Students have to have enthusiasm. You have to have a missionary zeal for design. You have to absolutely be in love with it.

     Flexibility is important, because the business is in flux. I think students have to show they can switch gears.

     Students also need internships. It's one thing to learn some fundamentals in the classroom, but there is nothing like realworld experience.

Cheryl Pell
Senior faculty specialist
Michigan State University

     You want someone who's taken advantage of every opportunity to get experience- whether in a small way or a large way.

     You want them to be confident in their skills, but also know they have much more to learn.

     I want to see a work ethic and a commitment that are beyond a shadow of a doubt.

Ron Johnsom
Assistant professor of journalism,
Kansas State University

     A diverse portfolio that can show your abilities of page design and how you think (news judment and information layering, for example).

Have some sense of your mistakes and use them as a learning experience. Talk about your experiences that helped shape where you're at right now.

Have the technical abilities, but don't be limited by certain software. Understand what story form is best for a particular story. Don't just be the technical wizard.

Ryan Sparrow
Instructor, Department of Journalism,
Graphics sequence, Ball State University

     They have to have practical experience. And it can be through designing anything. If I can see that spark in someone's print products, it's reasonable to assume we can move them into the newsroom.

     I like the little things: Is the spacing right? Is letterspacing attended to?
Show attention to detail. Have a holistic approach to the page in getting every last piece right.

     You need to be versatile. Dare yourself to get ou of your comfort zone. Test your boundaries.
If you do feature pages on a regular basis, for example, try something completely new.

Richard Epps
Presentation editor, The Detroit News

    
     Students should have strong basic skills coupled with great potential. They should have initiative and be a life-learner. Be teachable.

    The ability to work with a team, work with others.

Terence Oliver
Assistant professor, School of Visual
Communication, Ohio University

    
     They should be ablte to look at things in an analytic way.

     Students should be able to search for solutions unprejudiced. If this is fortified with the awareness of future trends, technologies and theories, students will be on a strong track.

     Finally, students must be able to work in a team and keep rethinking again and again.

Michael Stoll
Professor of information design,
Augsburg University of Applied Sciences
(SND Regional Director, region16, D/A/CH)

    
     They need to be journalists. They need to understand the news and have an interest in current events. They have to understand why a story is on the front page.

     We need people are who interested in more than just news pages. We need people interested in multi-media. We don't talk with candidates anymore who have no interst in it. This is the reality of the newsroom now, especially for graphics positions.

     You have to be a good designer, too. Content is so key. Candidates need to be able to demonstrate that in their work. They need to know what it takes to go from ehte early conception of a story to the end.

David Schutz
Deputy design director/ News & Graphics
The Boston Globe

     The first thing is intelligence, curiosity and critical thinking. Are you capble of imagining how we might explain it? If there's a capacity to learn it, you're good to go.

    Skill and experience. What do you already know how to do well?

    Collaborative spirit. Is this an easy person to work with?

Heidi de Laubenfels
AME of visuals and technology,
The Seattle Times

     When meeting a candidate face to face, personality is very important. You get an idea of how someone will fit into your organization.

     When you look at someone's work, you look at how well they tell a visual story.

     Drawing skills are important. It's good to look at how they think visually, to see if they take chances. Sometimes it might not really work, but they're willing to try anyway.

Tim Goheen
Art director, McClatchy Tribune

     Candidates must show me that they want to work at my newspaper, which means they've already done their research on my paper and the commuity it serves. A lot of people are looking for a job - but I want them to be looking at our job.

Start an e-mail diague with me. Don't be afraid to make contact. What's the worst that can happen? I love hearing from young people. Never make assumptions that you're bothering someone. Don't be afraid to ask. Don't be afraid to follow up.

I want to see somenone who's curious about the world around them. Curious and aware. You can lear how to be a great designer-but you can't really lear how to be curious. That comes from within.

Claire Regan
Associate managing editor,
Staten Island Advance