1.Name (First and Last)
Melissa Silverberg
2.Twitter
https://twitter.com/m_silverberg
3.LinkedIn
www.linkedin.com/in/melissasilverberg/
Employment Info
4.Employer
Daily Herald
5.Title/Occupation
Reporter
Academic Info
6.Graduation Year (list as "Month Year")
May 2011
7.Major
News-Editorial Journalism, Political Science
8.Minor and/or Certificates
Spanish
Other Stuff
9.Hometown
Mundelein, Ill.
10.Hobbies
Reading, baking, running (sometimes)
Career Information & Advice
11.What are your job responsibilities/duties?
I cover Arlington Heights, one of the largest suburbs for the Daily Herald. I write stories about local government, schools, business, breaking news, features, data-based investigative reporting and everything in between. I also use social media, take photos and videos and have appeared on Chicago radio and TV to discuss my stories.
12.What does a typical day look like?
There is no typical day in reporting. Some days I work from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. in the office all day making calls, sometimes I work from 3 p.m. to 11 p.m. going to a city council meeting. Some days I sit at my desk, other days I am out at a school, going door-to-door talking to people or at the opening of a new business.
13.What do you most enjoy about your job?
I like that every day is different and almost never boring. I never wanted a job where I sat in an office doing the same thing five days a week and journalism is not that.
14.What is the most difficult aspect of the job?
The best part of the job can also be the worst. My schedule can be unpredictable and hours can be long with night and weekend shifts. Also with the changes to the industry reporters are expected to produce more and more. The daily grind is never boring, but I would love more time to work on longer-term stories.
15.What on-campus activities were you involved with? Where did you gain relevant experience?
I worked at the Illio Yearbook as a reporter and later Features Editor. My biggest involvement was at The Daily Illini where I started as a reporter my freshman year and moved up to be supplements editor, assistant news editor, managing editor and then served as editor-in-chief the 2010-2011 school year. It was the best experience I could have gotten.
16.How did your experience at ILLINOIS and in the College of Media prepare you for your professional life? For this specific position?
The Daily Illini prepared me to work hard and wear many hats in the newsroom. My (huge amount) of time spent there gave me priceless hands-on experience. My classes and professors prepared me with the textbook knowledge and history of the field to understand the importance of ethics and of journalist's role in society.
17.What advice do you have for students interested in this field?
You are going to have to work really hard, take positions that are not the "dream job" and stick through a lot of tough times to make it. I've only been in the industry three years and a lot of friends have left or are looking to get out. This is not an easy field, but if you want it enough, it's worth it.
18.What is one thing that you know now that you wish you had known when you started in the field? When you graduated from the College?
I wish I had known a little more about networking, because that plays a big role in the journalism job market. I also wish I had spent a little less time worrying about the DI and my classes, college only comes once!
