It's easier to earn your big break after getting your foot in the door! For example, reporter Carl Bernstein actually dropped out of college - but then he won a Pulitzer Prize for journalism at the Washington Post. He'd started as the Post's copyboy, proud to work his way up at one of America's major newspapers. His experience proves an important lesson about landing your first journalism job: paying your dues can pay off!
Before considering resume-writing tips or enthusiastic words of encouragement, face the truth: it may take hard work. Some entry-level newspaper positions require late hours "putting the paper to bed," very unglamorous writing assignments, or painstaking attention to details on stories written by others. If you love journalism, you'll love the chance to be a part of it, and it's a great way to learn the industry while paying your dues. But here's some tips that will make it even easier to land your first journalism job.
Starting Small
Your first assignment might be proofreading or preparing the "crime blotter", but many reporters have surprisingly fond memories of a different first newspaper assignment: writing obituaries. "It's a great first job for any journalist," one reporter remembers, "because you learn very quickly the importance of accuracy. If you make a mistake in writing an obituary, the phones start ringing and they don't stop!" It's a first-job tradition that stems back several decades, and an editor may appreciate it if you signal that you're aware of it. Show some enthusiasm - after all, news is news - and indicate that you've studied their obituary format, and you know how to write them.
But as a professional journalist, I also know that some publications can surprise you, offering your first assignment the day of your job interview. It's an editor's way of determining what you're capable of, and it's a no-risk option for them. (The article is written "on spec," meaning they won't pay you unless they decide to publish it!) Be ready to answer the question: what would you write about if you were working for us today? And if they do give you an assignment, make sure you don't miss your deadline!
Either way, editors will pay careful attention to your response, so bring the same enthusiasm to your first journalism job, even if it means writing obituaries instead. ("When you think about it, obituaries are like biographies," remembers another reporter, describing their own first writing experience. "[O]ne can't alter the plot. But a really good obituary writer can do much with this form, illuminating and making real the life of the recently deceased.") Every obituary encapsulates an individual's entire life, and there's ultimately a deep meaning behind the phrase "survived by two sons and a granddaughter." Thomas Wolfe once lovingly described an editor who read the few facts in a daily newspaper, and imagined all the rich details they suggested about the corresponding real-world event.
Journalism is exciting, and it's been said that all reporters are united by secret thrills only they can understand. So some editors are surprisingly willing to help new journalists break into their field in whatever way they can. Journalism can be grueling industry, and they appreciate the new energy of a fresh, new reporter. Editors want a self-starter, so they'll can be favorably impressed by a show of confidence and ambition.
The Stringer Shortcut
Your first job can take several forms, and it may be easier to land a full-time position after writing for the paper as a freelance writer (or "stringer.") Your location can be your greatest strength, since editor's will appreciate the fact that you're already in place when there's breaking news happening in your city. Let them know you're available at a moment's notice, and offer to cover some local events to prove your abilities. Weekends may catch the paper without a full staff of reporters, so watch for big stories which you can pitch to an editor. It's a chance to prove you've got good instincts for news - and your chance may come sooner than you think.
Besides daily newspapers, consider writing for alternative newsweeklies. They traditionally pay less, but this guarantees a high turnover rate among their staff, so some sections may need new writers. You might end up writing restaurant reviews, but it's one step closer to a true journalism job. And the "clips" of your articles will establish your credentials the next time you're talking to an editor.
Preparing for the Interview
Clips are an editor's first glimpse at your capabilities as a writer, so choose your samples carefully. Instead of flooding them with a hodgepodge of unrelated stories, think about the kind of articles that your employer would value most, and try to find examples where you've covered the same topics. This is also your chance to highlight past accomplishments and re-emphasize special honors you've received. Try to remember how you researched and reported the facts for your clips, so you can describe specific tasks where you're already experienced.
Papers spend decades earning a reputation for accuracy and reliability, but one big mistake will haunt them for years. Remember that when you're preparing for your job interview. (Your employer's biggest concern will be whether you'll destroy them!) Be prepared to show you understand the basics of journalism. Know that "malice" is a criteria for libel, and make sure your interviewer won't find any angry personal diatribes when he Googles your name! But understand his concern extends beyond even conflict of interest, to what's known as "the appearance of a conflict of interest." You can't fill the position of an objective journalist if the public thinks you have even a potential allegiance to one side of an issue.
Nailing the Interview
Editors may request an example of your past performance, so be prepared with a good story that demonstrates careful fact-checking. If you can, think of a time when you caught a mistake made by another reporter or editor. Someone once joked all newsmen have one thing in common: they love a good story. It's your chance to show understanding of basic journalistic principals, but it also shows that you're an effective communicator. A good anecdote helps you connect in a way that's more personal, even while it's establishing your own professional credentials.
As with any job search, your greatest asset is ultimately a good attitude. But behind that lies enthusiasm for the exciting world you're entering, and it will help motivate you in your search. Just remember that same enthusiasm when you land your first journalism job. A Washington Post reporter once admitted that they never would've broken the story of Watergate if the story was assigned to their established staff of reporters. Instead, it was their newest reporters - Woodward and Bernstein - who were determined to show they could handle the jobs.
And ultimately they brought in a Pulitzer Prize-winning story, because "They just worked their tails off."