Careers in Journalism

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Looking for an entry level job or internship in journalism? This is an overview of how to approach the search and a list of companies that might have relevant entry level and internship opportunities.

GOOD is a publication I read regularly. It’s available both as a magazine and on the web and they focus on “good” things–anything that is sustainable, prosperous, productive, creative, and just for everyone. They cover a variety of different beats from news to business to culture. One of the regular series featured on their site is The Rules which is an illustrated hilarious guide to modern etiquette. Their journalists do a great job of presenting content in a beautiful and engaging way. A Journalist is responsible for reporting on information in any number of formats (written, video, photos, illustration) across media channels.

Journalism Careers

Photo Credit: Flickr user Lichfield Live

Journalism Career Guide Overview

  1. What a Journalist Does
  2. A Typical Day for a Journalist
  3. Salary and Career Progression for a Journalist
  4. Best Locations for Journalists
  5. Pros and Cons of Being a Journalist
  6. What You Need to Know for a Career in Journalism
  7. Journalism Resources
  8. Careers Related to Journalism
  9. Companies with Jobs and Internships in Journalism

What a Journalist Does

A Journalist creates and distributes news by researching, writing, and reporting on information across mass media, including print media (newspapers and magazines), electronic media (television, radio, documentary film), and digital media (such as blogs and Twitter). To do this, Journalists cultivate sources, interview people, research, and write articles. Journalists may specialize in certain areas, such as writing regular columns on a certain topic (Columnists) or taking pictures (Photojournalists).

A Typical Day for a Journalist

As a Journalist your schedule will depend on what beat you cover. A typical day for a Journalist usually involves these tasks:

  • brainstorming potential ideas for news stories
  • meeting with others in editorial to discuss ideas
  • working in a newsroom
  • going out to witness events
  • interviewing people
  • validating statistics and trends
  • working late to speak to someone in another time zone
  • developing sources–people you can talk to
  • writing stories and articles

Salary and Career Progression for a Journalist

The average yearly salary for a Journalist is $26,350 and $21,700 for a beginner. From there you can grow into a specialty like News Journalist ($20,000-$75,000 on average per year), Broadcast Journalist ($20,000-$97,000 on average per year), or Public Relations Specialist ($27,000-$66,000 on average per year).

Best Locations for Journalists

These locations are some hot spots for journalists:

  • Washington DC
  • New York, New York
  • Los Angeles, California
  • Atlanta, Georgia
  • Chicago, Illinois
  • San Francisco, California

Pros and Cons of Being a Journalist

Pros
  • Learn a lot about the world around you
  • Get to meet a lot of people
  • Exploring a particular topic in depth can be fascinating
Cons
  • Can be long hours
  • Can be challenging to get your foot in the door
  • Lower pay

What You Need to Know for a Career in Journalism

To be a Journalist you’ll need a bachelor’s degree, preferably in Communication, Journalism, or English. Ideally you’ll gain experience during school in writing, media and production. Try to take a broad scope of classes as well: a variety of electives such as psychology and economics are especially handy when reporting on relevant topics. Beyond that, communication is crucial; you’ll need to be able to write and speak very well. To gain experience start your own blog on a topic you’re passionate about, write for your school newspaper, and pitch specific articles to existing websites and papers.

Journalism Resources

If journalism still sounds like your cup of tea, here are a few things you should do to get started.

Required Reading

Key Folks to Follow on Twitter

Blogs and Websites

Networking Opportunities

Job Search Resources

Careers Related to Journalism

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Companies with Entry Level Jobs and Internships in Journalism

The Wirecutter Logo

The Wirecutter - The Wirecutter is a site that offers “a list of the best electronics and gadgetry" that will help you make the absolute best purchasing decision.

See the complete The Wirecutter profile


Healthline Logo

Healthline - Healthline is a San Francisco, CA based company that has built “the largest, most clinically accurate classification of health information available on the web.”

See the complete Healthline profile


Whalerock Industries Logo

Whalerock Industries - Whalerock Industries, based in Santa Monica, CA, brings together the "best and brightest minds to create world-class content, spanning all mediums and screens.”

See the complete Whalerock Industries profile


Patient Conversation Media Logo

Patient Conversation Media - Patient Conversation Media is an Austin, TX based company that publishes “doctor-reviewed health-related content online for consumers.”

