How to get a newspaper job

Getting a job on a newspaper is more difficult than you might think. It takes a lot of hard work and effort, but the jobs are there for people who know how to approach them. Follow our tips to ensure you give yourself the best possible chance of landing your dream job at a newspaper.

1. Decide what sort of position you want. There are all sorts of positions available at newspapers, but most people will be looking at writing jobs. Even narrowing down the choices to this leaves a lot of different positions. Do you want to be writing headlines? Then sub editing is for you. You can also go into feature writing, sports journalism, you might want to be a Television or music critic, or you might be happy reporting on everyday news, but there are two things you need to do before you can start to pick and choose, which are being a junior reporter, and gaining the necessary qualifications.

2. Getting qualified. These days there are no real short cuts, and you will have to have at least a bachelor’s degree in journalism. There is a slim chance that with the right level of promise you could land a role where you will study part time for your journalism degree, but you will still have to pass it.

3. Study the papers you are hoping to join. All newspapers have their own style of writing and political slant, so you will need to have an inherent understanding of this before you set out.

4. A different resume for a different newspaper. Following on from the last point, it would be advisable for you to write separate resumes for each paper you decide to apply for. All of the papers will be looking for different types of writers so again, think very hard about the paper before creating your resume for them.

5. Be prepared to do work experience. This can be a great benefit to you and it will allow you to get a feel of the office and for the job itself.

6. Be positive in the interview. You also need to emphasise your understanding of the undertaking of working for a newspaper. There is a lot of hard work involved every day and you need to show that you can handle the pressure of deadlines.

Good luck with the hunt for a newspaper job, and remember to stick to our hints and tips!