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A career in print journalism

A print journalist will typically write for either a newspaper, journal or magazine. They will be required to write and research articles, features and interviews and, in time, may be given the chance to specialise in an area of their choice.

The role of a print journalist has changed in recent years and increasingly they are expected to adapt their articles for third-party platforms such as online.

Furthermore, many print journalists working for newspapers are required to produce video content to accompany their reports. Therefore, having a broad skills set is a big advantage when seeking employment.

Journalism is a competitive field and most roles are reserved for graduates, with undergraduate degrees in journalism or a related field such as politics, English literature or history preferred. If an undergraduate degree in journalism has not been undertaken many employers will require the candidate to enter some form of further education, be it a masters or diploma, in journalism, to gain skills specific to the profession, such as shorthand and an understanding of media law.

Most journalism courses will also enter candidates for their NCTJ examinations in shorthand, news writing, media law and public affairs, and sometimes sub-editing. These are referred to as the pre-entry qualifications and regional newspaper[s], in particular, will seek to hire candidates who have passed these exams.

Employers will want to see more than qualifications on a candidate's CV. Work experience is a must and the more the better. Aspiring journalists should try and think about the area of the media they want to work in - be it magazines, regional press or national newspapers - early on and seek work experience at relevant organisations. Getting involved in student press is also another popular way candidates can demonstrate their enthusiasm.

Before an applicant has worked for a newspaper they will be expected to have compiled a portfolio of their work. This can be clippings from stories submitted as coursework or articles published during stints of work experience.

Once an applicant has secured a job on a regional newspaper as a trainee reporter, they will begin to study for their National Certificate Examination (NCE). This normally takes about 18 months and involves taking extended shorthand and media law examinations, as well as submitting a portfolio of work completed on the job. National newspapers and magazines generally do not require their journalists to sit the NCE.

Those entering the journalism trade should not do so with hopes of a particularly lucrative salary. Entry level positions typically offer between £12,000 and £16,000 at a regional newspaper, which rises to around £20,000 once the NCE has been gained. The average salary for all journalists is £24,000, but there is a wide variation between regional and national newspapers.

If you are looking at a specialist job opportunity it is still worth looking at job centre options when thinking about you’re a new career; you may want to search for several related vacancies in different locations before applying.