Journalist Resumes: Overview
As a journalist, your typical day includes investigative reporting, conducting interviews, and crafting engaging narratives. You research, write, edit, proofread, and file news stories in various work environments, including:
- Newspapers and Magazines
- Broadcasting companies
- Online News Platforms
- Public Relations Agencies
- Nonprofit Organizations
Not surprisingly, you will need strong research and investigative skills, exceptional writing and editing abilities, and strong communication skills to succeed in journalism.
Create an outstanding resume to get noticed by potential employers and land your dream job as a journalist. To get started, explore our downloadable templates and resume examples for inspiration!
Journalist Resume: Choose a Format
To create your resume for a job in journalism, you will first choose the best resume format to showcase your skills and qualifications. The right resume format can highlight your strengths and grab the attention of prospective employers.
There are three popular formats to choose from: chronological, functional, and combination. Each has its benefits for helping you get your next job as a journalist.
Chronological Resumes for a Journalist
The most common choice for a journalist’s resume format is chronological. Chronological resumes provide a timeline of your career, showcasing your work history in a sequential order.
This format works well for experienced journalists because it places an emphasis on your work experience, showcasing your qualifications as a journalist.
It is important to consider how work experience is highly valued by most employers because it adds credibility and demonstrates your skillset in journalism.
This format features a list of your previous employers, along with details about your job responsibilities, achievements and most relevant skills.
Chronological resumes are also very compatible with applicant tracking systems (ATS), making it a good option to ensure your resume gets into the hands of a hiring manager.
Functional Resumes for a Journalist
Another option is to use a functional resume format. This unique resume style shifts the focus from work history to skills and qualifications, making them ideal for aspiring journalists or someone with diverse work experience.
A functional format highlights your core skills, such as writing, editing, and investigative reporting, without delving into a detailed work history.
If you have limited or no relevant journalism experience, a functional format allows you to showcase your abilities, educational background and transferable skills.
One word of caution: employers often put a high value on work history, so a functional resume may not pass initial screenings by hiring managers and applicant tracking systems (ATS). That doesn’t mean it is the wrong choice for you, but it does have some limitations.
Combination Resumes for a Journalist
A combination resume blends the best of both worlds by blending elements from chronological and functional formats. A combination format is perfect for a journalist with little or mixed experience.
In a combination resume format, you place your skills and qualifications at the top of your resume, bringing attention to your abilities.
Then, you provide your recent work history, using bullet points to detail your responsibilities and accomplishments in each role.
Choosing a Resume Format
Choosing the right resume format for you is a crucial part of writing your resume. Consider each format and how it will present your best qualities to potential employers.
If you aren’t sure, most experts recommend a chronological resume format. It is familiar to employers and ATS-friendly, making it a safe choice for most job candidates.
Even if you don’t have much relevant work experience, you can tailor your resume content to showcase your transferable skills and abilities.
For example, if you have used your writing, editing or interviewing skills in a previous job, volunteer work or hobby, you can highlight that experience and relate it to the journalist position you are applying for.
How to Write a Journalist Resume
Once you have chosen a resume format, the next step to crafting the perfect resume for a journalist is to write a compelling resume outline. Your resume should consist of the following five key sections:
- Contact information
- Resume Summary or Objective
- Work History
- Skills
- Education
Once you have created those five sections, you can consider a few optional additional sections if space allows. Each section of your resume creates a fuller picture of the value you bring to potential employers.
Contact Information
The first step in writing a journalist resume is to provide your contact information.
Include your full name, a professional email address, an easily reachable phone number, and a link to your LinkedIn profile.
This provides multiple channels for potential employers to connect with you, showcasing your accessibility and professionalism.
Place your contact information at the top of your resume, making sure it is accurate, readable and easy to find. The exact layout of your contact information may vary depending on the resume template you use, but it may look something like this:
Randall Smith
Lubbock, Texas
R.Smith@fake.email.com
555-555-5555
linkedin.com/in/RandallSmith
You can make your name stand out by using a bold or larger font, just avoid wasting valuable resume space, or letting your contact information overshadow your qualifications.
Summary or Objective
Next, you will write either a resume summary or an objective statement to introduce yourself briefly to the reader.
