Steps to Becoming a Journalist

I want to become Journalist so can you please tell me the Steps to Become a Journalist?

[Kiran Chandar]

Journalists are writers who research and report current events via print, broadcast, and online media.

Education Required Bachelor's degree
Education Field of Study Journalism
Job Growth (2012-2022) -13%* (for all reporters, correspondents, and broadcast news analysts)
Median Salary (May 2013) $35,600 (for all reporters and correspondents)

Steps to Become Journalist

Step 1: Prepare in High School

You will need a strong background in writing.

Courses in English, language arts, humanities and social studies will push you to develop your skills in this area.

Writing for the school newspaper, yearbook or literary magazine is helpful as well.

Step 2: Earn a Bachelor's Degree in Journalism

A bachelor's degree in journalism teaches you how to write for different distribution media.

Step 3: Pursue an Internship

Many journalism programs include an internship course through which you can gain experience in a professional newsroom.

Step 4: Find Employment

You can find work for newspapers, magazines, TV stations, radio stations, colleges and universities, as well as a wide assortment of Internet portals.

Step 5: Advance Your Career

Entry-level tasks include writing obituaries or covering civic meetings or court cases.

After you've accumulated more experience, advancement usually entails changing jobs to positions at larger publications or broadcasters in a larger market, covering a specific field or covering more difficult or dangerous stories.

With sufficient experience you could become a columnist or editor if you work at a newspaper.