant for WebMD. I posted my resume on all the major online job boards I could think of and a recruiter found my information on Monster.com and contacted me directly.
Who is one person who changed your professional life for the better?
Jancee Dunn, a fellow Jersey girl and music journalist, who worked at Rolling Stone for many years. Meeting her and reading her memoir, “But Enough About Me… A Jersey Girl’s Unlikely Adventures Among the Absurdly Famous,” gave me the confidence and the much needed push to follow my dream of becoming a music journalist. She grew up a few towns away from me and seeing her success made me feel like anything is possible.
Is there a particular quote or mantra that you live by?
Follow your bliss.
What is one mistake you made along the way and what did you learn from it?
In addition to being a music journalist, I write for many other outlets. Recently, I wrote an extremely personal article that referenced a family member and while I feel it was one of the best pieces I had ever written; when she read it she was more than upset. Being a good journalist means that you take from all your experiences when writing, but sometimes you don’t realize that the person you write about could be offended when she reads it. I’m more cautious with my writing now and use the guidelines, “If you can’t say it to someone’s face, maybe you shouldn’t write about it.”
What is the most rewarding part of your job?
The most rewarding part of my job is introducing music fans to new artists. There is nothing better than finding out someone bought a CD or caught a band live that I recently wrote about and having them become a fan.
What do you look for when considering hiring someone?
I haven’t been in the position to hire someone yet, but if I did the most important thing I’d look for is passion. How much do they want this job and how hard will they work for it?
What advice would you give to a 20-something with similar aspirations?
Find what you’re passionate about and make it work. Everyone makes excuses that their industry is so hard to break into, but you have to stop making excuses and just do it. If you work hard, it will come to you. It doesn’t happen overnight, but the longer you stick with it, you’ll be amazed at how things do work out.