A resume summary is best for a journalist with at least some experience. It briefly overviews your most relevant skills, experience and achievements. It should be a concise two or three sentences at most and might read something like this:
“Award-winning journalist with a decade of experience across multiple platforms. Outgoing, tenacious and committed to accurate reporting, writing, editing and meeting deadlines.”
An objective statement, however, is best if you are just starting your journalism career. A resume objective focuses on your career goals, skills and passion for the work.
Here’s an example of an effective objective statement for a journalist:
“Recent journalism graduate with a passion for uncovering stories and a strong foundation in research and writing. Looking to secure a reporting role to bring attention to important topics across multiple media formats.”
A well-crafted resume summary or objective statement is key to getting your resume noticed. Tailor this section to each job you apply to, including keywords from the job description to make your resume more ATS-friendly.
Work History
Next, you will detail your work experience, providing insights into your previous job roles. Start by listing your previous jobs in reverse chronological order.
Each entry should include your job title, employer’s name and location, and the dates you were employed there.
Then, under each job entry, include details about your responsibilities and achievements in a bulleted list.
Use strong action verbs like investigated, reported, delivered or interviewed to engage the reader. Also, include numbers and percentages to quantify your achievements and demonstrate your impact in each role. This will help your resume stand out because employers will be able to understand your value as a journalist quickly.
For example, rather than saying, “Fact-checked articles,” demonstrate your impact by saying, “Confirmed veracity of 20+ articles each week, communicated with colleagues and interviewed subjects to gather information.”
It’s important to tailor your work history section to each job you apply to. Use each bullet point to showcase your alignment with the job description, and use industry keywords wherever appropriate. A well-written work history section will demonstrate your talents and help hiring managers visualize you doing the work.
Here is a good example of a work history entry on a journalist resume:
Investigative Journalist
The Daily Beacon
January 2019 – Present
New York, NY
- Researched and investigated 30+ stories per month, uncovering corruption and malpractice in local government agencies.
- Produced 20+ in-depth investigative reports, leading to policy reforms and increased transparency in public institutions.
- Conducted interviews with key stakeholders and sources, resulting in a 40% increase in exclusive content and breaking news coverage.
Skills
Next, you will create a dedicated skills section to highlight a blend of hard and soft skills relevant to a job in journalism.
Showcase hard skills like research, writing, and editing to highlight your technical abilities.
Additionally, emphasize soft skills such as communication, adaptability, and time management
A well-balanced skills section creates a comprehensive picture of your capabilities and suitability for the role.
To give you a better idea, we have compiled a list of the top five hard and soft skills for a journalist resume below.
However, these are just some popular skills. When writing your resume, make sure to tailor it to the journalist position you’re applying to by listing skills found in the job description.
Top 5 Hard Skills for Journalist Resumes
- Investigative Reporting: Showcase your ability to uncover and present facts objectively to ensure your audience receives accurate and unbiased information.
- Editing: Emphasize your skills in ensuring accuracy, clarity, and coherence in your work to maintain the highest standard for employers.
- Digital Media Literacy: Highlight your computer skills and proficiency in navigating online platforms and using social media effectively.
- Interviewing: This skill is fundamental for journalists as it directly contributes to the depth and quality of your stories. Demonstrate your expertise in conducting insightful interviews for compelling stories.
- Deadline Management: Showcase your ability to thrive in fast-paced environments, consistently meeting tight deadlines. This not only reflects your professionalism but also ensures timely and relevant news delivery.
Top 5 Soft Skills for Journalist Resumes
- Communication: Highlight your ability to convey information clearly and persuasively, ensuring your stories are impactful and easily understood by your audience.
- Adaptability: The media landscape is ever-evolving, and your ability to navigate diverse topics and adapt to changing trends is crucial for staying relevant and effective.
- Time Management: Journalists often juggle multiple assignments simultaneously, and your ability to consistently meet deadlines ensures timely and reliable news coverage.
- Creativity: Emphasize your creative prowess in crafting stories that captivate readers. Creativity drives unique and engaging content, setting you apart as a journalist who delivers compelling narratives.
- Collaboration: Demonstrate your capacity to work seamlessly with editors, photographers, and fellow journalists, showcasing your ability to work well with others.
