Let me share a story about the first managerial position I ever applied for. I was fresh out of college, full of energy and anxiety as well. Done with internships., but when the time came to put everything on paper, I had no idea what to write. I knew how to write a portfolio, but what about an effective resume? That was an entirely different story.
The truth is, in journalism, you are supposed to know how to tell a narrative, even if it is about yourself. This understanding hit me when I sent my first resume to a large newspaper for the position of manager. I believed I had got it, but what happened next? Nothing. No callbacks or interviews. I knew I needed a fresh approach, so I began from zero, researching what makes a journalism resume stand out.
To that effect, this is what brought about this beautiful piece you are about to read. I’m here—to share what I’ve learned as a manager working in a firm where I have witnessed firsthand the interviews and recruitments of journalists.
Key Points
- Tailor your resume to the specific job and company you’re applying to by researching their requirements and using industry-specific terminology and keywords.
- Showcase relevant experience, including internships, freelance work, and published articles or multimedia projects. Don’t forget to emphasize both technical skills (like software proficiency) and soft skills (like communication and adaptability).
- Your professional summary or objective is your chance to make a strong first impression. Keep it concise, but make sure it showcases your passion for journalism and aligns with the job and company culture.
- Opt for a clean and professional layout for your resume, using bullet points, bolding, and white space to enhance readability. Incorporating multimedia elements like hyperlinks to published work can also help your resume stand out.
- Proofread Thoroughly: Avoid typos and errors by proofreading your resume multiple times. Consider seeking feedback from peers or mentors to ensure clarity and effectiveness.
What is a Resume?
Let’s be honest: a résumé is simply a collection of accomplishments. When I first started applying for employment, my résumé was a jumbled mess. It was a collection of PDFs and random links with no discernible pattern. After some assistance from a mentor, firsthand experience in the process of hiring journalists, and the help of books like Greg Faherty’s The New Guide to Writing A Perfect Resume, I was able to create one. It made a huge impact. Even editors and hiring managers could see my abilities in action, which offered them more reasons to contact me.
A resume is an official record that highlights a person’s experience in the workforce and pertinent competencies. People who are looking for work create a résumé. Resumes are typically gathered in person, via professional social media pages, job search engines, hiring managers’ websites, or by recruiters. The majority of resumes include a professional overview, education history, employment history, and skills list.
Understanding the Journalism Resume
After a few years, I was able to figure out how to navigate the constantly shifting journalism setting. I developed my research, storytelling, and communication skills and learned a lot with every new task and project. You can bet that I updated my resume appropriately. I made sure to record every success and turning point, from breaking news coverage to in-depth investigation pieces, to highlight my industry knowledge and field experience.
This means, given the competitive nature of the sector, sending in an impressive resume will help you stand out from other applicants. Also, highlighting your experience and talents relevant to the journalism field is crucial while applying for jobs in this field just like I did.
Creating the ideal journalism resume, however, requires more than just listing your accomplishments—it also requires expressing your opinions and thoughts about the field. So let’s get into the specifics of creating a journalism resume that stands out.
The Components of a Journalism Resume
The journalism resume is not just a summary of your work history—it’s a narrative that demonstrates your skills, creativity, and ability to engage an audience. So, understanding what makes a journalism resume effective is crucial for anyone seeking a career in the media industry.
Think of your resume like an apartment. Every component is an essential building block. The important areas are broken down below, along with what employers look for in each:
#1. Contact Details
This is the headquarters for journalism! Verify the professionalism and currentness of your phone number and email address. To do this, provide a link as well if you have an amazing online portfolio where you can view your work. To make your contact information stand out more, it can be beneficial to use a larger font, use a horizontal line to divide the text or alter the color.
#2. Objective/Professional Summary
Just as a journalist crafts a captivating introduction in their articles, your resume should start with a strong summary. Your summary should encapsulate your expertise, experience, and unique value proposition. A well-crafted opening line can grab a recruiter’s attention and set the tone for the rest of the document.
Typically, a professional summary consists of two or three sentences. This can be positioned beneath your header to make it stand out on your resume and provide an overview of the remainder of your job history and qualifications. Think of this as your brief introduction. Summarize your professional objectives, highlight your strengths as a journalist, and identify yourself in a few short phrases.
#3. Education
Mention your educational background, relevant coursework (investigative reporting, data journalism), and any noteworthy projects or honors you’ve received. Make sure you include the program name, graduation date, and school’s address. If your GPA is at least 3.5, you may also include it.