See the complete Patient Conversation Media profile


Digital First Media Logo

Digital First Media - Digital First Media is an NYC based group of news-focused companies that reaches “61 million Americans each month across 18 states.”

See the complete Digital First Media profile


CB Insights Logo

CB Insights - CB Insights is based in NYC and “helps you track the world’s most promising private companies, their investors, their acquirers and the industries they compete in.”

See the complete CB Insights profile


Everlane Logo

Everlane - Everlane is a LA and SF based “luxury clothing design and manufacturing company” that “aims to provide low-cost, high-quality goods by cutting out middlemen.”

See the complete Everlane profile


Visual Revenue Logo

Visual Revenue - Visual Revenue is a New York, NY based company that helps editorial teams figure out what readers respond to and react to it in real time.

See the complete Visual Revenue profile


Better Government Association Logo

Better Government Association - The Better Government Association, a Chicago, IL based non-profit that “works for integrity, transparency, and accountability in government."

See the complete Better Government Association profile


Inter-American Dialogue Logo

Inter-American Dialogue - Inter-American Dialogue is a DC based "leading U.S. center for policy analysis, exchange, and communication on issues in Western Hemisphere affairs.”

See the complete Inter-American Dialogue profile


Real Change Logo

Real Change - Real Change is a Seattle, WA based non-profit that provides "opportunity and a voice for low-income and homeless people while taking action for economic justice.”

See the complete Real Change profile


Business Insider Logo

Business Insider - Business Insider is “dedicated to aggregating, reporting, and analyzing the top news stories across the web and delivering them to you at rapid-fire pace.”

See the complete Business Insider profile


1105 Media Logo

1105 Media - 1105 Media is a Chatsworth, CA based company that “provides integrated business-to-business information and media.”

See the complete 1105 Media profile


Newscred Logo

NewsCred - NewsCred is an NYC based company that "sources and licenses trusted content across a broad range of subjects and perspectives.”

See the complete NewsCred profile


BUZZMEDIA Logo

BUZZMEDIA - Pop culture is like a drug, and BUZZMEDIA is a dealer. They run more than 40 web properties, and they're hiring.

See the complete BUZZMEDIA profile


Vox Media Logo

Vox Media - Vox Media is an online media company that is rapidly growing into new verticals (currently in sports, tech, and games), and they're hiring.

See the complete Vox Media profile


Entercom Logo

Entercom - Entercom is one of the five largest radio companies in the U.S. and they have a ton of job openings for new and recent grads.

See the complete Entercom profile


Brafton Logo

Brafton - Brafton is a Boston, MA based “online news and content agency" that has a ton of entry level job opportunities for new grads.

See the complete Brafton profile


Benzinga Logo

Benzinga - Benzinga is "an innovative news and analysis service that focuses on global markets," and they have some fantastic jobs for new and recent college grads.

See the complete Benzinga profile


Travelzoo Logo

Travelzoo - Travelzoo is a travel deals site that is super focused on finding high quality deals for its users, and they have some really cool jobs for new grads.

See the complete Travelzoo profile


Crain Communications Logo

Crain Communications - Crain Communications is a publisher that covers all kinds of different business niches, and they have some really exciting career opportunities.

See the complete Crain Communications profile


American Public Media Logo

American Public Media - If you like what you hear from American Public Media and their radio stations, then you'll want to check out their jobs.

See the complete American Public Media profile


GigaOm Logo

GigaOm - GigaOm intends to spend a big portion of their newly acquired capital on hiring to expand GigaOm Pro, so you need to check them out.

See the complete GigaOm profile


Metromix Logo

Metromix - Metromix offers guides "to local restaurants, bars and clubs, events, concerts and movies,” and they have a variety of jobs across the country.

See the complete Metromix profile


StarChefs Logo

StarChefs - StarChefs is a magazine “for food and wine-savvy consumers and an essential information resource for aspiring professional chefs,” and they're hiring.

See the complete StarChefs profile


Octagon Logo

Octagon - Octagon is a worldwide sports and entertainment marketing company with a ton of career opportunities for recent college graduates.

See the complete Octagon profile


Instructables Logo

Instructables - Whether you want to share your expertise or learn from others, Instructables is the place to do it—both as a potential employee or as a site contributor.

