Do you want to report on current events, sports or entertainment? Have you always wanted to see your name in print in a major magazine or see yourself behind the desk on the nightly news? Becoming a journalist can be a fun and rewarding career but it also takes a lot of hard work and dedication.
StepsPart 1Part 1 of 4:Getting Education and Experience
1Pursue a Bachelor’s degree in journalism, English or communications. Take other liberal arts courses such as history and sociology to become a more well-rounded journalist and gain experience in other fields.[1]XResearch sourceSome top schools with journalism and communication programs include University of Missouri-Columbia, Northwestern University and Penn State University.[2]XResearch source
2Get as much experience as possible in college. Hone your skills and learn the various aspects of journalism.Write for your school paper.Search out news stories, research facts and practice interviewing techniques.Edit the school paper or literary journal to get experience rewriting and proofreading.If you want to get a job in radio, work for your school’s radio station if they have one.Get a job with your school’s television station, if they have one.[3]XResearch sourceAdvertisement
3Get an internship. Internships (paid or unpaid) are great ways to gain experience.[4]XResearch sourceAsk your college’s career center staff for recommendations. Many schools have long-standing relationships with businesses in the area.Inquire at your local television or radio station or newspaper (depending on your interest).Remember to be professional (show up on time, do not leave early, do the assigned tasks to the best of your ability). An internship is a job, even if it doesn’t pay.Dress in appropriate clothing for the position. You may not need to wear a business suit to work but some things – ripped or cut-off shorts, flip flops, stained t-shirts – are never appropriate for a business environment.[5]XResearch sourceRemember that you may not be able to become a reporter or on-air personality right away. The important thing is to get experience in journalism environments – even if you are getting coffee or delivering mail.[6]XResearch sourceAsk lots of questions so you learn as much as possible, no matter what your actual internship job is.
4Start your own blog. Blogging is a great way to practice the skills of journalism.[7]XResearch sourceChoose from an array of topics like sports, entertainment, news and current events.Think about new angles for the topics you cover. For example, instead of writing a straight-forward article on the local high school football game, do a background story on the players or the history of the teams.The best blogs are timely and informative. If you want to write news stories, be sure what you write it current. If you are writing cooking or self-help stories, be sure you are providing new or important information.Use a site such as WordPress.com which will guide you through the set-up process step by step.[8]XResearch source
5Write for someone else. Maybe your friend has a magazine or blog. Ask to write a special feature.You will gain experience working for someone else.Get a larger audience – your friend’s readership might start to follow your writing.
6Write for an online site. There are many existing websites that want content from journalists.Some sites will pay you and some will not. Be sure to know this information before submitting your work.Contribute to a site with a well-known name such as the Yahoo Contributor Network.[9]XResearch sourceAdvertisementPart 2Part 2 of 4:Deciding on a Field of Journalism
1Report on sports and athletes. You can report on either amateur or professional sports.You can report on your local sports teams.Follow and write about the career of certain athletes.Give practical advice for those pursuing a sport. For example, share the best shoes for marathon runners or the best exercises for body-builders.
2Write about food. Tell others where and what to eat.[10]XResearch sourceWrite cookbooks.Write reviews of local (or foreign) cuisine.Tell the history of certain recipes or ingredients.Do restaurant reviews of your local eateries.
3Report on celebrities and mass entertainment like movies or music. Help spread the word on the latest in entertainment news.[11]XResearch sourceReport on up-and-coming local bands.Do reviews of movies.Write about local artists such as painters or sculptors.Write about local gallery openings and shows.Do reviews of music venues in your area.
4Present the latest current events and news about your community.Report on local events such as fairs, festivals or parades.Present the proceedings of local community meetings such as the school board or city council.Follow and report on any local issues such as crime or education.
5Report on travel domestically or internationally. See the world and be a journalist at the same time.[12]XResearch sourceTell others best places to visit and why.Give insider tips on how and where to travel.Let people know about unusual destinations and attractions.