#4. Relevant Experience
This is your opportunity to brag—in a positive way, of course. To explain your prior work, use action verbs that are forceful and unique to journalism. Instead of merely stating, “Wrote articles,” illustrate the significance: “Increased website traffic by 20% with data-driven investigative reports.” Did your efforts receive any recognition or did you interview a local celebrity? Never hesitate to include those. Also, list each position along with the name of the company and your dates of employment. Underneath each position, you may list your tasks, accomplishments, duties, or skills gained in the position.
#5. Skills
Journalism is a diverse field, covering various roles from reporting and editing to multimedia production. Tailor your resume to highlight the experiences and skills most relevant to the job you’re applying for. If you’re applying for a multimedia journalist position, emphasize your video editing skills and experience with digital storytelling platforms.
This section of your resume comprises both hard and soft abilities that apply to the position for which you are applying. This could include hard talents like computer programming that you are adept in, as well as soft skills like leadership or problem-solving. Refer to the job description and include the skills that the employer is looking for.
#6. Certifications and Licenses
Certain positions may require additional certificates or licenses to qualify you for the work, in which case it’s advisable to include them on your resume to show your potential employer that you’re qualified and suitable for hire. Perhaps it is a data journalism class or a social media marketing session. List them there to show your dedication to constant learning.
In addition to the above, in journalism, who you know can be as important as what you know. If you’ve collaborated with well-known journalists, worked for reputable publications, or have references from industry leaders, include them in your resume. This can lend credibility and demonstrate that you’re connected within the industry.
Example of a Journalist’s Resume
This resume example will help you when learning how to write a journalist resume:
Jason Brooks, Bachelor of Arts in Journalism 416-456-7890 | jason.brooks@email.com | Toronto, Ontario
- Professional Summary
Innovative and research-driven multimedia journalist with over seven years of experience in investigative, feature, and entertainment writing. Generated over 250 short- and long-form stories for an electronic lifestyle magazine, boosting subscriptions to over 200,000 in one year. As news editor for a large daily paper, led a team that expanded the front section by 20% in one year.
- Experience
News Editor | February 2018–Current
Mauve Media News Corp. | Toronto, Ontario
Led editorial news team in daily content meetings to select local, national, and world news, entertainment, and sports material for the eight-section daily newspaper with a 250,000 circulation
design and paginate Page 1
supervise the design and pagination team of seven for the paper’s front section, creating special sections and supplements
create copy for the entertainment, health, and lifestyle pages, including a weekly supplement of 26–32 pages
hire and supervise in-house and freelance copywriters and editors
Sales Promoter | July 2017–February 2019
City Core News Publishers | Toronto, Ontario
pitched 5 to 10 daily story ideas for newsworthy topics from the local community and the Greater Toronto Area
wrote two or three stories for each four-section paper and edited wire copy for the national section
attended community events, interviewed attendees and event runners, and wrote the copy to meet the evening deadline
- Skills
Multimedia | CP style | Investigation | Verifying sources | Ethical standards | Digital literacy | Awareness of local, national, and international current events
- Education
Bachelor of Arts in Journalism, Chasetown University
Please note that none of the companies, institutions, or organizations mentioned in this article are affiliated with us in any way.
[Certification name], [Host organization] – [Year completed or expiration date]
- Certifications
How to Write an Effective Resume as a Journalist
Journalists seek answers and increase public understanding of a wide range of topics by using their investigative spirit and communication skills. I must say that if you have a natural passion for learning the details of current events in local, national, or international news, becoming a journalist might be an intriguing career choice for you honestly.
My True And Tried Step-by-Step Guide To Create An Effective Resume
Writing a journalistic resume helps you present yourself to companies as a qualified candidate who can conduct research, communicate effectively with others, and produce engaging narratives. Your journalism resume is the first chapter in your professional story. It’s your chance to engage, impress, and ultimately land the job. Take the time to craft it well, focus on what makes you unique, and don’t forget to include the stats that back up your claims. If you follow these tips, you’ll be well on your way to landing your dream job in journalism.
Here are steps to take note of as you draft your resume like I did during my own time:
#1. Examine Your Job Postings
Here’s a thing I wish I knew earlier: tailor your resume to the job you’re applying for. Journalism is a broad field, and not all positions are the same. If you’re applying for a TV journalism role, talking about your video editing skills and on-camera experience is a lot more relevant than discussing your written pieces.
