Resume for Oakland, California, writer, blogger, journalist Bill Chapin

Bay Area journalist, writer, blogger, editor, what-have-you

Resume

Resume

Now available in .pdf or .doc format!

Media professional with more than nine years experience in the newspaper industry, allowing for development of strong writing, research, proofreading and planning skills.
Provided information to the public by identifying experts, conducting interviews, analyzing data and writing concise explanations.
Broad knowledge of the rules of grammar, punctuation, usage and AP Style.
Able to quickly produce engaging print or online content on deadline, while maintaining focus on readability and accuracy.
Comfortable managing multiple projects with quick-changing priorities.
Strong communication skills developed through interacting with newspaper readers and serving as a contact for their questions, comments and criticism.

Contract Writer, Oakland, CA, Nov. 2010 – present

Revised and re-wrote press release and Web copy for chemical-engineering startup Siluria Technologies of San Francisco, utilizing a more casual tone to engage a wider audience.
Wrote festival preview for news website Oakland Local.

Arts and Entertainment Reporter, Jackson Citizen Patriot and mlive.com, Jackson, MI, Nov. 2007 – Oct. 2010.

Wrote news, features, coverage of events and investigative projects.
Interviewed musicians, actors and artists for profiles and event previews.
Included in rotating weekend shift covering accidents and breaking news.
Planned weekly entertainment section by creating and updating outline plan for each issue, keeping track of upcoming community events, generating story ideas, and delegating tasks to part-time and freelance writers.
Maintained entertainment Web page, contributed daily blog entries and scheduled posts to keep site regularly updated with fresh content.
Proofread and edited events calendar; trained clerks to enter information; and developed protocol and reference guides to improve accuracy and consistency.

Features Reporter, Times Herald, Port Huron, MI, June 2001 – Oct. 2007.

Wrote general and news features on a variety of topics, including arts, entertainment, food, religion, health, education, business and local government.
Weekly column offered humorous take on entertainment and pop culture.
Represented paper at Gannett Company Inc. conference to address need for attracting younger readers and develop social media strategies.

Editorial assistant, Corporate Legal Times, Chicago, IL, June 2000 – Sept. 2000.

Intern, Charlotte Observer, Charlotte, NC, March 2000 – June 2000

Intern, Automotive News, Detroit, MI, June 1999 – Sept. 1999.

UC Berkeley Extension, San Francisco, CA: Sept. 2011 – present

Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, Sept. 1997 – June 2001.

Graduated magna cum laude with BSJ from Medill School of Journalism.
Emphasis in newspaper with minor in psychology.
Researched double homicide and potential wrongful conviction through Investigative Journalism class.

Proficient in Macintosh and Windows operating systems, Microsoft Office, Adobe Creative Suite, Apple Final Cut Studio and Garage Band, Avid Xpress and QuarkXPress.
Experience with basic HTML, website design, search-engine optimization and content-management systems, including Wordpress and Moveable Type.
Completed Gannett Company Inc. training course on techniques for shooting digital video and editing footage into online features.
Developed, produced and edited podcasts featuring interviews with local musicians.

Michigan Press Association, second place, features, Class C, 2008. Judges wrote, “With a wonderful economy of words and some wonderful descriptions, writer makes this story matter.”
Michigan AP Editorial Association, second place, features, Division II, 2005.
Gannett Well Done awards, runner up, “Moments of Life,” fourth quarter 2005.