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Snapshot

Career Cluster(s): Arts, A/V Technology & Communications

Interests: Writing, story-telling, research, solving problems, communicating with others

Earnings (Yearly Average): $38,870

Employment & Outlook: Decline Expected

Profile

Interests: People, Things

Working Conditions: Work Both Inside and Outside

Physical Strength: Light work

Education Needs: Bachelor’s Degree, Master’s Degree

Licensure/Certification: Usually Not Required

Physical Abilities Not Required: Not Climb, Not Kneel

Opportunities For Experience: Internship, Apprenticeship, Military Service, Volunteer Work, Part Time Work

Holland Interest Score*: EAS

[1] * See Appendix A

Transferable Skills and Abilities

Communication Skills

Speaking effectively
Writing concisely

Interpersonal/Social Skills

Asserting oneself
Being flexible
Being persistent
Cooperating with others
Working as a member of a team

Organization & Management Skills

Managing time
Meeting goals and deadlines
Paying attention to and handling details

Research & Planning Skills

Analyzing information
Gathering information
Solving problems

Unclassified Skills

Discovering unusual aspects of stories

Careers Overseas

Journalist

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Overview

Sphere of Work

The field of journalism involves reporting news, events, and ideas to a wide audience through various media, including print (newspapers and magazines), broadcasting (television and radio), or the Internet (news websites and blogs). Journalists usually start out as reporters, covering anything from sports and weather to business, crime, politics, and consumer affairs. Later, they may become editors, helping to direct the process of gathering and presenting stories.

Journalists can operate on many different levels local, regional, national, or international. It is common for a journalist to start out working on the local or regional level and then move up the ladder as his or her career progresses. Journalists spend the bulk of their time investigating and composing stories, observing events, interviewing people, taking notes, taking photographs, shooting videos, and preparing their material for publication or broadcast. This work can happen in a matter of minutes, or it can take days or weeks to gather information and build a story.

CIOver_p0167_1.jpg

Work Environment

A journalist’s work environment is fast-paced and competitive, subject to tight and changing deadlines, irregular work hours, and pressure to get breaking news on the air or on-line before other news organizations. Journalists covering “hard news”—current events that directly affect people’s lives, such as crime, politics, or natural disasters—typically work with stories that are moving and changing constantly; their challenge is to present as much relevant and verifiable information as possible under the circumstances. Journalists covering less pressing subjects, like economic and social trends, popular culture, or “human interest” stories, are subject to less immediate time pressures, but are under no less of an obligation to get their facts straight.

Journalists must therefore be able to adapt to unfamiliar places and a variety of people. They must be accustomed to interruptions and have the ability to pick up and process new information at all times.

Occupation Interest

Successful journalists are curious by nature and can work comfortably with a wide variety of subjects. They enjoy writing and presenting stories, and they have a great respect for principals that define a free society. These principals include the public’s right to know and to question government, business, and social institutions. They also respect an individual’s desire to feel connected to what is going on in society. Journalists have to be adept at dealing with people, and successful journalists often have a competitive nature that drives them to try to get the “scoop” before other journalists.

Journalism can be multifaceted work—it can be a low-key, local position for a community newspaper, or it can involve travel and a myriad of settings. Reporting can be a fast-paced in- or out-of-office experience driven by publication editors or broadcast producers.

Finally, journalists have to exhibit tenacity and a tough skin, able to pursue a story to its natural end with a commitment to fair and accurate reporting, even when dealing controversial topics or evasive interview subjects.

A Day in the Life—Duties and Responsibilities

On any given day, journalists are researching and developing story ideas, checking facts, writing articles for publication, all on a tight deadline. Journalists uncover news, information, statistics, and trends that they incorporate into news stories, broadcasts, feature stories, and editorials. They meet regularly with editors and get assignments based on the day’s or week’s happenings. Depending where a journalist works, a typical day can vary.

Daily newspapers and newswire services, with very short lead times, have journalists working at all times, around the clock, following ongoing news stories. Weekly newspapers, and weekly and monthly magazines, have longer lead times, and so deadlines are less frequent.

Some journalists work in the field as correspondents, perhaps traveling with a camera crew and conducting “man-on-the-street” interviews, or gathering information about rapidly developing events, which they then submit electronically to newspaper editors or radio or television producers. Since the rise of the Internet, the distinction between print and broadcast journalism has become less sharp: newspaper websites today often include video feeds, and television news stations have websites where their stories appear in text form.

The most important part of a journalist’s job is making sure that the stories he or she presents are based on solid, verifiable facts, rather than rumors or misinformation. Inaccuracies can creep into news stories in many ways honest mistakes, the reporter’s own conscious or unconscious biases, and sources attempting to deceive the public are just a few. For this reason, journalists must invest a good deal of time in making sure their stories are correct before they reach the public.

