Journalism seems to many modern young people an incredibly interesting field of activity. These are tempting prospects: communication with famous people, attending private events, business trips abroad and a good salary! However, reality does not always match expectations. We will try to understand all the intricacies of the profession and understand how to become a journalist.
Such different reporters
A journalist is a person working in the media, whose main duty is to search for and prepare information for subsequent submission to its target audience. Reporters today can work in print media, on radio, television and online resources. A journalist can work with some specific topic, for example, cover only sports or political events. In many companies, there are also generalists who write articles or prepare videos for various programs and headings. Before thinking about how to becomejournalist, it will be useful to decide in what format you want to work. For example, it is important for reporters working on television to have perfect diction and good oratory skills. For journalists preparing material in writing, the absence of speech defects is not a requirement.
How does a career as a journalist start?
Many professionals who have achieved success in the field of journalism claim that they began to write or publicly speak to an audience at an early age. Indeed, if you are interested in working in the media, you can start preparing for it at any age. Particular attention should be paid to the study of the Russian language, even schoolchildren can try to write short stories and notes. If a child says: “I want to become a journalist”, then the task of the parents is to let him try himself in this profession. You can develop talent and evaluate all the pros and cons of the chosen craft by getting a job in the school newspaper. You can also prepare wall newspapers for the holidays and practice creative work: make presentations, write interesting essays and essays. Parents should understand that such activities will in any case be useful to the child. A schoolchild, having played a journalist, if desired, will be able to enter the journalism department of St. Petersburg State University with less effort.
Profile education
A popular question among all those who seek to connect their lives with journalism: "Do I need a diploma of higher education?". You can get a specialized education today in almost any major university. yesterday'sschoolchildren are sure that it is better to choose the most prestigious and well-known educational institution. Many want to enter the journalism department of St. Petersburg State University or Moscow State University. This is a laudable desire, but it is not always justified. Journalism is a field in which it is important to have talent and certain abilities. In the absence of them, a diploma from a prestigious university is unlikely to help you succeed in the profession. If for some reason it is not possible to graduate from the faculty of journalism, you can choose a related speci alty - linguistics. A diploma of higher education as a journalist is needed only for official accreditation and employment. Today, specialists without specialized education often work in this area. These are the so-called freelance journalists, freelance correspondents, as well as copywriters and rewriters. When concluding contracts with such employees, the employer directly evaluates the abilities and skill level of the applicant. Often, many "self-taught" and non-specialized education holders are much more capable than certified journalists.
Where should a journalist look for a job?
You can start building a career in journalism before you graduate. The first thing to do is write an article. It is advisable to choose an interesting and relevant topic. The finished work should be sent to the editorial office of the publishing house or the administrator of the Internet portal. Finding the right contacts today is not difficult at all. Each newspaper or magazine has its own website, most of these portals have a feedback form, throughwhich material can be proposed for publication. You should not expect luck on the first try, many successful specialists today recall that at the dawn of their career they were knocking around the thresholds of editorial offices for months before they managed to publish at least a short note. If your admission to the journalism faculty has already taken place successfully, and the diploma has been received, it's time to send out resumes along with examples of work. You can try to look for a job on the ads. Useful advice for those who want to work in a particular company - start small, formally apply for any vacancy. Over time, getting used to and demonstrating your professional qualities, you will definitely achieve a promotion to the desired position.
Important qualities for a journalist
With the question: "How to become a journalist?" we almost got it right. Now the main thing is how to achieve success in the chosen profession? In order to become a good journalist, you must have a number of professional qualities. You can not do in this profession without public speaking and good communication skills. A journalist should be able to speak beautifully, not be afraid to communicate with people, quickly respond to unexpected statements and answers of the interlocutor. You can learn all this in the courses of public speaking. It will be useful to increase your self-esteem and get rid of shyness. Practice daily - meet on the street, start conversations with passers-by. Keeping a personal blog will help develop your writing gift. Modern journalism boasts freedom of speech and expression. Butif you want to work in a serious respected publication, you need to have a rich vocabulary. Try to read more, paying the most attention to classical literature.
Profession pitfalls
When dreaming of a career in journalism, it would be useful to sensibly evaluate all the pros and cons of this profession. Most journalists have irregular working hours. Even specialists employed in the staff of a newspaper or TV channel, from time to time, prepare material for the morning publication/broadcast all night. If you choose journalism as your main field of activity, get ready for the fact that you will have to write all the time, and not just “by mood”. Often a journalist has to pay attention to completely uninteresting events and topics. In addition, not all specialists can boast of a stable income. Freelance correspondents most often get paid for each piece accepted without having a monthly salary. Before thinking about how to become a journalist, decide if all the disadvantages of this profession scare you. And only if they seem insignificant to you, feel free to try yourself in this craft!