This is because employers’ usual requirements for experience and skill sets can be inferred from job descriptions. This means, a broad skill set can come in handy if you’re hoping to work as a journalist for a newspaper, since these people typically cover a wide range of subjects, from vital current events to feature articles. You might need additional specialized abilities, such as familiarity with legal terminologies, rules, and regulations if you wish to write about legal topics like court cases, police, or justice reform.
#2. Select a Style For the Formatting
The format of your resume may vary based on your level of experience and expertise. For instance, a functional format is usually chosen by recent graduates with limited work experience because it emphasizes education and skills above experience. A chronological approach could be more advantageous if you have several years of work experience because it presents your talents and most noteworthy academic accomplishments in addition to outlining your current and most recent positions in greater depth.
#3. Make Use of Keywords
The majority of job descriptions describe the education, training, and experience requirements for a position using relevant keywords. These keywords are commonly entered by employers into application tracking system software, which evaluates and ranks your resume based on the number of keywords that match for pre-screening.
purposes. Keywords can be skills, years of experience, degrees, or various responsibilities. Here’s a list of example keywords you may want to include in your journalism resume:
- reporting
- politics
- interviewing
- pitching
#4. Write Your Professional Summary
A professional summary is useful for informing employers about your skills, experience, and qualifications in a few short phrases. Recruiters frequently review professional summaries first to select candidates based on whether they meet the basic job requirements. Quantifiable assertions are an important part of professional summaries since they can attract a hiring manager to read your resume in greater depth.
For example, I researched and produced over 220 front-page pieces about community or worldwide events, resulting in a large contact network of over 150,000 subscribers.
#5. Describe Your York Experience
Prior roles are listed in reverse chronological order on a chronological resume, starting with your current role. Typically, a job description has your title, dates of employment, and a list of five job tasks for your present position (three for each previous role) organized in bullet points. Aim to incorporate a minimum of one measurable claim for every position. For every work duty, you can accomplish this by outlining your actions, your method, and the outcome. Example: In the first year, boost reader subscriptions by 15% and website traffic for the newspaper by 25% by conducting research, writing, and editing investigative pieces for various platforms.
#6. Make Use of Active Verbs
Using active verbs to describe your job responsibilities can often make your resume more readable and effective. By implying that you took action rather than letting something happen to you, active verbs convey leadership or action. Active verbs are more interesting to read and show how you applied your knowledge in real-world scenarios.
Related: Examples of How to Use Active Verbs in Your Resume
#7. List Your Relevant Skills
Though a journalist can have a wide range of abilities, it’s usually advisable to mention those that align with the job description or are generally expected in the field. Most occupations demand a combination of talents, including both hard and soft skills.
As a journalist, you might use your hard, or technical, skills when using different technologies, such as recording devices, computers, cameras, or software programs. Your soft skills are important for communicating with people, persuading them to tell their stories, and writing interesting articles. Here are more examples of skills for a journalist’s resume:
- objective reporting
- trustworthiness
- active listening
- empathy
- creative thinking
#8. Outline Your Education
Any degrees, certificates, and diplomas are acceptable to add to this section. If you graduated within the last three years, mention the university you attended and the date of your graduation. Employers look highly upon memberships in professional or industry bodies, such as the Radio Television Digital News Foundation of Canada or the Canadian Association of Journalists, which you might also list.
#9. Ensure Your Resume is Error-Free
One last tip—proofread your resume like your career depends on it, because it does. Journalists are known for being sticklers about accuracy, so a typo or a grammatical error can be a dealbreaker. I once submitted a resume with a glaring typo, and I can tell you, I never heard back from that publication.
This is because employers usually want a resume that demonstrates accuracy and attention to detail—qualities that are essential for journalists. Apart from utilizing editing software, you might go over and proofread your paper multiple times. If you choose, you may also ask a friend or coworker to proofread and offer comments before sending it to an employer. Not to mention, proofread as though your career depends on it—because it does. This is because an unprofessional résumé with numerous typos is the definition of dishonesty. I promise that it will be worthwhile in the end.
Resume Template For Journalists
Use this template to help you create your next resume for a journalism job:
[First name] [Last name]
[Phone number] | [Email address] | [City, State] [Professional portfolio or websiteProfessional Summary[Two to three sentences that highlight years of experience, relevant skills, education, or certifications, and achievements as a professional.]Experience[Job title] | [Employment dates] [Company name] | [City], [State]
- (Strong verb) + what you did (more detail) + reason, outcome, or quantified results (impact supported by numbers when possible).
