#AAJA20 Frequently Asked Questions

REGISTER FOR #AAJA20 TODAY!

 

Festival basics

  • Why is it called AAJA Fest, and how is it different from previous years? 
  • When will I be able to access the platform and is it secure?
  • Do I need to request the whole week off for AAJA Fest?
  • Are the sessions recorded? 
  • What are repeat sessions?
  • Is there a daily schedule I can see right now?

Registration rates

  • How do I qualify for the hardship rate?
  • If I choose the bundle rate and have already renewed my membership, will my membership automatically extend another year?
  • If I choose the bundle rate, will my membership automatically extend 1 year?
  • If I have already registered for the convention, will I be refunded the difference?

For job seekers

  • How will the expo hall and recruiting work?
  • Which companies will be recruiting this year? 
  • How do I schedule one-on-one meetings with recruiters?
  • Where do I add resumes?

Why is it called an AAJA Fest and how is it different from previous years? 

Now that we’ve gone virtual, we have the flexibility to provide a lot more programming and recruitment meetings than we have been able to in the past. This year, we have twice the number of sessions (50+) than in previous years. We also have social programming in the afternoon and evenings, meant to create spaces for you and your family. We have designed this weeklong event to fit your needs, no matter what you’re looking for from convention this year. 

When will I be able to access the platform and is it secure?

We are anticipating being able to onboard registrants in early August. We will provide some info sessions on how to best utilize all of Pathable’s features. In the meantime, please update your resume, website, and/or portfolio so you are ready to fully populate your platform profile.

Pathable integrates seamlessly with Zoom. Pathable uses the industry-leading security techniques to protect user data, and is GDPR compliant. Pathable has also taken proactive steps to address the recent security concerns around Zoom. Click here to read Pathable’s privacy policy.

Are the sessions recorded? 

Yes. For the first time, all sessions will be recorded and available for viewing afterward. 

What are repeat sessions? 

Because of time zone differences, we are offering repeat sessions in the evenings on Monday (Aug. 10), Wednesday (Aug. 12) and Friday (Aug. 14). One of the repeat sessions will be a prerecorded Power Lunch session, which will be on the schedule twice a day on those days. The other repeat sessions will be held live. 

Do I need to request the whole week off for AAJA Fest? 

#AAJA20 is meant to give you flexibility so that you don’t have to take the whole week off. The sessions will be recorded for later viewing, and there are options for sessions and events outside of work hours in the evenings. We are providing a lot of different options throughout the week, so that you can choose what works best for you.

Here are some scheduling details that can help guide your decision:

  1. We won’t be starting anything before noon ET, and we’re planning on doing repeat sessions well into the evening in order to accommodate time zones west of ET and Asia time zones. Additionally, all sessions will be recorded and available for viewing throughout festival week. For those early birds (or night owls, depending on your time zone!), feel free to use the morning (in ET) to try to schedule 1:1 meetings (but look out for a yoga session too!). 
  2. Look out for festival and family fun! We’ll be cooking up fun contests and activities, many of which your roommates and family members can attend and participate. We’ll have fitness sessions, virtual game nights, a karaoke bracket, and social media contests with prizes. We’ll even have a Wikipedia edit-a-thon to increase AAPI visibility and representation!
  3. If you’re looking to level up on training opportunities, we’ve designated Sunday and Saturday as our training days. Keep your schedule open for training opportunities from the Investigative Reporters and Editors (IRE), International Women’s Media Foundation (IWMF), Google, and more. Additionally, we’ll have NBCUniversity and CNN training and workshop opportunities during the week.
  4. We’re encouraging recruiters to spend as much time as possible on the platform and attend programming so that they’re accessible to participants via 1:1 meetings.
  5. If your time is limited and your priority is interaction with recruiters, we encourage you to prioritize Wednesday through Friday when asking for time off. Every afternoon and primarily on these days, from 1:00 pm ET to 2:30 pm ET, recruiters will be hosting Zoom “trade show sessions” live at their virtual booth to present more information about their company and to field questions and interact with participants.

Is there a daily schedule I can see right now? Check out our draft schedule here

How do I qualify for the hardship rate? 

It’s been a difficult year for our AAPI community and the journalism industry. We are casting a wide net on the hardship rate, including: 

  • Your recent unemployment or underemployment has created a financial hardship. 
  • You are committed to AAJA’s mission. 
  • Your circumstances include, but not limited to: 3 years or less out of college; spousal hardship; head of household/single income; furloughs/layoffs; unusual family circumstances; loss of income; and more.

