Newspaper Journalist

Typical Salary

£15,000 To £50,000

Typical Hours

37 to 39 variable

evenings / weekends / bank holidays flexibly

How To Become a Newspaper Journalist

You can get into this job through:

a university course
a college course
an apprenticeship
working towards this role
specialist courses run by professional bodies

College / University

You may find it useful to have a degree in a subject like journalism or English. This will help you develop the skills you'll need as a journalist.

2 to 3 A levels, or equivalent, for a degree

a degree in any subject for a postgraduate course

You could do a college course, which would teach you some of the skills and knowledge you need in this job. Relevant qualifications include Level 3 Diploma in Journalism or Level 3 Diploma in Multimedia Journalism.

4 or 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), or equivalent, for a level 3 course

Apprenticeship

You can work towards this role by starting with an advanced apprenticeship as a junior journalist.

Routes into this Career

You could start as an office assistant or trainee reporter on a local or regional newspaper.

You'll need a minimum of five GCSE grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), including English, or equivalent qualifications. Many recruits have A levels or degree level qualifications.

Other Routes

You can study a range of professional qualifications in journalism, accredited by the National Council for the Training of Journalists (NCTJ). These are available either online or part time at a training centre.

If you have a degree, you may be able to do a Fast Track NCTJ Diploma in Journalism course offered by National Council for the Training of Journalists.

Skills And Knowledge

You'll need:

knowledge of English language
knowledge of media production and communication
to be thorough and pay attention to detail
the ability to accept criticism and work well under pressure
excellent written communication skills
excellent verbal communication skills
ambition and a desire to succeed
persistence and determination
to be able to use a computer and the main software packages competently

Day To Day Tasks

You could:

investigate a story as soon as it breaks
follow up potential leads and develop new contacts
interview people face-to-face and over the phone
attend press conferences
record meetings and interviews using recording equipment or shorthand
come up with ideas for stories and features
write up articles in a style that will appeal to the reader
sub-edit other reporters' articles for publication
write up articles for online publication

Working Environment

You could work in an office.

Your working environment may be emotionally demanding and you'll travel often.

Career Path & Progression

With experience, you could become a chief reporter or a specialist writer, covering areas like politics, business or particular regions of the country. You could move to a national newspaper or work as a critic.

You could move into other areas such as magazine, broadcast or online journalism. Or you could work in a press office or public relations.

Volunteering Opportunities

Competition for jobs is strong, and you'll need to show you've got writing experience. You'll find it useful to have examples of your published work in a portfolio, especially if these include your name.

To build up your experience you can:

volunteer for student and community newspapers
write your own blog and have an online presence on social media
submit articles and reviews to local papers or websites

Tips & Information

Career tips

There are a number of bursaries available to eligible journalism students.

Professional and industry bodies

As a journalism student you can apply for student membership of the National Union of Journalists.

Further information

You can find out more about working in journalism from the National Union of Journalists.

Restrictions & Requirements

Restrictions & Requirements are not listed for this job.