Education
Now, you will provide your educational background, focusing on journalism-related degrees or relevant coursework. You can also mention any honors or certifications to provide additional credibility.
However, you can also include that information in a separate section, which we will discuss next.
Your education section should list your highest degree earned, as well as the name and location of the institution. For example, your education section may look like this:
Education
Bachelor of Arts: Journalism
Texas State University, San Marcos, TX
Relevant Coursework:
Writing and Reporting
Media Ethics
Mass Communications
If you have a college degree, it is not necessary to include information about your high school diploma, so reserve that valuable space on your resume to showcase your qualifications.
Additional Sections
Once you have nailed down the above five sections, you can consider adding sections to highlight specific achievements and enhance your resume further. Some optional sections to consider include:
- Certifications
- Professional Associations
- Awards and Honors
- Link to Portfolio
While some of this information can be included in the previous sections of your resume, separating them can bring attention to unique qualifications.
Just be sure any additional section you include is relevant to the journalist job you are applying to.
For example, being a member of a professional journalism group or organization can demonstrate your commitment to journalistic excellence.
These groups offer networking opportunities, mentoring, and continuing education through workshops and seminars.
10 Tips For Writing A Journalist Resume
Tailor Your Resume for Each Application: Craft a unique resume for each journalism job, aligning your skills and experiences with the specific requirements of each position to stand out from the competition.
Showcase Your Impact: Emphasize the broader impact of your work, detailing how your stories contributed to audience engagement, societal awareness, or any measurable outcomes.
Emphasize Digital Skills: Highlight your proficiency in utilizing digital media tools and platforms, demonstrating your adaptability to the evolving landscape of journalism.
Quantify Achievements: Use metrics to quantify the success of your stories, providing concrete evidence of your contributions and the effectiveness of your journalistic endeavors.
Use Visual Appeal: Choose a professional resume template that is visually appealing and a format that showcases your qualifications in the best light to catch the attention of recruiters.
Include a Portfolio: Enhance your credibility by providing a link to an online portfolio showcasing your best work, offering a comprehensive view of your capabilities to potential employers.
Focus on Keywords: Integrate industry-specific keywords strategically throughout your resume to enhance visibility with applicant tracking systems (ATS) and align with the language used in the job description.
Demonstrate Adaptability: Showcase your ability to cover diverse topics and formats, underlining your versatility as a journalist capable of navigating various subject matters and storytelling approaches.
Highlight Media Appearances: Mention any media appearances or public speaking engagements, providing evidence of your visibility and authority within the industry.
Proofread: Ensure your resume is error-free, reflecting your meticulous attention to detail and professionalism, which are crucial in journalism.
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Key Takeaways
- Choose a resume format that best highlights your career progression or skills.
- Craft a compelling summary or objective that engages the reader and entices them to read further.
- Include hard and soft skills to provide a complete picture of your journalistic abilities.
- Tailor your resume for each role, emphasizing impact and quantifiable achievements.
- Use keywords from each job description to pass initial screenings by applicant tracking systems (ATS).
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FAQ
Tailor your resume by emphasizing relevant experiences and skills based on the specific requirements of each journalism job. Use keywords from the job description to make your resume ATS-friendly and increase your chances of being noticed by hiring managers.
Include digital skills such as proficiency in content management systems, social media platforms, video editing, and multimedia storytelling to showcase your adaptability in the digital age.
A portfolio is crucial for a journalist resume as it provides tangible evidence of your writing and reporting skills. Include a link to your online portfolio showcasing your best work.
Yes, mentioning media appearances or public speaking engagements adds credibility to your resume. Highlight instances where you presented or contributed to media discussions. When possible, provide links to videos and articles you are featured in.
You can list your internships in your work history section. Use bullet points to provide information about specific tasks, projects, or stories you contributed to. Highlight any published work, improvements made, or skills acquired during these experiences.
While potential employers will prioritize journalism-related experience, certain non-journalism work experiences can demonstrate transferable skills. Use bullet points to showcase communication, research, or project management skills, emphasizing their relevance to journalism.
Aim for a concise, one-page resume, focusing on the most relevant information. Prioritize your most impactful experiences, skills, and achievements. A two-page resume is acceptable if you have extensive experience, but ensure every detail adds value.