As a rule, work for a clipping service is not offered to freelancers, so you should also be interested in being employed outside the home to consider being a clipping service reader. Hours may be flexible, however.
People who read for clipping services really love to read, no matter what the subject matter and they're happy to read for long hours at a stretch.
Clipping services expect their employees to keep their minds on their work-which is reading-so they don't like to hire people who are too chatty. If it's important to have a lot of interaction with your fellow employees, you probably wouldn't be happy doing this type of work. If on the other hand, you're more introverted and you like to read anything and every-thing you can get your hands on, being a clipping service reader might be a very rewarding experience.
Don't be put off by having to take some form of psycho-logical test to get the job. On these tests, there are no right answers or wrong answers. The tests simply indicate the type of person that you are. There's no point in trying to second-guess the test either; by that, we mean don't try to answer on the basis of what you think the employer would like to hear. All characteristics are tested in a number of different ways, and it's usually impossible for the testee to show an "appropriate" pattern if he or she doesn't answer honestly.
How to Become a Clipping Bureau Reader
A bit of history might be interesting here: In the infancy of news clipping services, the technique was known as scrapbooking. The service used large scrapbooks the size of newspaper pages. If the client was interested in nationwide clippings, the book was treated as a map of the United States. The pages at the beginning of the book-the left-hand pages-were considered as the West Coast, and all clippings from publications in California and other West Coast states went here. Moving through the book toward the back represented moving through the United States. Midwestern clippings were put in the center of the book, and those from the East Coast went at the end. A client could look at the scrapbook and tell where coverage was weak.
In the old days, client information was put on 3x5 cards kept in large file cabinets in the center of the reading room. The reader would have to use the cards to find out who the clients were and what information they were looking for. This was obviously very time-consuming.
Computerized Data Bases
Today many clipping services use computerized data bases. Does this mean you'll have to know how to work with a computer to become a clipping service reader? Only in the most basic sense. Here's how the system works: Let's say the reader is reading the Chicago Tribune. The first article in the paper is about how John Cheatem, an executive for the stock brokerage firm of Clipit and Gouge, has been indicted for insider trading. The reader pages through information on the computer screen to see whether any client is looking for information on John Cheatem, Clipit and Gouge, insider trading, or stock trading in general. Stock trading might also be listed as stock market, stock information, etc. If a client-or clients-wants this information, the reader marks the borders of the entire article so the clipper will know what information to cut out. The reader uses the computer only to find out who the clients are and what they're looking for. The reader does not input anything into the computer.
Most clipping services have training periods for new readers to familiarize them with the use of the computer and with techniques for reading efficiently. One owner of a clipping service told us it takes about a year for a reader to become really good at her job.
Where to Find Work as a Clipping Service Reader
NEWS
Jobs for clipping service readers may be advertised in your local paper, but, of course, this would only be true if such services are available in your area. To find out whether these services have offices near you, look in the Yellow Pages under "clipping services," "clipping bureaus," "news clipping services," or "news clipping bureaus." National clipping bureaus may be headquartered in places like New York and Chicago, but they also often have readers in other parts of the country where the cost of doing business is lower. Since all offices are linked by computer, there's no need to keep their readers all in one place.
Since lots of relevant information is generated where the state legislature is located, look for clipping services in state capitals, too.
Readers for clipping services are usually salaried. In most areas of the country, salaries begin in the teens. Pay is sometimes based on the types of materials read, with readers of large papers being paid more than readers of local papers or readers of weekly papers. Readers receive regular salary increases as they acquire experience, and an experienced reader might expect a higher starting salary than a reader with no experience.
Being a reader requires more expertise than being a clipper or an editor (the person who sees that clippings go to the proper client), so the reader is generally paid more than either of these other two positions. Because the reader is already at the top in terms of skills, there isn't much opportunity for advancement, except perhaps as a department supervisor. Being a clipping service reader won't make you rich, but it can be a very satisfying job, and the working conditions are pleasant. If you'd like to read for a living, you might want to consider this option if it's available to you.
