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A 'trial' period with no verdict in sight

Q: I'm a recent English grad with a year of journalism experience under my belt. I recently applied for a job with a local newspaper, and they called me back for an interview. They decided to bring me on for a week to see if I would work out and said they would decide whether or not to hire me then. They also promised to pay me for this trial week.

The week is over and there is no sign of hiring paperwork. Every time I ask, I'm told to wait a few more days. But they haven't told me to leave. I've written several articles for them, some of which have appeared on the front of the paper, and they're even training me to take over some other duties.

I know I should probably tell them to stuff it and start looking somewhere else, but this area is severely lacking in writing jobs, and I dread going back to the application process. Even if they do finally decide to officially hire me, should I take it? I'm not sure I want to work for a paper that treats people like this.

A: As long as you eventually get a written, signed offer, there's no one correct "official" way to start a job. Take it from someone who jokes that she has a writing gig because the editors forgot to say "stop."

Two truths you should keep in mind:

One: Time is relative, especially depending on which end of a hiring decision you're on. You know this already, but "hurry up and wait" is a common pace in the news business. The torturous delay could be a sign of poor communication and bad management, or it could be due to the shifting priorities and bureaucracy that bog down management in every workplace. Or they're vetting other candidates. That's why it's good protocol - in job searches as well as in journalism - to keep other hooks in the water in case the lead you're following comes up empty, and to allow for some flexibility on deadlines.

Two: What matters is not what people promise but what they deliver. This employer promised you a "trial" leading up to a hiring decision - not a bad idea for an employer that wants to look beyond the promise of a portfolio to see what a candidate can do on deadline - but what it's actually giving you looks an awful lot like training for a permanent job.

Of course, all this is assuming the employer has delivered on its promise to pay you for this audition while the paperwork wends its way through hoops and loops and inboxes.

It's hard to spot the turning point when a "good sport" becomes a "sucker." Two weeks might be reasonable; after three, if you haven't even seen a check for the initial trial period, it may be time to let your prospective manager know that you can't afford to continue without payment for the work you've performed.

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Ask Karla Miller about your work dramas and traumas by emailing wpmagazine@washpost.com.

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