Duties and Responsibilities

Researching public records
Interviewing people
Writing stories on computer relay terminals
Specializing in one or more fields of news
Covering news in a particular location
Taking photographs
Writing headlines
Laying out pages
Editing wire service copy
Writing editorials
Investigating leads and news tips

Occupation Specialties

News Writers

News Writers write news stories from notes recorded by reporters after evaluating and verifying the information, supplementing it with other material and organizing stories to fit formats.

Reporters and Correspondents

Reporters and Correspondents gather and assess information, organize it and write news stories in prescribed style and format. They may also take photographs for stories and give broadcast reports, or report live from the site of events.

Columnists

Columnists analyze news and write columns or commentaries based on personal knowledge and experience with the subject matter. They gather information through research, interviews, experience, and attendance at functions such as political conventions, news meetings, sporting events, and social activities.

Critics

Critics write critical reviews of literary, musical, or artistic works and performances.

Editorial Writers

Editorial Writers write comments on topics of reader interest to stimulate or mold public opinion in accordance with the viewpoints and policies of publications.

Work Environment

Immediate Physical Environment

A journalist’s work environment can be anywhere, from a crime scene to a press conference to a desk in an office. News outlets usually house journalists in large, well-lit rooms filled with work stations, computer equipment, and the sounds of keyboards and printers. “Boots-on-the-ground” reporting can take a journalist anywhere, though: embedded war correspondents may travel with a military unit right into battle; a journalist reporting on the fishing industry may spend several days on a fishing boat at sea; the next week, that same journalist may tour a farm or a factory or a school to get the next story.

Human Environment

Journalists deal with people. They are constantly interviewing people and collecting and analyzing information; therefore, they can usually be found speaking with anyone who has something to do with the story at hand, be it politicians, company officials, protesters, or an average person.

Technological Environment

Today, journalists submit their stories electronically and can therefore be anywhere in the world, collecting information. They often carry their technology on their back, with just a laptop computer and camera, or travel with a crew of broadcast professionals who can put the journalist on the air live at any time.

Education, Training, and Advancement

High School/Secondary

High school students can prepare to be a journalist by working for the school newspaper or yearbook, volunteering with local broadcasting stations, and participating in internships with news organizations. Coursework should include a strong focus on writing and communication, through classes such as English, social studies, political science, history, and psychology. Knowledge of foreign languages can also be highly useful in many journalism jobs.

Practical experience is highly valued and can be found through part-time or summer jobs, summer journalism camps, work at college broadcasting stations, and professional organizations. Work in these areas can help in obtaining scholarships, fellowships, and assistantships for college journalism majors.

Local television stations and newspapers often offer internship opportunities for up-and-coming journalists to improve their craft by reporting on town hall meetings or writing obituaries and human-interest stories.

Suggested High School Subjects

Business
College Preparatory
Composition
Computer Science
Economics
English
Government
Journalism
Keyboarding
Literature
Photography
Political Science
Social Studies
Speech

Related Career Pathways/Majors

Arts, A/V Technology & Communications Cluster

Journalism & Broadcasting Pathway

Postsecondary

Most, but not all, journalists have a bachelor’s degree in journalism, English, or another liberal arts-related field. There are many journalism schools within colleges and universities across the country. Many schools also offer master’s and doctoral degrees, which are especially useful for those interested in journalistic research and teaching.

Bachelor degree program coursework should include broad liberal arts subjects, a general overview of journalism, and then specialty courses that correspond with the highly important requirements for good writing and communication. These can include classes in social media, broadcast writing, news editorial writing, magazine writing, copy editing, interviewing, media ethics, blogging, feature writing, news reporting, and news photography.

All college and university students should make the effort to use career centers, academic counselors, and professors when seeking opportunities for advancement through volunteering or interning.

Related College Majors

Broadcast Journalism
Journalism

Adult Job Seekers

Almost anyone can become a journalist if they can find a local newspaper willing to let them try writing a story. Adults can seek continuing journalism education and ongoing opportunities to volunteer in various capacities, perhaps by writing guest newspaper columns, or helping produce a local newsletter, or writing for a blog. These options mean it is entirely viable to seek journalism jobs after having been out of the workplace for a while. Prospective journalists will need to have updated resumes, preferably with portfolios showing relevant work.

More experience leads to more specialized and challenging assignments. Large publications and news stations prefer journalists with several years of experience. With more experience, journalists can advance to become columnists, correspondents, announcers, reporters, or publishing industry managers.

Becoming adept at freelancing—where reporters work independently by selling stories to any interested media outlet—is another way to stay involved in the journalism field.

Professional Certification and Licensure

In the United States, professional certification is not necessary to be a journalist; however, involvement in the Society of Professional Journalists or other professional organizations can help journalists network and raise their profile.

CIOver_tick_icon.tif Additional Requirements

It is extremely useful for journalists to have experience with computer graphics and desktop skills, as well as proficiency in all forms of multimedia. Familiarity with databases and knowledge of news photography is an added plus.

