Atlanta Black Star

Atlanta Black Star Interviews

1. 26 Aug 2023

   Freelance Writer Interview

   Anonymous Employee in Atlanta, GA

   Declined Offer

   Negative Experience

   Difficult Interview

   Application

   I applied online. The process took 3 days. I interviewed at Atlanta Black Star (Atlanta, GA) in Aug 2023

   Interview

   Met with Tracy, the co-owner. The office was nicely decorated, however, for a news room, you'd expect more commotion and talking, the air in this office was the complete opposite, it was stiff, and every employee seemed "scared" and unhappy. I walked past one girl in the kitchen area fixing tea or coffee who was visibly shaking (true story). During the interview, Tracy showed me numerous signs that she was not a journalist nor knew very little about the business of true journalism. She actually asked me "where I get my news stories from" and to provide her with advice on "how to conduct an investigative news story." She also asked me about salary and pay for pieces which I thought was odd. It soon struck me that I was not in an interview, Tracy might have strategically chosen me to interview in order to poach information out of me about her competitors. She needed more business consulting rather than wanting to hire one. I also found that since I had freelanced for two of her "competitors" at large journalism publications, she wanted me to give her insight to those publications and send her "10" newspaper files from there. As I have a law degree, I declined this immediately when I noticed the information poaching scheme she was up to. I felt uneasy about what had occurred, but while walking me out, she asked for further copies of my work. So, after the interview, I emailed her screenshots of prior articles and links to digital articles. I wanted to see how she'd respond when I made sure to note that "I was only sending her copies of my writing and that legally, I would not provide her with any insight to her competitors nor will I give her the full newspaper or 'files' she wanted." I also asked for respect as a journalist. Tracy never replied to this email and I hadn't heard back from her since. Terrible business practices and severely unethical for material gains and greed. Atlanta Black Star has a lot of followers, but is not by any means a news publication, nor is it a company that any established journalist should ever want to work for.
   

   Interview

   This was tricky, Tracy was rather off-putting in the interview and asked me more "business consulting" questions rather than us talking about the job. The interview was strange and uncomfortable as I believe I was brought in not to get hired for a freelance position, but as a ploy for her to gain insight on her competitors that I've worked for as a professional journalist.

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