Journalism is one of those elusive careers wherein nobody is quite sure how people get there. Many assume that you wake up one day as Editor-in-Chief of The Washington Post, but the reality, unfortunately, involves a lot less glamour and a lot more graft.
The good thing about the industry is that there isn't just one way to 'get into' journalism, so if a 9-5 staff job or University degree isn't for you, you don't need to worry - there is more than one way to become a journalist!
In this article, I'll break down some of the ways to take your first steps in the industry:
Volunteer
Whilst the ultimate goal of journalism is to write, edit and design as a career, volunteering whilst studying or whilst you're considering journalism as a career choice is essential.
Not only will it help you gain experience that will look good later on your CV, but it will also help you to develop a core skillset in things like writing and editing that will absolutely benefit you when it comes to your first job!
By volunteering, you'll be able to apply some of the transferable skills you've learned, and it will also give you relevant work experience, which will be of great benefit during job interviews. It will also help you to experience for yourself what kinds of writing you like best, whether it be snappy news articles or long-form features.
In terms of how to find these opportunities, every university should have a student paper that you can write for on a voluntary basis. Outside of that, if you're still at school/college and they don't have their own paper, why not start one?
There are also countless organisations out there that accept voluntary submissions like Free Reign (hint, hint), The Indiependent, The Backbencher and Ashamed Magazine! A quick Google search or scroll through Facebook groups like Young Journalism Community will show you that there are dozens of innovative organisations that are accepting submissions.
Get Work Experience
Whilst there are a lot of paid internships out there, they can be crazily competitive and will oftentimes only recruit people who already have a bit of experience. The same goes for some of the work experience schemes for big publications, such as The Guardian and The Financial Times.
The best route for your first work experience placement is probably via a local paper. Simply find the Editor-in-Chief's contact details and send a speculative email with your CV attached. However, don't be disheartened if you get ignored/rejected. This is, unfortunately, very common.
It's best to send emails to all local papers within commutable distance, and even send a few to any publications you are keen on who don't already run work experience schemes, as it's worth a try, right?
You can also get in touch with your school/university's careers centre to see if they have any connections or can do anything to help. The same goes if you have a friend or family member who works in the industry -you never know where these opportunities might lead you!
Websites like GoThinkBig are also invaluable for finding open applications for work experience placements.
Work experience is absolutely vital - a lot of NCTJ centres/universities ask for it if you apply for a journalism course. Also, you get to have a real taste of what the industry is really like and whether it's really for you. Some people even get offered jobs if they impress during their work experience placement, so it's important to make a good first impression!
Study a Journalism Degree
If you studied something else at the undergraduate level, many universities also offer Master's in journalism, which boasts all of the same qualities of an undergraduate degree except that all of the essential things you need to know are condensed into a singular year of study.
With these courses being taught by experts in the industry, you will be able to learn all the essentials needed to become a journalist such as media law, shorthand and court reporting. A lot of these courses also have great links to publications and have work experience placements as a compulsory part of the course.
The good thing about journalism degrees, whether undergraduate or postgraduate, is that they're very practise-based. They'll definitely prepare you for the real world and a job in the industry, but it is important to try to find a course that offers an NCTJ accreditation or equivalent, as this is something a lot of journalism jobs look for in candidates.
Get your NCTJ
The National Council of Training for Journalists (NCTJ) is a Level 3 accreditation highly sought-after by employers in the industry. It covers a range of 'core' journalism skills such as teeline shorthand, and is especially vital if you want to work for a local paper!
Whilst a lot of undergraduate and postgraduate courses offer the NCTJ qualification, that isn't the only way to get one. One popular route for postgraduates is to get your NCTJ from a specialist centre like News Associates, Press Association and Brighton Journalist Works. The course can be done full-time over a six-month period, or part-time over the span of a year. This, however, can be very expensive.
Alternatively, you could study the NCTJ at a local college if you've just come out of GCSEs or A-Levels. This is often cheaper, and depending on your age, you might be able to complete the course for free.
If you want to study the NCTJ in your own time, you get qualified by doing it online and remotely through the official NCTJ website. It still costs money but is a lot less expensive and more flexible than an NCTJ centre and some college courses.
Get an Apprenticeship
You can also get the NCTJ and earn while you learn with a range of apprenticeships out there. For these apprenticeships, you will probably be working four days a week, while attending a college for your NCTJ one day a week over the course of the year.
Whilst apprenticeships at some of the bigger organisations - like the BBC and Sky - are more tailored towards school leavers than graduates, a lot of local papers under organisations like JPI Media and Reach PLC offer apprenticeships that take on graduates as well as school leavers.
Go Freelance
The best thing about going freelance is that you don't need any prior experience - just an idea and a keyboard. As a freelance journalist, you essentially email an article idea or 'pitch' to commissioning editors of publications. Although you will face a lot of rejections when you pitch, it is important to remain resilient and keep trying.
A lot of journalists enjoy freelancing because as well as having the ability to build an impressive range of bylines, you will have more control over what you write about. You can either 'cold pitch' your idea to a commissioning editor, or pitch in response to broad topic areas these editors 'call for content' on.
The easiest way to find calls for pitches is by searching the #CallforPitches hashtag on Twitter, or by signing up to newsletters by people/organisations like JournoResources, Sian Meades, and Anna Codrea-Rado.
So, there you have it. As you can see, there is more than one way to become a journalist, and even if you've already finished school/university, it is never too late to make the change! Although a career in journalism may require time to 'take off', that doesn't mean the journey has to be any less rewarding.
Good luck!
By Charlotte Colombo
Featured Image courtesy of AbsolutVision via Unsplash
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