by Patti Mcquillen

Created on: May 25, 2008

You must meet specific requirements if you want to have a well-rounded journalism career. Almost every position within a journalism career has similar needs. According to Sean McManus, a veteran journalist and author of Journalism Careers, Your Questions Answered, these include:

ability to research
conduct interviews
write different types of stories
meet deadlines and assignment length

strong verbal and written communication skills
computer skills and knowledge
take photographs
edit for grammar, spelling and style
verify accuracy of stories
work with layouts

The media industry employs different types of journalists. These include; yet, are not limited to broadcast, music, entertainment, investigative, political and freelance. Each type requires specific tasks for journalists to complete. Having the right skills, personality, education and experience strengthen your chances of success. In the text Mass Media in a Changing World, George Rodman explains how internships and off-campus work opportunities help those who seek a media career.

"Find out what the policies are at your college and which local media companies are available. You can inquire at the employment or human relations department of the company to find out about their policies on internships," Rodman says. About off-campus work, he says, "Consider a part-time or temporary job at a local media company, such as the town newspaper or an Internet start-up."

Flexibility is crucial for most people in a journalism career. Deadlines and the availability of interview subjects conflict, you must verify facts, edit your story, and still attend meetings. Multi-tasking is a common requirement. Schedule and hours worked will vary from one week to the next and change with each employer. Availability is also crucial for journalists because news never waits for you to finish shaving, watch the last five minutes of your favorite show, drive to your job or eat your dinner.

Now that you have a general idea about the requirements, types of journalists, ideas for gaining experience and know what to expect on the job, let's look at additional job information, pay rates and related jobs. It is a good idea to use the latest edition of the Occupational Outlook Handbook before making a final choice about a journalism career. You should also use Career Builder for locating regional salary information. The websites for these are www.bls.gov/oco and www.careerbuilder.com.

OCCUPATIONAL OUTLOOK HANDBOOK 2008-2009

Using the 2008-2009 Occupational

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