Job Description

A Newspaper Journalist will seek out news to bring it to public attention as quickly as possible. They will be required to attend press conferences, courts and events as well as interviewing people by phone or in person. They will respond to tip-offs and news releases and may be required to attend news worthy events at very short notice.

Entry Requirements

You could get into this job through:

University

You may find it useful to have a degree in a subject like journalism or English. This will help you develop the skills you'll need as a journalist.

If you have a degree in another subject, you could do a postgraduate course in journalism, some of these are accredited by the Professional Publishers Association

Universities vary but you will usually need two to three A levels or equivalent to get onto a degree course.

Search here for university courses 

College 

You could do a college course, which would teach you some of the skills and knowledge you need in this role. Relevant qualifications include Level 3 Diploma in Journalism or Level 3 Diploma in Multimedia Journalism.

You will usually need four or five GCSE's grades 9 to 4 (A* to C) for a level 3 course including English

Work based route

You could start as a trainee on a local or regional newspaper. Opportunities are rare and you'll need to show you've writing experience.

You will need a minimum of five GCSE's grades 9 to 4 (A* to C) including English, many employers will also require A levels or a degree level qualification

Career Tips

Journalism is a very competitive world and you will need to prove that you have good writing experience. 

Make sure you keep a portfolio of all of your published work, volunteer to write for community and student publications. You could also write your own blog and submit articles and reviews to local newspapers and websites.

Career Path and Progression

With experience, you could become a chief reporter or a specialist writer, covering areas like politics, business or particular regions of the country. You could move to a national newspaper or work as a critic.

You could move into other areas such as magazine, broadcast or online journalism. Or you could work in a press office or public relations.

Related careers you may be interested in:

• Magazine journalist
• Broadcast journalist

Required Skills

• Excellent writing skills
• Determination and persistence
• Good interpersonal skills
• Excellent IT skills
• Creativity
• Good at researching

Salary Range

£15,000 to £50,000