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Newspaper Journalist Careers

Newspaper Journalist Careers

Resume Sample » Career Guide » Publishing And Journalism Careers » Newspaper Journalist Careers

Work Environment:

As a newspaper journalist (reporter), you'd investigate and write stories for national, local and regional newspapers. You would cover event relevant to particular audience, such as reporting on elections, world-event for national newspaper, council meetings and school-fetes for regional newspaper.

Generally, your job would comprise:

writing articles/write-ups in style which would attract intended viewers
creating newer contacts
finding out ideas for newer features and stories

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interviewing persons, over telephone and face to face
being present at press-conferences
investigating stories when they come out
recording interviews and meetings by recording equipment
reporting on possible leads

You can decide to do specialization into a particular subject, like entertainment, sport or politics. You might write up stories for web, as most papers have an online-edition.

Occasionally, newspaper-journalists work as sub editors, getting reporters' write ups ready for publishing.

Qualification, Education and Experience:

You could work as a newspaper journalist through training in university/college (called as pre entry mode) or by enrolling with regional/local newspaper and training at the work (direct-entry mode).

If you've related experience, you'd be at a benefit. You could gain experience by:

maintaining a blog or online publication, or submitting write ups to websites
submitting reviews and articles to free, specialist or regional newspapers
volunteering for community and student newspapers
working for student/regional radio stations

It's an excellent idea to maintain print outs and cuttings of your issued work to demonstrate to prospective employers.

Training previous to beginning work:

It includes accomplishing a course into journalism, and after that finding out job as an apprentice/trainee.

You can take a course which is certified by NCTJ (National-Council for Training of Journalist). Few courses allow 5 GCSEs with English and 2 A-Levels, or corresponding qualifications, while others would anticipate you to hold a degree. You can take a Fast Track course, if you've a degree. For information about training providers and courses, check the website of NCTJ.

You'd take NCTJ preliminary-examinations which you've to accomplish before working as trainee.

You can acquire NCTJ self study program, and enter for preliminary-examinations. For this, you'd be required to organize work-experience to practice your skills. For information, visit the website of NCTJ.

On the job training:

In this route, you'd be required to apply to editors of regional and local newspapers to be hired as an apprentice/trainee. Visit the website of Newspaper Society for contact information.

You'd necessitate at least 5 GCSE grades (A to C) with English and 2 A-Levels, or corresponding qualifications. Check the websites of NCTJ and NUJ (National-Union of Journalists), for details regarding journalism career.

Training Details:

You'd apply for a post as a trainee journalist, after accomplishing pre entry course into journalism. Generally, you'd be hired on eighteen month training-contract. First 3 months will be provisional, and after that you'd begin working to acquire NCTJ National-Certificate.

In direct entry mode, you'd generally have 2 year contract of training. First 6 months will be provisional. You'd take distance learning course, and after that NCTJ preliminary-examination. You could become completely-qualified by accomplishing NCTJ National-Certificate.

You can improve your abilities by taking short training courses. These courses are provided through professional organizations, such as BJTC (Broadcast Journalism-Training Council), PTC (Periodicals Training-Council), NUJ and NCTJ.

Skills and knowledge:

IT and keyboard skills
an inquiring mindset and an interest into events, people and places
capability to get shorthand-speeds of hundred wpm
excellent questioning and listening abilities
persistence and determination
interest into present affairs at every level
outstanding writing abilities
capability to understand information quickly and write it in clear and comprehensible manner
research abilities

Salary and Other Benefits:

In regional newspapers, trainee journalists can get about £16,000 annually.
Experienced newspaper journalists may receive around £16,000 to £43,000.
National editors and highest-paid newspaper journalists can get around £110,000.

Newspaper journalists working on freelance basis settle charges for every piece of-work.

Working Conditions:

You'd be required to be adaptable regarding hours of working. Accomplishing targets, reporting on stories and breaking-news could indicate working irregular, extended hours, comprising public holidays, evenings and weekends.

You'd work within an open plan office which would generally be noisy and hectic. You'd also employ time outdoors, following up stories. You could anticipate to voyage to any region covered by news-paper.

Different Opportunities:

Generally, you'd begin as a junior journalist in a regional/local newspaper comprising local events and news.

By experience and qualifications, you can be a chief journalist, or specialist correspondent/writer covering fields, like arts, politics or business, or specific areas of country. You can also advance to national-newspaper.

You can also get into other fields, like online, magazine or broadcast journalism. Few newspaper journalists advance to public-relations or press-office work.

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