See the complete Instructables profile


JustSpotted Logo

JustSpotted - JustSpotted is a celebrity-spotting site run by a San Francisco, CA startup called Scoopler, and they're hiring.

See the complete JustSpotted profile


StatSheet Logo

StatSheet - Durham, NC based StatsSheet looks like a really fun place to work for sports lovers who want to be part of the future of online journalism.

See the complete StatSheet profile


NileGuide Logo

NileGuide - NileGuide" helps travelers discover and connect to the most satisfying and relevant travel experiences” and they're hiring travel writers.

See the complete NileGuide profile


Aol Logo

Aol - I decided to hit up Aol’s Career site and look through their job openings. I was shocked to see that Aol currently has 749 vacancies!

See the complete Aol profile


Prime Publishing Logo

Prime Publishing - Prime Publishing’s Jobs page shows that they’re looking for both entry level and experienced Editors, so check the job description and get ready to learn fast.

See the complete Prime Publishing profile


Narrative Science Logo

Narrative Science - Even though they don’t even have an About page (let alone a Jobs page), Narrative Science is the kind of company that you need to watch out for.

See the complete Narrative Science profile


Everett Daily Herald

Everett Daily Herald - If you like what you see with The Everett Daily Herald, you should check out their Jobs page. They have three positions posted right now.

See the complete Everett Daily Herald profile


Inc. Logo

Inc. - If you want to work at a magazine like Inc. that keeps its job opportunities secret and you can't network your way in, this is the way to go.

See the complete Inc. profile


American Association for the Advancement of Science Logo

American Association for the Advancement of Science - The AAAS is a global non-profit that serves as an "educator, leader, spokesperson and professional association" to aid the advancement of science.

See the complete American Association for the Advancement of Science profile


The LTV Group Logo

The LTV Group - HousingWire actually hosts it’s own job board, and on there you’ll find a recently posted position for a HousingWire Reporter.

See the complete The LTV Group profile


ProPublica - If you’re impressed by how ProPublica works, and you’d like to be involved, check out their Jobs page. They’re looking for two investigative reporters.

See the complete ProPublica profile


The Economist Logo

The Economist - The Economist has job offerings all across the world, but we’re going to focus on their US based opportunities, which are mostly located in New York City.

See the complete The Economist profile


Demand Media Logo

Demand Media - Think that making money from web content is near impossible? There's a dirty little secret: it's not. Demand Media knows how to, and they're hiring.

See the complete Demand Media profile


San Francisco Chronicle - The Chronicle doesn’t have a ton of openings, but current listings include Online Client Services Coordinator and various Account Executive positions.

See the complete San Francisco Chronicle profile


Roubini Global Economics - While heavily focused on Economics, Roubini Global Economics is also pretty focused on being a web media company, and they're hiring.

See the complete Roubini Global Economics profile


NESN - I hope that you’ll check out NESN's job opportunities, so that you can help broadcast another Red Sox collapse next fall.

See the complete NESN profile


Seed Media Group - Seed Media Group is a NYC based company that's growing in a dying industry, which makes them an exciting place to work for science loving grads.

See the complete Seed Media Group profile


The Wrap - If you’re looking for an entry level journalism job covering Hollywood news, you’re in serious luck. The Wrap is looking for an Entry-Level Reporter.

See the complete The Wrap profile


The Boston Globe - If you take a look at The Boston Globe's job postings, you’ll see that there are few openings; however, a number of those jobs seem perfect for new grads.

See the complete The Boston Globe profile


Care2 - If Care2 sounds like something that you want to be a part of, then you should check out their Jobs page. They have a few job openings right now.

See the complete Care2 profile


The Daily Beast - The Daily Beast is a perfect example of how smart startups can create growth in what many people deem to be a dying industry. That's why they're hiring.

See the complete The Daily Beast profile


The Huffington Post - If you're a big fan of The Huffington Post, and already have a background in politics, media, or journalism, then you need to check out their Jobs page.

See the complete The Huffington Post profile


SNY - Whether you’re a Mets fan, a Jets fan, or a Yankees fan who just wants to get into the world of sports broadcast journalism, SNY might be a great place to start

See the complete SNY profile


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