We are reviewing them on a case-by-case basis until July 24th, but please apply ASAP so we can process your application and give you enough time to register. Apply for hardship rate ASAP!

If I choose the bundle rate and have already renewed my membership, will my membership automatically extend another year?

Yes. We will apply the renewed membership for a one-year period after your current membership expires. The bundle membership rate is much cheaper– a $15 discount from the regular membership rate, so renew using the bundle rate today

If I choose the bundle rate, will my membership automatically extend 1 year?

If you choose the bundle rate and do not have a membership, the bundle rate will come with a one-year membership starting the date of your registration. If you are already a member, the one-year membership will automatically be applied as a renewal once your current membership expires. 

(We will work to update everyone’s membership extensions by September 2020, so you will not see it on your Nationbuilder profile until then. Thank you for your patience!) 

If I have already registered for the convention, will I be refunded the difference?

We can certainly process a refund for you, or apply it to AAJA Fest registration. We’d also encourage you to donate the difference to support student scholarships to convention. You should be receiving an email with further instructions by July 17. If you have any questions in the meantime, please email convention@aaja.org with subject line: “Previously Registered for AAJA20”

How will the expo hall and recruiting work?

 

  • Expo Hall Days: While we are encouraging recruiters to spend as much time on the platform as possible, we’ve designated Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday as expo hall days.
  • Trade Show Sessions: During those days, each afternoon, from 1:00 pm ET to 2:30 pm ET (10:00 am PT to 11:30 am PT), recruiters will be hosting Zoom “trade show sessions” live at their virtual booths to present more information about their company, field questions, and interact with participants. Recruiters will also have the option to schedule additional trade show sessions on Monday and Tuesday, so be sure to visit their booths frequently to keep up to date on their schedules! 
  • The Virtual Booth: Each recruiting entity will have a virtual booth, which you can visit to chat with recruiters, get more information, leave your contact info, and access live “trade show sessions” during the designated times mentioned above.  If there’s no one at the booth when you stop by, just click on the “Request Info” button, which will notify a recruiter that you’re interested in speaking to them. They’ll probably try to schedule a 1:1 in the platform, so keep an eye out for any messages in your Pathable inbox!
  • Sponsor Speed Sessions: To learn more about companies, please also look out for sessions on the agenda marked “sponsor speed session,” a 30-minute session that recruiters have to showcase innovation, recruitment priorities, and developments in their newsrooms.
  • 1:1 Meetings Scheduling/Requests: You will be able to request meetings with recruiters and fellow participants. Once a meeting has been accepted, this will show up on your personal agenda, and there will be a 1:1 session scheduled for you both. More specific details outlining steps will be sent to you at a later date.

Which companies will be recruiting this year? 

The following are some of our confirmed recruiters, and we anticipate adding more in the coming days: 

  • Wall Street Journal
  • CBS News
  • Gannett / USA Today
  • NBC Universal
  • Spectrum Media
  • The New York Times
  • Verizon Media (HuffPost, Yahoo, TechCrunch, Engadget, Ryot etc)
  • WarnerMedia (CNN, HLN, Bleacher Report etc)
  • AARP
  • Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism
  • Dow Jones News Fund
  • UC Berkeley
  • Columbia University
  • McClatchy
  • Tegna
  • Bloomberg

How do I schedule one-on-one meetings with recruiters? 

We’re thrilled to provide opportunities this year for more one-on-one sessions that attendees can request with recruiters. You will be able to request meetings with recruiters and fellow participants. Once a meeting has been accepted, this will show up on your personal agenda, and there will be a 1:1 session scheduled for you both. More specific details outlining steps will be sent to you at a later date.

Where do I add resumes? 

After you register, you’ll receive an email to sign up for Pathable, the virtual platform. If you don’t see an email inviting you to the platform by early August, check your spam folder. Once you get onboarded to Pathable, you will receive step-by-step instructions on how to navigate the platform so you can fill out your profile, build your personal agenda, and schedule the meetings. 

By clicking your unique sign-in link, you’ll be prompted to fill out your profile on Pathable. please be sure to fill out your profile. You will be able to provide links to your resume, portfolio, and clips.  You will also be able to tag your skill sets and experience level. This information will be shared with the recruiters, and recruiters will be able to search based on these tags. Please take the time to fill out every field in your Pathable profile!

It may all seem overwhelming (we can definitely attest to that), so we’re planning on providing office hours closer to festival week to get everyone more comfortable with our platform.


Any other questions? Email convention@aaja.org and we will update this document with answers.

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