Media Contact
Amanda Head
Manager, Marketing and Public Relations
College of Arts & Sciences
[email protected]
From Viral to Hired
A month before graduating, David Schiele (B.A. ’18) tweeted a video in hopes of making career connections. Now he’s got a job as a television sports reporter.
By Austin Birchell (B.A. ’20)
The search for a job after turning the tassel can be a nerve-wracking time for new grads. But David Schiele (B.A. ’18), who earned his journalism degree in the fall, had a plan.
He posted a highlight reel on Twitter of his sports reporting on Georgia State athletics from his days at GSTV to grab the attention of news stations and sports programmers.
The reel included Schiele tossing alley-oops to basketball players, showing his viewers how to throw a slider and reporting from the football practice field with a football in hand.
To his surprise, his tweet went viral, attracting more than 63,000 retweets and 82,000 likes.
“I never thought that ‘Good Morning America’ and the ‘Today Show’ would pick it up,” Schiele said. “I’m still in shock when I think back on it all.”
For weeks, Schiele’s phone blew up with notifications of people’s reactions to his tweet.
“It was overwhelming in the most positive way possible,” he said. “Every 30 seconds, I had 25-plus notifications. I could hardly keep up.”
The vice president of WBIR Channel 10 in Knoxville, Tenn., was one of those notifications.
“WBIR reached out and showed interest,” Schiele said. “I went to Knoxville to visit the station and interview for the job. They offered a couple weeks later.”
Along the job-seeking process, Schiele says he picked up some valuable lessons on promoting one’s self and speaking to potential employers.
“You’ve really got to learn to sell yourself,” he said. “If you believe in the work you’ve done and think you’re prepared for the professional world, then speak to hiring managers with that same confidence.”
Schiele will hit the Knoxville airwaves Jan. 28.
“Twitter did its thing.” Schiele said. “Now it’s time for me to do my thing.”
Video courtesy of Good Morning America
Photo courtesy of David Schiele