Breaking into print journalism isn’t an easy task. It’s a very competitive field, because journalists by nature have to be real go-getters: ready to dig up the truth of the matter, willing to go places not everyone wants to go (and where they sometimes are not very welcome), and determined to get the scoop. Being a good writer and enjoying reading the newspaper doesn’t exactly qualify you to be the next Lois Lane, but if you’re willing to put in the time and dedication necessary to be a real reporter, there’s more than one way to go about it.
Education
Most four-year colleges offer journalism programs. If you decide to go this route, you spend the necessary years at a university, generally as a devoted staff member on their newspaper to get actual experience, rather than just classroom experience - because there is a difference. Some institutions even offer graduate programs if you feel you need a master’s degree or doctorate in the discipline. This is especially important if you want to teach journalism at some point, although you are also more likely to get higher-tiered jobs at better pay. While it is always possible to go back to school later on for these, remember that graduate programs are incredibly difficult to accomplish while working a full-time job.
Although your main focus will be journalism, many experts in the field recommend at least minoring, if not double majoring, in something very different. For example, if you’re interested in politics, political science would be something else you’d want to be well-versed in. If you don’t know exactly what you want to write about, taking classes that are way outside the wonderful world of journalism will help broaden your horizons. The more you know, the more you can knowledgeably write about.
Internships
Internships are a good next step. Somewhere between school and the real world, internships help you figure out exactly how things work when you aren’t comfortably ensconced in the university newspaper room. Trying out different kinds of internships will give you a better idea of what jobs are available and what jobs you’ll be good at and enjoy. You’ll often be doing a lot of different things, whereas in an an actual job, you may be more focused on one particular aspect. Sometimes internships are paid, sometimes not, so it never hurts to be keeping your ears open for part-time jobs in the industry that will you give you a leg-up and a few contacts to get started with.
The Other Way
It’s not an absolute necessity to have a particular journalism degree; it just doesn’t hurt to have one under your belt. Writing and english degrees can be other pertinent bachelor’s degrees to have, especially if you are part of a school newspaper at the same time. Some places just want you to have a degree. Some places might not require it at all, but these aren’t necessarily going to be extremely high quality establishments. If you already have a particular spot in mind, check into their requirements before you decide to forego schooling all together. Read a lot, especially magazines and newspapers, and be familiar with journalistic writing, as it is quite different from any other type of writing. Starting out in less impressive positions will at least help you build a resume, learn the job from the inside, and provide a starting point for a hopefully long and prodigious career.