6Make sure that you have enough knowledge of the field. Study other journalists’ work.Get to know the major journalists in the field by following them in print and online.Subscribe to magazines and newspapers in the field.Get to know the names of editors of magazines and newspapers. These are the people who make hiring decisions.Use social media to keep up with others in your field and to create a following for your own writing, podcasts or videos.AdvertisementPart 3Part 3 of 4:Choosing a Format
1Publish with traditional print sources such as newspapers or magazines. You may have to start small and work your way up to a major publication.It is easier to be published in a local paper than larger, national or international media.You will need excellent writing skills, the ability to meet tight deadlines and experience with desktop publishing programs.[13]XResearch sourceNewspaper and magazine editors make decisions regarding what to publish.Many magazines and papers have different editors for different topics. For example, an Arts & Leisure Editor, Sports Editor, and News Editor.[14]XResearch sourceBe sure to submit to the correct editor.Follow all submission guidelines. Good writers and journalists can be rejected because they did not follow the correct submission procedures.Do your homework and know what kinds of articles the newspaper or magazine usually publishes. Do not submit movie reviews to a paper or magazine that only publishes articles on economics.Be sure your style matches that of the newspaper or magazine. If you write humor, do not submit to a very serious magazine or paper.
2Publish online. There are many opportunities for online publishing.It can be easier to break into journalism online than in traditional formats such as newspapers, television or radio.Be sure to post only your best work. Check all facts and make sure the work is free of typos and other errors.Check the website first to make sure it is reputable. Look for a mission statement (or “About Us” page). Make sure the person or organization has the credentials to report on the information on the site, that the information is up-to-date and that there are no red flags such as inappropriate language or obvious bias or prejudice.[15]XResearch sourceEvery site has its own submission policy. Be sure to follow the guidelines exactly.
3Get in front of the camera. Do podcasts, videos or local access television.Potential employers in broadcast media will want to see how you look on camera.[16]XResearch sourceYou will need to have a personality that makes people want to watch and listen to you.You will also have to look appealing. You don’t have to be beautiful or extremely handsome but you should have qualities such as charisma that make people want to watch you.[17]XResearch sourceDo regular podcasts on your chosen topic.[18]XResearch sourceCreate YouTube videos. Use a webcam or traditional digital video camera to record videos that can be uploaded to YouTube.[19]XResearch sourceGo on local access television. Contact your local public access television station to find out their policies and procedures.[20]XResearch source
4Choose radio broadcasting. Report on a variety of events and issues on the radio.[21]XResearch sourcePotential employers will want to hear how you sound delivering news and information.Make an audition tape (using a regular tape recorder). Do interviews with people in your area on various topics to prove that you have what it takes to find stories and interview people. Put all the interviews on a CD and submit to news directors at radio stations.Get an internship or entry-level job at your local radio station.Learn everything you can by asking lots of questions and doing a variety of jobs.Decide whether you prefer public radio, which is non-profit and programmed at the local level or commercial radio, which is for-profit and often programmed by large conglomerates.AdvertisementPart 4Part 4 of 4:Getting a Job
1Create a portfolio. Make sure to save all of your work to show prospective employers.Use a service such as Pressfolios[22]XResearch source or Clippings.me[23]XResearch source to create an online portfolio.Your portfolio should showcase your best work in whatever format you work in (print, audio, video).Make your online portfolio visually appealing with photos and easily navigable.Think of the portfolio as an expanded and more interesting version of your resume.[24]XResearch source
2Find a job. Search for job openings in your field.Search specific companies online to see if there are job openings.Send your resume and portfolio to companies even if they aren’t advertising job openings. There can be a high turn over and some jobs may be available even there are none posted.[25]XResearch sourceIf you had an internship, ask that employer if they are hiring or if they know a company that is.If you have been writing for a website or print news source, ask if they have any openings.Know that you may need to relocate for the job. High-profile media jobs are mostly concentrated in a few markets: New York, Atlanta, Washington, D.C., Los Angeles and San Francisco.[26]XResearch source
3Know that you may not be able to land your dream job immediately. You will likely have to work your way up to the position you want.You will need to build relationships and network with industry professionals by following them and interacting on social media.Become a member of professional journalism associations and attend their events.Be aware of specific associations that may be relevant to you such as the Asian American Journalists Association[27]XResearch source or the National Association of Black Journalists.[28]XResearch sourceYou may have to start with an unpaid internship.You may have to start in a very small town where there is more opportunity than in major and more desirable markets such as New York or Los Angeles.[29]XResearch sourceYou will likely need to work for years in journalism or broadcast media before landing the job you really want.[30]XResearch sourceJournalism is highly competitive. Even with hard work and education, you still may not be successful. You will need patience and a thick skin to deal with rejection.Advertisement