- [Strong verb] + [job duty] + [impact]
- [Strong verb] + [job duty] + [impact]
- [Strong verb] + [job duty] + [impact]
- [Strong verb] + [job duty] + [impact]
[Job title] | [Employment dates]
[Company name] | [City], [State]
- (Strong verb) + what you did (more detail) + reason, outcome, or quantified results (impact supported by numbers when possible)-.
- [Strong verb] + [job duty] + [impact]
- [Strong verb] + [job duty] + [impact]
Education[Degree], [Major] | [Date of graduation][Name of School or University]Skills[Skill] | [Skill] | [Skill] | [Skill] | [Skill]
Journalism Resume: Formatting and Design Tips
Your resume is a visual representation of your professionalism. Here’s how to make it visually appealing and easy to understand:
#1. Clean and Professional Layout
Avoid using expensive typefaces and instead, opt for classics like Arial or Times New Roman. Use clear section titles and bullet points to make everything easier to read.
#2. Readability Matters
Hiring managers spend only a few seconds scanning resumes. Use white space wisely and avoid cramming too much information onto a single page.
#3. Quantify Your Achievements Whenever Possible
Numbers speak louder than words! Don’t just state “increased website traffic”; quantify it. Was it your goal to “increase website traffic by 20% through a series of investigative reports”? Numbers highlight the significance of your work and indicate your worth to future employers.
#4. Consider a Portfolio Website (Optional)
These days, a portfolio website can be an effective way to highlight your work. You might include published articles, multimedia projects, and writing samples to demonstrate your talents and expertise. If you decide to add a link to your portfolio on your resume, make sure it is professional, user-friendly, and up-to-date.
#5 Job Titles with Specific Targets
Don’t send a routine resume for every journalistic position. Research the firm and position for which you are applying. Then, tailor your resume to highlight the abilities and experiences that are most relevant to the job description. This indicates initiative and genuine interest in the specific role.
#6. Target Action Verbs
Remember those action verbs I mentioned earlier? Use them strategically throughout your resume to showcase your strengths and accomplishments. Replace generic verbs like “responsible for” with action verbs like “managed,” “investigated,” “interviewed,” or “developed.”
#7. Focus on Achievements, Not Just Duties
Your resume should not contain a laundry list of responsibilities. Instead, focus on your accomplishments and the influence you have in past positions. Did you receive an award for your work? Did you break any local news stories? Highlight these accomplishments to illustrate your capacity to produce results.
#8. Be Honest and Authentic
Your resume should be truthful and accurate. However, that doesn’t mean you can’t express your personality and enthusiasm for journalism. Make use of powerful words and descriptive verbs to tell a fascinating story about your abilities and experience.
#9. Visual Appeal (optional)
While a traditional black-and-white resume is always secure, some outlets may appreciate a touch of visual appeal. Try using infographics or creative layouts to demonstrate your data analysis or social media knowledge. However, continue with caution! Make sure the pictures are professional and do not detract from the general reading of your resume.
What is the professional profile of a journalist?
They are responsible for researching, writing, and editing stories that are accurate, timely, and engaging.
What is the difference between a resume and a CV?
A resume vs CV is a brief, one-page document with a few essential sections, while a CV is a lengthy document that includes everything from a job applicant’s career. Also, make reference to the video above the question,
How long should a journalism resume be?
The ideal length for a Freelance Journalist’s resume should be one to two pages.
What is the 30-second rule for resume?
In a competitive labor market, your resume must get you on the interview pile within 30 seconds
Conclusion
As I reflect on those interview sections, newsroom moment, I realize that every resume is a story waiting to be told. It’s your chance to engage, impress, and ultimately land the job. So, craft it with care, add a touch of storytelling, and don’t forget to include the stats that back up your claims. After all, in journalism, the facts always matter.
Here you have it, aspiring journalists! Follow these ideas to create a résumé that editors and recruiters will notice.
After that, bear in mind that the media community relies on connections. Once you’ve created your masterpiece resume, try sharing your journey (and possibly your finished product!) on social media channels such as LinkedIn or Twitter. Use appropriate hashtags (#journalismjobs, #journalistresume) and tag notable journalists or publications that you admire. Who knows, perhaps your ideal job will discover you!
References
- zety.com
- indeed.com
- resumebuilder.com
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