Not all journalists hold a furry mic and speak in front of a camera on a crowded street.

Not that there’s anything wrong with that kind of journalism!

GIF of reporter standing outdoors speaking into a mic. Text on image says

Journalism has evolved over the past couple of decades. Yes, there are still journalists reporting live from an exciting location, but there are also journalists sharing stories on Instagram and TikTok!

If you're the king or queen of the latest headlines, a career in journalism could be the right one for you!

Flaticon Icon

What Do Journalists Do?

Journalists are storytellers.

But every storyteller has a process. Most journalists do some or all of the following:

  • Researching

  • Interviewing

  • Writing

  • Proofreading/Editing

  • Reporting

GIF of Nick from the show New Girl saying

Types Of Journalism

Journalism can be broken down in different ways.

Flaticon Icon

  • Broadcast Journalism — reporting the news on TV/radio.

Flaticon Icon

  • Print/Online Journalism — writing articles and stories for newspapers, magazines, and online publications.

Flaticon Icon

  • Photojournalism — using pictures to tell stories about current events.

Flaticon Icon

  • Multimedia Journalism — creating interactive news stories using online platforms.

You could also choose to focus on a specific type of journalism like investigative journalism, news reporting, sports coverage, entertainment reporting, opinion journalism, and so on.

GIF of a news anchor turning to face camera and saying

The Fun Side

Every job should have some perks, amiright??

Image of actor Leonardo DiCaprio holding up a drink. Text says

Journalism allows you to:

  • Work on different topics

  • Learn something new with each story

  • Meet many people from different places

  • Gain access to events with a press pass

    Flaticon Icon

The Challenging Side

It can’t all be fun and games though!

Flaticon Icon

Being a journalist can also mean:

  • Irregular work hours

  • Time away from family

  • Strict deadlines

  • Stress associated with a very fast-paced work environment

  • Exposure to potentially dangerous and harmful circumstances

Is It The Right Job For You?

Being a journalist would be a good fit if you:

  • possess strong writing skills

  • have a thirst for information

  • are a naturally curious person

  • work well under pressure

  • enjoy meeting new people and look forward to traveling

GIF of Nick Cannon looking confused and pointing to himself.

Quiz

You'ld like to apply as a volunteer for your school’s newspaper club. Which skill should you highlight first in your application?

Will It Pay the Bills?

Flag of the United States of America

The average annual salary for a journalist in the US is $53,939 .

Flag of Canada

The average annual salary for a journalist in Canada is $54,061 .

Here's How You Get There

Flaticon Icon Preparation is key!

  1. Strengthen your writing skills by taking courses in English, language arts, humanities, and social studies.

  2. Get a Bachelor's Degree in journalism, communication, or writing

  3. Choose a specialty

  4. Look for volunteer or internship opportunities

  5. Build a portfolio

  6. Make contacts & network

  7. Find Employment

Learn how you can build a portfolio without professional experience.

⚡Pick the Future Journalist

Icon of boy in green shirt

Craig

  • has a big personality & strong voice

  • creates content for his own Youtube channel

  • loves doing presentations & speaking in front of large crowds

Icon of girl in pigtails

Mary

  • likes to be aware of the latest social media updates & trends

  • has thousands of followers & uses TikTok to share her opinions on news stories

icon of boy in green hoodie

Eric

  • loves watching documentaries & reading nonfiction books

  • writes articles for his own blog & the school newspaper

  • tutors elementary students to improve their writing skills

icon of girl in orange shirt

Anjalie

  • is captain of the school volleyball team

  • travels to participate in sports tournaments

  • loves chatting with the different people she meets

Quiz

Who do you think would make an excellent journalist?

Take Action

Neon light display that spells out

If you're ready to start preparing for a journalistic career:

License:

Your feedback matters to us.

This Byte helped me better understand the topic.

Get support to take action on this Byte