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Tips for Starting Career in Journalism

Journalism as a career has undergone a bit of a transformation in recent years. For those looking to begin a career in journalism, there have been a lot of changes, especially with the internet and the decline of newsroom-based positions.

If you are looking into this career, there are a few tips you will want to consider so you can fully utilize your career.

Utilize the Fundamentals

Although you need a solid grasp of grammar, style, and punctuation, it is not enough. In journalism, your skills have to be precise. Once you have committed, you should be able to analyze the structure of a paragraph as you read it.

You should also be able to examine critical scenes in a movie to determine why they work so well. By doing this, you are stretching yourself, and your work will improve. Any weakness in these areas will show in your research and writing.

Understand the Available Tools

With the current updates in the world of journalism come a variety of tools for journalists. These can include various databases, interactive graphics, and video-to-slide shows. These available tools will help you become an expert in journalism if you understand and utilize them to your advantage.

These tools are also helpful if you are strong in one specific skill and need to expand and develop more skills. It is also essential to be able to surround yourself with other journalism students so you can all share your knowledge and skills with one another.

Master Your Research Skills

If you are pursuing a career in journalism, chances are you are a naturally curious person. You can utilize these skills to your advantage, especially when it comes to the research part.

If you are already an observant person, learning to research should come easy for you. It will take a bit of time and practice, but once you begin noticing details, researching will become second nature in no time.

Start Small

Keep in mind you are not going to get your big break immediately after you finish your education. As an entry-level journalist, you need to start small. There are many small publications or small towns where you can create your career and grow from there.

One of the benefits of starting small is that you have the ability to try many different things. With many things in life, the best way to become a great journalist is to jump in and do it.

Consider contacting your hometown to see if any journalism jobs are available, or you could always consider a freelance career as you are starting out. It may even be beneficial to take a few unpaid jobs to build your portfolio.

Familiarize Yourself with City Hall

As a journalist, there is a high chance that you will eventually find yourself at your local city hall, a government agency, a police station, or the courts. Because of this, you will want to familiarize yourself with these buildings and have a basic understanding of the Electoral College. As you are getting your education, you may want to consider taking a few political science electives so you can assemble your background knowledge.

Remember the Story

As you are starting your career in journalism, you need to remember that it is always about a great story. It is the foundation of journalism, and it is best to remember to find a story that people will be interested in.

A strong story will elicit a powerful response, whether that be outrage, joy, sadness, or laughter. Remember this so you do not get caught up in the latest upgrades to journalism. That no matter how creative and interactive a graphic you put in your writing, it means nothing if there is not a great story to entice the readers. 

Journalism sure has changed dramatically in recent years. Looking at how it was a decade ago versus today is insane. The technological advances and the decline of the hustle and bustle of a newsroom make this career tremendously different now.

However, the basics are still the same. To be a good journalist, you need to have a grasp of your writing and research skills while also utilizing the tools available to you.

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