Name: Carol McLeod

Job: Reporter, The News and Farmer / The Jefferson Reporter in Louisville, Ga.

What are your responsibilities? I work at a small community weekly and so write about a bit of everything. I cover crime, county and city government, the board of education, accidents, fires, the development authority, business, the environment, agriculture, health issues and write a weekly column. I also write features, take my own photographs and help oversee the apprentices from time to time.

I have written an editorial or two. I proofread and edit copy.

What's a typical workday? Some days I just sit at my desk and write most of the day. I generally attend several meetings each week, spend a lot of time making phone calls to interview someone or follow up on a detail or two. I have a scanner in my office and listen for the accidents, fires and crime reports. If it sounds serious, I take a camera, a notebook and pen and head out to wherever the action is.

What do you like/dislike about the job? I like just about everything about my job. I love meeting new people and learning new things. I like the sense of accomplishment I feel when I've finished a story I think is important and I've done well. I try to make my column funny, usually, and enjoy it when I've written something that makes others laugh. I've gotten to do things as a reporter I would probably have never otherwise done. For example, I've ridden in a helicopter and been chauffeured in a stretch limousine.

It's a good thing my daughter is grown and on her own.

I don't think this would be such a great job with small children at home. Not for me at least, with all the odd hours I have to put in covering meetings and other events.

As far as dislikes go, some things I know will probably happen some day haven't happened yet. Although I've been to a lot of fires and accidents, I haven't been to a fatality yet. We have had them, but so far it's just worked out that another reporter happened to be on those stories.

When I first started out, I had to work hard to overcome my shyness and a natural inclination to not be nosy. That was tough but I'm pretty much past that.

Background: When I got out of high school, I went into the military, which I really enjoyed. I grew up in a small town and all of the papers where I worked have been small. One was a twice-weekly, the others have been weeklies. I didn't get my degree until I was in my 30s so I feel I was more mature and ready for this job than I would have been when I was younger.

What are the skills young journalists need today? I think journalists need to be able to think on their feet and be curious about everything. Some of my best stories have been because I asked a question about something simply because I didn't know and wanted to know. Journalists need to be able to make others feel comfortable. If you can do that, people will open up and tell you the most marvelous things. Be objective, not just about your stories, but your sources, your friends and yourself.

Any advice to aspiring journalists? Verify everything and don't hesitate to ask the questions you want to ask. Be objective and fair.

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