Earnings and Advancement

Median annual earnings of journalists were $37,820in 2016. The lowest ten percent earned less than $22,120, and the highest ten percent earned more than $86,610.

Journalists may receive paid vacations, holidays, and sick days; life and health insurance; and retirement benefits. These are usually paid by the employer.

Employment and Outlook

Journalists held about 54,400 jobs nationally in 2014. About one-half worked for newspaper, magazine and book publishers, and another one-fourth worked in radio and television broadcasting. About one-fourth were self-employed. Employment of journalists is expected to decline 9 percent through the year 2024. Many factors will contribute to the limited job growth in this occupation. Consolidation and convergence should continue in the publishing and broadcasting industries. As a result, companies will be better able to allocate their journalists to cover news stories. Constantly improving technology also is allowing workers to do their jobs more efficiently, another factor that will limit the number of workers needed to cover a story or certain type of news. However, the continued demand for news will create some job opportunities. For example, some job growth is expected in new media areas, such as online newspapers and magazines. There is high turnover in this field, as the work is hectic and stressful. Talented writers who can handle highly specialized scientific or technical subjects will be at an advantage in the job market.

Related Occupations

Copywriter
Radio/TV Announcer and Newscaster
Technical Writer
Writer & Editor

Conversation With . . . BEN ABRAMSON

Deputy Managing Editor, Travel

USA Today, Venice, FL

Journalist, 25 years

What was your individual career path in terms of education/training, entry-level job, or other significant opportunity?

I was a history major at George Washington University, and always had great curiosity about the world, both as an avid traveler and academically. I also loved the written word. I took an entry-level position in the Washington Post newsroom, and worked a hybrid admin/journalism job for several years after college. I was immediately captivated working in a newsroom, which are often filled with interesting, worldly characters. The commercial Internet didn’t even exist when I was a student in the 1980s, so like most prospective journalists at that time I assumed my career would be for a newspaper or magazine. My newsroom career started with seeking any opportunities to write, primarily in local news.

Then The Post launched its first online product, a dial-up service called Digital Ink, where I was hired as an editor. The service was a precursor to one of the first major newspaper websites, washingtonpost.com, for which I was part of the launch team. Working for the launch team presented a wealth of new options. I presented a plan to launch a Travel section and local Washington visitors guide, and that path has led to a job I love.

Travel is an interesting topic to cover because it’s something many people do for leisure and adventure, while others must take less glamorous trips for business. So an editor is always looking for a mix of content that inspires and entertains on the one hand, and helps consumers stay safe and save money on the other. Coming up with story ideas and working with reporters, photographers and videographers to put out a newspaper section, website and mobile apps is demanding but rewarding.
What are the most important skills and/or qualities for someone in your profession, particularly someone who decides to work overseas?

Journalists should always be curious. Talk to people, study history and culture, seek immersive experiences. Speaking a foreign language fluently can be a great competitive advantage. Also, news media relies on accuracy and timeliness; your professional conduct should mirror that.
What do you wish you had known before deciding to work abroad?

Generally speaking, I’ve seen too many people try to land full-time jobs from their home base. That puts you in competition with everyone who can see a job listing. Go directly to the destination where you wish to work, and learn about it. Being on the ground will give you opportunities you wouldn’t have had from home.
Are there many job opportunities overseas in your profession? In what specific geographic areas?

Journalism has a strange paradox; more great content is produced and consumed than ever, but many media companies are struggling and have minimal budgets. So as you search for good paying gigs, think creatively—YouTube, obscure outlets, even consumer brands.

For geography, choose a good strategic base. Tens of thousands of young Americans will try to make it in London each year. You could end up with a better story to tell if you find a more unique location, especially if it’s in an area of the world that’s newsworthy.
Will the willingness of professionals in your career to travel and live overseas change in the next five years? What role will technology play in those changes, and what skills will be required?

Journalism is largely self-selected for people who are willing to travel, and go to great lengths in general, for a story. But technology has been a great boon, allowing reporters to live in far-flung locations and still have all the tools and access of an office job.

You should give yourself the broadest range of media skills. Any reporting assignment could come with a request for video hosting, or a social media campaign, and you should have basic abilities in as many current tools and methods as possible. Note also that this is an ongoing process, you need to be on top of popular new forms of media throughout your career.
What do you enjoy most about your job? What do you enjoy least about your job?

Working as a travel editor exposes me daily to things I’m passionate about. A work day filled with art, architecture, culture and food, and an occasional geography lesson is generally a good one. On the negative end, with an endless news cycle, all journalists, no matter their specialty, are always on call all the time.
Can you suggest a valuable “try this” for students considering a career overseas in your profession?

Give yourself a news assignment—pick an interesting topic/venue, interview primary sources, take photos and shoot videos. Post it yourself, or seek a university or local outlet to publish. You should enjoy the experience, because it’s something you’ll repeat many times over the course of a journalism career.