Travel Job Series: Joseph Hernandez
The first guest in our Travel Job Series is a dear friend, journalist Joseph Hernandez. We met early in our travel careers at the first travel blog conference. Joseph was instrumental in organizing the conference, and I was attending on behalf of my PR agency clients in Vancouver. He is a big part of my life and has been incredible sounding board for my projects so I asked him to share his wisdom with you all.
Hey there, I’m Joseph Hernandez, the senior service editor for service features at The Philadelphia Inquirer, where I also previously served as deputy food editor.
About Joseph Hernandez
Since I was a teenager, I’ve worked in and around all aspects of food or food media, from humble beginnings as a teen Subway sandwich artist to serving as vice-chair for the prestigious James Beard Awards Restaurant and Chefs committee. I’ve been research director for Bon Appetít, and a former editor of The Chicago Tribune, SevenFifty Daily, Thrillist, and Wine Enthusiast. My food and drinks writing has been published by Eater, Conde Nast Traveler, all over the place. My work has been recognized and awarded by the Society of Features Journalism, The Online News Association, Poynter Institute, The National Critics Institute, The Symposium for Professional Wine Writers and many others.
What is your background and education?
I studied journalism and creative writing in college, in a round-about sort of way. I started university at Cal State Fullerton in Orange County, California, but after my first year, I went to Fullerton community college because of anxiety, depression and other general mental health stuff. (I think it's really important to be honest about this! There's no shame in a community college education, nor do I believe in stigmatizing mental health struggles.) After that year, I transferred school yet again to Columbia College, in Chicago, a media-focused art school, where I spent a year studying film and creative writing before settling back into my first love, journalism. I finished my bachelor's degree at Columbia, with numerous unpaid internships to show for it.
What's a typical day for you on the job?
Lots of communication! I start my day making coffee at 8:00 a.m., and logging into Zoom by 8:30 for the newsroom-wide editors' meeting. This daily stand-up meeting is a check-in with all of the Inquirer's editors about stories and topics we need to keep an eye on, or stories we'll need to assign. It ranges from regional breaking news to stories with feature potential (my team!) and more. We'll also discuss our wins and general house-keeping at this time. From this meeting, the tone of the day is set. Generally speaking, I'm editing anything from two to five stories a day (can be more depending on the news cycle). Other days, I'm brainstorming projects with other editors and assigning stories. Everyday, I'm managing my team of reporters, who are always in various stages of reporting and writing. Not many folks know what 'service journalism' is, so I explain it as 'news you can use.' My team of editors and reporters are generally topic agnostic — we cover everything from health, marijuana legislation, and education, to immigrant and citizens rights, to food, arts and lifestyle. It's our job to translate what's happening in the Philadelphia region to help our readers understand the city they live in, both for enjoyment and to better access available resources.
What are some of your current projects & big wins?
My team was recently awarded with Second Place for BEST CONSUMER/SERVICE FEATURES by the Society for Features Journalism for our work. They recognized the strong reporting I champion, while also weighing the impact of our work in helping everyday people navigate seemingly mundane issues. For a bit of fun, our 2022 Hoagie Package, produced with other folks on the Food team and Data desk, keeps winning awards for innovation and storytelling, so I'm pretty proud of that, to this day.
I'm so excited the Philly Inquirer Dining Guide was published this week! The third I've produced and worked on, it's one of my favorite projects I get to work on since I've been with the newspaper — it's such a treat to celebrate the city's chefs, bakers, pastry professionals, bartenders and sommeliers in this amazing food-obsessed city. In other news, my team was recently awarded with Second Place for BEST CONSUMER/SERVICE FEATURES by the Society for Features Journalism for our work. They recognized our team's strong reporting, while also weighing the impact of our work in helping everyday people navigate seemingly mundane issues. For a bit of fun, our 2022 Hoagie Bracket package, produced with other folks on the Food team and Data desk, keeps winning awards for innovation and storytelling, so I'm pretty proud of that, to this day. On a personal note, I've really missed reporting and writing my own ideas, so I'm once again freelancing for other publications when I get the chance, while also building up my Substack audience (sign up here). Let's work together!
What do you feel is your biggest career risk?
Advocating for myself in the face of difficult or toxic management. I grew up respecting authority, but I found out early in my career that I am my only advocate in and out of the workplace. If I didn't speak up for a story idea I believed in, or negotiated my job description or salary needs, or more generally speaking, stared down an office bully, no one would do it for me. You have a voice. Use it.
What is your top career advice?
Unionize your workplace — I helped organize the Chicago Tribune and Condé Nast unions, and it was not only fulfilling, but helped me understand the importance of advocating for oneself and your colleagues. If you are freelance, don't devalue your work or the work of others; always ask for more.
Share one or more career highlights.
I never thought that chasing my curiosities could be a career, yet here I am. I have so many memories, but being knighted for my wine writing or arguing (respectfully) through blood, sweat, and tears with the country's top food critics and writers when I served on THE James Beard Award restaurant and chefs committee was a real "damn, you did, kid" moment for me.
What is your most memorable trip and why?
The last few years, travel has really changed for me. I've had the great pleasure of traveling for work, speaking engagements, press trips, etc. but my opportunities to travel for fun and leisure were limited. Traveling to Panama with my best friends and partner a couple of years ago, powered by my own bank account and whims, was memorable because that country is SO beautiful and felt untrodden compared to other destinations I've been to. It was the improv of travel, all of us saying "yes and" to the whole experience, from a wee hours hike to the summit of the country's volcano, to a lazy beach day on an outlying island, to getting stuck on ziplines above the cloud forests.
What would you tell your younger self?
The world is full of magic, and it's all yours, if you work for it. Also, quit "hustling"! It's ok to take breaks — rest and balance are important. Don't break yourself to live your life.
Please share a fun fact.
I shared this on Instagram, and a lot of people were bewildered: Natalie Imbruglia's "Torn" is actually a cover. It was first recorded in 1993 and covered by many other artists before Imbruglia's 1997 single, which IMO, is the definitive version.
Thank you, for contributing, Joseph! Follow his work and stories on Instagram at @JoeyBear85.
