Intrepid Miami journalist
Chronicling my career journey
Introduction: A week ago, I confidently reported momentum was building on my free agent journey to the next chapter of my rewarding national journalism career.
Indeed, my progress over three months due mainly to consistently networking just yielded two interviews for high-quality leadership positions, one in journalism and the other at a national foundation. Hopefully, I can land subsequent interviews for these two roles, and in the coming weeks also for additional jobs, then ultimately score a job offer or maybe two.
To be sure, I'm also selectively continuing to pursue other promising opportunities and welcome genuine queries from reputable hiring managers inside and outside the news media world. Know my journey won't end, until I've got a satisfactory job offer in hand.
Landing two interviews: The initial interview this week for a senior editor opening with a leading global news organization once again proved the power of professional networking, because it came before I even formally applied for the job. In late May, reconnected virtually with an editor I had lunch with in 2017 in New York, when both of us worked for different news outlets. Now he's a top editor with another highly respected multimedia publication and told me he'd keep me in mind if an appropriate editor role opens. One did and my inside contact shared my availability and qualifications for it to the hiring editor. After learning the scope of the position during the first interview, I'm quite excited about the editor role, which clearly has an entrepreneurial bent.
Think the position's a strong match for the business and financial journalism experience and management expertise I've acquired, as an award-winning editor and innovative newsroom leader with a decades-long track record of leading teams to deliver positive audience results and distinctive storytelling in Philadelphia, Miami, San Francisco Bay Area, Chicago, Houston and Baton Rouge. Expect to learn soon after the July 4 holiday, if I get invited for a critical second interview, which likely would be followed by two more conversations with other key editors. I'm told the news outlet hopes to make a job offer for the position in early August.
Alluring foundation role: Early next week, I'm slated to have a first interview for an executive position at a renowned foundation I'm not going to identify while competing for this coveted role. After three months on my journey, prior to the interview selection already had included it on my short list of top positions due to the challenging and meaningful nature of the job and the mission of this foundation.
For that reason, in my hot pursuit I opted to do something extra to try to best position myself. You can do the same thing, when pursuing a particularly attractive job. What I did was ask one of my professional contacts who resides in the same city where this foundation is based and has a strong reputation in business and civic circles to write me a recommendation letter for the role and submit it to the outside recruiter retained by the foundation to help manage recruitment for this executive position.
Have no idea at this point how heavily, if at all, my outside recommendation/nomination persuaded the foundation's leadership to select me for an initial interview. Certainly, I'm sure the letter submitted by the business and local community leader, outlining my leadership and journalism strengths and urging my selection for this role, didn't hurt my chances of landing the job.
Opportunity in nation's capital: In between pursuing those two opportunities, I networked a path bypassing human resources to the hiring editor at a national news organization up north in the nation's capital to express my keen interest in a multifaceted editor opening. Got the attention of the hiring editor who told me he's assessing his deep candidate pool for the position, before soon beginning interviews with select candidates ... which hopefully will include me.
Besides my aforementioned interview next week with the foundation, there are two other timely things worth noting. The first is I'm going to take a break in my career management pursuits for a few days of vacation with Kathy Styer, my wonderful life partner. For 25 years, she's been at the influential center of virtually everything I do career and otherwise. I'm very thankful and grateful for her, because no matter what each day brings her support is consistent and unwavering. So as we strive to do each July, we're going to take a much-needed vacation timed near our birthdays. This time we're going to a relaxing oasis three hours by airplane south of South Florida.
Inspirational mom: The other thing happening next week the day before Independence Day, on July 3, is the 85th birthday of my late Irish mom Mary (Stewart) Bomberger. Mom is the person responsible for me living my adult life in a glass half-full fashion. It goes back to my childhood and teen years in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, when my mom reminded me that only you (meaning me) can get in the way of your own success.
Looking back on it these many decades later, think her strategy must have been: if she told me those encouraging, inspirational words often enough before I had accomplished much of anything, then when I started achieving her message would make sense and I'd embark on a winning streak.
Meeting the moment: As with many things my mom lovingly taught me, today my lifetime and career of ups, downs, wins and losses have proven her correct. Honestly, I've been fortunate and grateful to have several more wins than losses. When I've approached challenges, no matter how great, with the utmost vigor, determination and purposeful strategy to meet the moment, I've managed to taste success. To this day, my mom's many lessons remain a key source when I secure an achievement or victory.
With her parenting style, my mom nurtured an ultracompetitive son, whether intentionally or not. She had been the only girl, having to survive growing up in a West Philadelphia rowhome in the 1940s and 50s with four brothers. Pretty sure she learned then self-confidence, determination and perseverance were her path to survival, and yes success. In turn, after she delivered me as the first of her four children, she instilled in me those traits and qualities.
Mom, who believed for me nothing is impossible unless I gave up, graduated from Lancaster Catholic High School in 1959. After graduation, she went to work for the borough of New Holland — small town with a population of about 10,000 at the time —in eastern Lancaster County, doing all manner of administrative assistant duties.
Unwavering confidence: At 19, only a year on the job, the borough manager was stricken ill for a few days and officially passed his duties to my mom to effectively run the town and collaborate with the department heads and borough council.
At the time, the afternoon daily Lancaster newspaper wrote a feature article about my mom's unexpected interim municipal leadership appointment. The reporter asked her how in the world she was able to run the borough. Her reply to that reporter back in 1960 was the essence of who she was until the moment she passed away from complications of the coronavirus at 81 on Oct. 28, 2021: I had a job to do and I did it. I certainly wasn't going to let down the residents of our town.
I could go on and on raving about what my mom accomplished in life with only a high school education: a sharp banker, accomplished legal secretary, nonprofit manager, energetic pharmacy assistant. With big dreams, strong work ethic and unwavering commitment, my mom certainly proved you can make anything happen when you believe in yourself.
Of course, I'm thinking intently about my mom, as I write this dispatch updating my free agent journey six days before her birthday. She's inspiring and pushing me to continue with resolve and confidence. She knows ultimately I'll reach my next career destination after an all-in pursuit.
Shout-out to twin granddaughters: Finally, sticking with the family theme, want to give a big shout-out to my lovely 27-month-old twin granddaughters, Diana and Daphne Bomberger-Schmotzer. They always make my week extra special, seeing and talking with them on video calls. Their innocence and zest for a good, fun and playful life is something I treasure as their proud Grandpa. Diana and Daphne will continue for years and decades to bring me and our entire family utmost joy. The joy is plentiful cause my three adult children have provided our family four more baby and toddler granddaughters.
Thank you for continuing to follow my career journey. Please feel free to connect with me on Substack, LinkedIn or at bombergerpaul@gmail.com. Welcome your career management suggestions and leads for pertinent full-time and contract positions inside and outside journalism.