The way to an editor's heart

Selecting the right staff is a critical part of an editor’s role. In a small office everyone must be committed and able to work as part of a team.
Nowadays the process is rigorous, requiring hours of careful appraisal and comparison. But it was not always thus.
Back in 1977 I went for an interview at a weekly paper in London as chief sub-editor. The deputy editor asked me to design a couple of pages, which met with his approval.
Next I had to pick that week’s front page lead from a list of 30 stories. My choice was a positive and heart-warming piece about a lady called Justine.
But the two crucial tests came at noon when the editor took me to the pub.
First: “What do you want to drink?” I chose draught Guinness, which proved to be the boss’s tipple and the right answer.
Second: It gradually became apparent he wanted to know if I could drink large quantities on an empty stomach and remain sober.
All went well until I accidentally knocked over the editor’s third pint. That’s torn it, I thought.
But my offer to buy the next round was accepted gracefully and after four pints we were the best of friends.
A few days later a contract for the job arrived in the post, with a generous starting salary and a copy of the paper.
The front page lead headline read “Justine’s joy”. I was quite pleased too.
Next time I will tell you how things have changed and why.
Philip Welch