SCAN highlights School of Communications alumni who recently landed jobs in their field. Andrea Fisher (BA, Broadcast Journalism, 2007) works as morning anchor/reporter for KRTV Channel 3 in Great Falls, Mont.



SCAN: How did you find out about the job you have?
Andrea Fisher: I found my current job through TVJobs.com. I spent about three months looking for a reporting job, and I sent out quite a few tapes. I was originally hired as a capitol bureau reporter at my station in Helena, Mont. Then, the morning show position opened up and I was offered the job in Great Falls.

SCAN: How did you prepare for the interview?
AF: I tried my hardest to remember what I’d learned about interviews at school. KRTV is a small station, so they didn’t have the budget to fly me out there and meet me face to face. I did a 2-part phone interview with the news director. He called me in the evening the first time, while I was at work, and I answered a few questions before scheduling the next call. I pulled up the station’s Web site to do a bit of research beforehand.

SCAN: What was the toughest question they asked?
AF: He asked me what my “news philosophy” was. I had no idea what to say. I’d never really worked in news beyond my internship and I’d never made any decisions about content or coverage beyond my classes at Webster. I was able to add more to that answer after looking at KRTV’s Web site. Their slogan: “Fair. Accurate. To the Point.” was right there on the banner, so I worked with that.

SCAN: Any advice for those looking for a similar job?
AF: Don’t give up too quickly. I was a finalist for a reporter position at another station, and when I didn’t get it, it made me doubt myself a little bit. The call from KRTV came two weeks later. I made the move to Montana about a month after that. So many factors weigh in on a hiring decision. Plus, you have to catch a station at the right time; when they’re hiring for a position you want.

SCAN: What Web sites would you recommend for those interested in your field?
AF: TVJobs.com is worth the membership fee. I was also able to do a lot of research and access good links through Wikipedia. Also, check out the Web sites of the stations you apply to. I would read their stories and check out the talent bios to see how they compared to me.

SCAN: What Web sites would you recommend just for killing time?
AF: Who doesn’t love Facebook? But actually, I think social networking sites are a useful tool, especially when you move to a new city. Plus, you can keep up with all your new TV friends when they start moving on to other markets. You never know who could help you find your next job.

SCAN: What classes did you find the most valuable in preparing you for this job?
AF: All of my higher-level TV classes helped, of course. I felt I was better prepared to go out and shoot my own stuff than some of my newly-hired peers. My senior overview was a huge help, too. I was better prepared for my phone interview and I put together a better tape because of that class. It’s hard not to credit my Webster experience as a whole, because so many of my classes and instructors (especially within my major) blended together to give me a well-rounded taste of what I was in for.

SCAN: Best way to fuel creativity?
AF: Keep your eyes open. I have to be open and paying attention while I’m reporting so I can see that great angle to a story when it presents itself. Although, sometimes I have to force some creativity while under deadline, in those cases, quick revisions and forgiving producers come in handy. I also try to put myself in the viewer’s shoes; what would I want to see?

SCAN: In five words or less, how would you describe your working environment?
AF: Great place to learn news.



SCAN: Who is the person in your field you most admire?
AF: I admire anyone who makes morning news their life. Getting up at 2:30 or 3 a.m. is tough. Veteran morning anchors and producers have my sympathy and respect. :-)

SCAN: The best part about working here is …
AF: The chance to put my skills and personality to work every morning. I’ve realized that no other job will be like my first one, because so many of us are in the same boat. And while not having much experience can be a challenge, there’s an unspoken bond between first-timers. Meeting my fiancé wasn’t bad, either.

SCAN: Who is your dream co-worker (real or fictional)? Why?
AF: My dream co-worker is respectful of time, keeps unnecessary criticism to themselves, but offers and takes good advice. So many of my peers think they know best, and don’t take direction from people with experience or people with a good idea. My dream co-worker would know who they should listen to and when they should speak up themselves.

SCAN: The best way to start your day as a morning news anchor is …
AF: The best way to start your day as a morning news anchor is with a good attitude and a stress-free mind. I’ve learned that stressing about a deadline doesn’t buy you anymore time. I’ve also found that angry or not, I still have to cover my assignments. I still have trouble listening to my own advice on the latter some days … and a Red Bull doesn’t hurt.

SCAN: Where do you see your career in 10 years?
AF: I hope to continue anchoring, while balancing a family life. I want to have a good enough job to support a comfortable home life, because kids and pets aren’t cheap. Plus, I always promised my parents they could live in my pool house. But my ultimate goal is to be happy.

SCAN: What do you plan to do on your next vacation day?
AF: When you move across the country for a job, you spend your vacations traveling to see your family and friends. That’s what I’m doing now and I couldn’t be happier. I try to get home as much as can. I just wish I could still sleep in.

SCAN: I wish someone in college would have told me about …
AF: Bureau positions. I was left to fend for myself after two weeks of training. I had to figure out how all the equipment worked, how to get around town to my shoots and how to manage my time in order to make a deadline. But I think that independence made me more of a self-starter.

SCAN: What do you miss most about Webster?
AF: I miss being home. I miss the diversity on campus and making friends who aren’t in TV. I wish I would’ve cherished my last moments as student instead of worrying about when I’d get to be a working professional — that time will come and your life will never be the same.

Did you just land a job in your field? E-mail scan@webster.edu and tell us about it.

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