Skip to content

Open nowPosted 113 days ago

Government watchdog/investigative reporter

gannett114 open roles

Where
Lansing, MI, USA
Get the CV for this job

From $25 per CV, paid once. No subscription.

Your applicationOpen nowGovernment watchdog/investigative reportergannett · Lansing, MI, USA
  1. YouYes, apply to this one.

  2. CV RocketCV written for this posting.

  3. 25 readersRecruiter, hiring manager, skeptic. Round after round.

  4. CV RocketApplied on gannett's own form.

The reply lands in your private mailbox

3×more interviews than doing it yourself with ChatGPT.

The clock on this job

Early applications get read.

7.8% of postings close within 7 days. Measured by our own scanner across the market.

Share of postings closed within
  1. 1.6%1 day
  2. 3.4%3 days
  3. 7.8%7 days
  4. 14.3%14 days
  5. 33.7%30 days
This job: posted 113 days ago

The posting

The Lansing State Journal/lsj.com is looking for a reporter to cover local government and community issues in Greater Lansing, with an emphasis on the city of Lansing, Ingham County, related agencies and more than $1 billion in annual tax revenue. We’re looking for a journalist who brings the skills, persistence and empathy to make a difference in our diverse community and is willing to find new ways to engage with our audiences. This is not a job where the reporter recounts what happened at meetings. Rather, we’re looking for someone who can balance daily journalism with enterprise and investigative reporting, someone who can identify high-interest issues in the community, cut through the political messaging and produce explanatory and revelatory journalism that is meaningful to readers. The reporter will be expected to identify trends across the region and state, pivot between different topics and consistently produce content that resonates with current readers and helps grow our audience, especially within underserved communities. The reporter must be attuned to political trends, alliances and influence in polarizing times and deliver coverage that holds public officials accountable and helps readers make informed decisions about their community.  This beat is the lead investigative position in our newsroom. The reporter must excel at developing professional sources, identifying important details in public documents, using FOIA to uncover records and have a dedication to relentless accuracy. The reporter must consistently – and persistently – dig below the surface and bring clarity to the issues they are covering. The reporter must be able to work collaboratively and effectively in a team with reporters who cover business and development, crime and courts, regional communities, trending news and other topics, and demonstrate an awareness of and adherence to the highest journalistic ethical standards.Responsibilities:

Identifies key issues through source development, data analysis and document reporting. Shapes coverage with independent judgment and strategic insight. Collaborates closely with editors to set priorities and deadlines. Produces high‑impact, multi‑platform work with a disciplined approach. Uses audience metrics to inform coverage plans and meet reader needs. Writes clearly and concisely, with strong nut graphs and clear relevance. Develops and executes distribution and optimization strategies. Delivers strong reader service, helping audiences find answers and solutions. Builds trust and credibility within the coverage area.

Requirements:

Bachelor's degree in communications, journalism, or an equivalent combination of education and experience. Minimum of two years of reporting experience. Energetic self-starter and quick thinker who can identify stories that matter. Ability to multitask and perform well in a fast-paced environment under tight deadlines. Ability to work collaboratively and efficiently with a team of journalists. Strong communication skills, news judgment, and headline-writing ability. Strong interpersonal skills, including empathy and compassion. Proficiency in social media platforms, including but not limited to Facebook, Twitter, Threads, Instagram, TikTok, and Reddit, with experience engaging readers in this public space. Experience shooting and editing photos and videos on an iPhone. Excellent writing, spelling, and grammar skills with knowledge of AP style. Understanding of media law and principles of ethical conduct. Fluency in Spanish is a plus. This role requires a valid driver’s license, reliable transportation, and the minimum liability insurance required by state law.

Application Instructions We are eager to learn more about you and how you fit this role. When you apply, don’t limit your upload to a resume; show us what you’ve done. To do so, put together a single document file that includes the following, in this order:

Your resume – one to two pages. A cover letter that outlines how you would approach the job. Links to 3-6 online samples of your work. Show us what best reflects what you can do in your desired role.

It is important that these items be assembled into a single document and uploaded in PDF format. Completing these steps will ensure that your application receives the highest consideration. #Newsgnt#LI-CB1

From $25, paid onceGet the CV for this job

What happens when you press

One press. We do the rest.

  1. A CV for this posting

    Written against gannett's own wording, from every piece of relevant proof in your profile.

  2. 25 readers review it

    Recruiter, hiring manager, skeptic and more read every draft, round after round. You get the best round.

    The review screen in CV Rocket: how each CV was read, round by round.
  3. We apply on gannett's form

    Our application engine gets through the hardest forms there are. Where a question needs you, AI suggests the best answer. Don't want us applying from our IP addresses? Use our Chrome extension: we apply straight from your own browser.

    An application in CV Rocket: every answer filled in on the employer's form.
  4. Every reply, sorted

    gannett's answer lands in your private mailbox, and we classify it on arrival: interview, question, rejection.

    The CV Rocket inbox: each employer reply classified as an interview, an action or a rejection.
  5. Reply with AI

    AI helps you write the email, checks it and sends it. We show you whether the recruiter read it.

  6. The interview in your calendar

    Full integration with your calendar. The invitation goes straight in.

    An interview invitation in the CV Rocket inbox, added to the candidate's calendar.
Get the CV for this job

From $25 per CV, paid once. No subscription.

Why it works

3×

more interviews than doing it yourself with ChatGPT.

ChatGPT writes a CV and never learns what happened to it. We see every reply. For each CV we know:

  • How it was written, and how the review scored it
  • When we applied, and how long after the posting went up
  • Which posting, which company, which city
  • Who got the interview, and who heard nothing

That is how we know which CVs get called.

Get the CV for this job

From $25 per CV, paid once. No subscription.

The numbers game

More applications. More interviews.

Every application goes out with its own CV, written for that posting and paid once. Send enough of them and the law of large numbers finds you the job.

By hand5–10
With CV Rocket100
applications a day

Nearby

Live postings like this one

Same employer first, then the same role elsewhere.

Before you press

Straight answers

Get the CV for this job

From $25 per CV, paid once. No subscription.

What if my background isn't good enough?

We make the most of the background you have. The CV uses every piece of relevant proof your profile holds, and one of the 25 readers reads your whole profile and flags what the CV left out.

Do you really apply for me?

Yes, on the employer's own form, the hardest ones included. Where a question needs you, you answer it right there and AI suggests the best answer. Don't want us applying from our IP addresses? Use our Chrome extension: we apply straight from your own browser.

Is it a subscription?

No. You pay once per CV, from $25. Every application goes out with its own CV, written for that posting.

One job. One CV.
Paid once.

Pick the posting you want. We write for it, apply for you and catch the reply.

Get the CV for this job

From $25 per CV, paid once. No subscription.