The fact that the job market was in bad shape when the narrator graduated from college sets him/her to be more open to accept any kind of job, as long as he/she gets to write every day. His/her lack of success in the prior months makes him/her more attentive, in search of any opportunity when it shows up. He/she is determined to find a job as soon as possible, as can be appreciated from the fact that he/she has read job search materials. So he/she gave it a shot.
Although he/she wasn’t planning on being a reporter, he/she was set to make a good job despite the lack of experience and knowledge. He/she went out there, used the basic knowledge he/she knew about reporting (to make a good article, answer these questions: Who? What? Where? When? Why? and How?), got a “crash course in interviewing” and a list of sources for his/her future stories. So, if the job market hadn’t have been in bad shape when he/she graduated, he/she wouldn’t have het such a challenging and rewarding first job.
I don’t see an italicized word? But gazed could be looking intently and in admiration. Dazzled could be amazed or kind of charming. Exotic could be unique or special.
