After graduation from college, journalism jobs are widely available to qualified professionals. Newsworthy events can happen anywhere in the world. Every news agency needs competent professionals who can record the news and prepare it for mass release.
Traditional journalism is rapidly undergoing a shift from newspapers and other daily media to new methods of releasing the news. New journalism professionals should be ready to look for nontraditional news organizations to apply to.
The federal government’s Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) predicts that the number of jobs for correspondents and reporters will decline about 6% from 2008 to 2018. Although it is a relatively small decline, the BLS believes that most of the lost jobs will be concentrated in metropolitan newspapers and news agencies. International news agencies will need to downsize to keep up with the growth in nontraditional news outlets.
The BLS is predicting that the smallest declines or possibly even some growth will be seen in small and local news media. Online journalism jobs should experience the highest growth as more news moves online. Motivated freelance professionals may also be able to turn a profit.
New journalism professionals with a background or college minor in specific news subjects will be in demand. Such subjects can include:
- Finance
- Politics
- Sports
- Travel
- World news
Those who can speak a foreign language or have a background in computer science will also be highly sought after. Niche and online news markets remain under-served by mainstream media organizations. Hyper-local news sites report the news for even the smallest towns of only a few hundred people. Or in larger cities, hyper-local news sites display news for specific blocks or areas of the city. Such highly-focused news websites are an emerging trend in online news reporting.
However, new journalism professionals should be prepared to potentially travel frequently and be working under constant deadlines. Foreign correspondents and other live reporters may be at risk in potentially dangerous situations. Journalism professionals must walk a fine line between safety and being first on the scene.
Journalism professionals with children and families may face difficulties with the around-the-clock schedule. For example, traditional TV news broadcasts have taken place at 6 o’clock pm and 11 o’clock pm. But with online news portals, being first to publish means journalism professionals must be on-call at all hours of the day. Professionals will be working under constant deadlines to publish news as quickly as possible. The hectic pace can lead to burnout if professionals aren’t aware of their stress.
Journalism professionals should be adaptable and detail-oriented. Interpersonal communication skills are extremely important. Professionals will need to communicate with sources and witnesses.
Because of the decline of print media, journalism jobs are expected to be highly competitive. Newly graduated professionals should be prepared to apply to numerous media organizations. Although it may be difficult to find them, journalism jobs will be open to motivated college graduates. Knowing where to focus their job search will allow journalism professionals to begin working in the field more quickly.