I know many young people are aspiring to become good journalists and they might be looking for journalism jobs or journalism internships to pursue this as a career and explore this hectic field.
Journalism can be a tough industry to break into, especially in the modern era. Newspapers all over Australia are shutting down as the digital world and its 24-hour news feeds take over. In this environment, it’s all too easy for young journalism graduates to find themselves churning out fast news articles and thinly disguised clickbait, all the while questioning why they got into the industry in the first place.
Of course, there are still plenty of wonderful opportunities for budding journalists. If you want to secure yourself one of the coveted roles in which you’ll be able to craft researched pieces and have a positive impact on society, it’s worth getting started as soon as possible on the following tips.
1. Develop your flair
With so many aspiring young writers vying for limited opportunities, you need to find ways to stand out from the crowd. It’s never too early to work on developing a unique and engaging writing style to differentiate yourself from the countless other word-churners out there. Writing constantly and copiously is the simplest and best way to cultivate a unique voice. To assist with ironing out some of the rough edges, hiring a VCE English tutor will not only help you achieve higher ATARs but will also arm you with the grammatical weaponry needed to hone your craft and gain an edge.
2. Boost your interviewing skills
Interviewing is about more than just asking questions. There’s an art to it, and regardless of whether you end up in print or broadcast journalism, it’s one that you’ll need to master. To get started, watch as many interviews as you can. YouTube will be your best friend in this endeavor.
Watch interviews from skilled journalists like Emily Maitlis and compare them to documentarians like Louis Theroux and comedians like Theo Von. Consider the way both trained and untrained interviewers pose questions and guide the conversation.
3. Practice
While research is essential, journalism is also a practical field. With this in mind, it’s a great idea to get a head start by conducting interviews and investigating topics that interest you. The results can be published in your school newspaper or on your own blog or podcast. You can also consider submitting your work to relevant Australian publications. It never hurts to try.
4. Look for internship opportunities
Though most internships in Australia are arranged through universities, you may be able to find opportunities at street mags and other independent publications. This is also a great way to get a taste for independent media.
More and more crowdfunded journalistic publications are emerging, and while they don’t have the power of the big media companies, they give journalists the ability to do slow journalism and to question the system in ways that aren’t always possible in a large news corporation.
5. Build your portfolio
The sooner you can start building a portfolio, the better. This can include articles you’ve written for your school newspaper and anything you’ve successfully submitted to other publications. It can also include your own blog posts and YouTube videos, so there’s nothing stopping you from getting started today.
Use a site like Journoportfolio to present all your pieces in one place. The platform offers a free subscription for students and gives you the ability to customize your portfolio. Be sure to write a short but compelling bio describing who you are and where your passions lie in journalism.
It can be tough to find your place in journalism and even harder to find a place that allows you to have an authentic voice. However, if you put the above tips into practice, you’ll be well on your way to achieving your journalistic dreams.
