Journalist Resume Examples, Template, and Resume Tips

Journalist Resume Examples, Template, and Resume Tips Being a journalist is a kind of job that has different variations of toughness.Sometimes being a journalist can even be dangerous. There are things that journalists investigate that some people would be afraid to even research about.And sometimes it can seem like it’s a piece of cake. Except, not really.But the one thing that we know is that getting into this field is tough. You have to be special and skilled. And not just skilled at writing.This job requires you to have a lot of skills that don-t seem like much on their own, but make for a powerful weapon when you put them together.But even if you have all the skills that anybody could need and more, you still have to write an amazing resume that’s going to show all those skills in the right way.Don’t worry, we’re here to help you! Writing a resume can be a tiring and stressful experience, but this guide will hopefully make it less so.But first, let’s examine some examples!Journalist Resume Example Right Journalist Resume Sample Right Create your own resumeAnd here you can see the two examples that we have for you. This is what you should aim for your resume to be like: short, but concise.Both of these are for the job of a Journalist, but one is for a more experienced individual.Either way, we’re going to show you how exactly to write a resume that looks like this, with all the needed info about you.All the steps are divided into sections and explained in the rest of the article. Keep reading to find out more!And also, once you’re done make sure to use our resume builder, where you can pick the layout and enjoy the writing process!HOW TO MENTION ALL THE RIGHT THINGS IN THE PERSONAL INFO SECTION OF YOUR JOURNALIST RESUMENow, we have to admit that this section is the easiest one, but there are still some things that you should take care of before you dive in.First of all, you should know that this section is important because the information in it is going to be used to get in contact with you once you get appr oved for further interviews.That’s why all the data that you write here has to be correct.What if your future employer tried to get in touch with you, but you left only your phone number, and you managed to get it wrong?Always check before you send it!The information that we listed here is the basic â€" there’s no need to add or subtract anything.Let’s start with the name. Your name should be the title of your resume.Write it in big bold letters and position it so that it’s in the center of the page where it can be easily seen.Well, why are we telling you this? You’re the journalist, you know all about titles.Another important thing is that you should always use your full first and last name. Don’t put any nicknames, aliases, abbreviations, middle names, and such. There’s no need for them and you’ll seem unprofessional.Christopher Pringle RightChris John Pringle WrongThere’s a part of this section that’s dedicated to your photo, but it’s usually not needed. I n some countries, you have to submit a photo along with your resume, while in others it’s advised that you don’t because people might make assumptions about you based on your appearance.Either way, if the job advert asks of you to submit a photo, submit it. Make sure that it’s high-quality, that you’re the only person in it, and that you look professional. A small smile won’t hurt too.It’s extremely important to get your phone number right because it’s the most likely way that the company is going to use to get in touch with you. Also, your mobile phone number is a better option than your home one.But, leave out your phone number if you keep your resume on any online platforms that where everyone can have access to your information.The same thing goes for your home address. This is just out of safety reasons, and you can add both of those things to the resume once you decide to submit it.Of course, if you don’t feel comfortable, you don’t have to submit your entire address.It’s enough to just write down the area that you live in unless it’s stated otherwise in the ad.Your email address should be professional and simple. If you don’t have one that fits these adjectives, make a new one. Your email address should preferably have your full name in it, without nicknames, aliases, or any other similar things.christopherpringle@gmail.com Rightsinglepringle@gmail.com WrongYour social media should also be professional and show you as an impeccable worker.Of course, the only social media that you should submit is your LinkedIn, but check out all the others while you’re at it and delete or set to private any embarrassing or compromising posts.The social media subsection of your resume can also be a place where you can put a link to your blog if you have one.Most writers do, but if you don’t you could maybe share your Twitter account if it’s a place where you tweet about current events and well, report.Don’t be afraid to share your work!H OW TO WRITE THE PERFECT SUMMARY SECTION OF YOUR JOURNALIST RESUME IN 2019The summary section is the place that you’re going to love because it’s the one spot in your resume where you can get kind of creative and show the people your writing skills.But before we start with the more important stuff, you should know one thing: every section of your resume has to be perfect. Always keep that in mind when writing.Usually, hiring managers take the average of a couple of seconds to read the resume that you submitted.Well, we can’t call that reading. They skim it over.That’s why every part of it has to be great â€" you never know which part is going to catch their eye and make them stop.Now, about the summary section.This is the part where, as the name suggests, you’re supposed to summarize your resume in just a couple of sentences.For better results, write this part only after you’ve written everything else, to make sure that you don’t miss out on any important info and so th at you have the bones of the text.Some people are faced with writer’s block, but we know that writing isn’t a problem for you.Here is some important information that you shouldn’t leave out of your journalist summary:How many years have you spent working in the world of journalism?What is the exact name of your job position?Do you have any special certifications as a journalist?What are some of the most important skills and accomplishments that you have?What are the things that you’re an expert in?This can seem like a lot, but don’t go wild writing this part. It’s only supposed to be three to six sentences long and should be concise and simple. We have a suggestion for you.You should start it with the years of experience and the title of your position, making it look something like this:SummaryA determined and effective investigative journalist with over 7 years of experience in producing, editing and publishing articles with honesty and integrity. RightNow you can add some of your accomplishments and duties, but only the ones that are most important and that show you as the right candidate for the job.Also, adding hard numbers will increase your possibility of success, so don’t feel embarrassed to do it.Summary (cont.)Creator of a solution regarding the redesign of the main story ranges that led to a rise in the average number of people visiting the website by 34% in a month. Acclaimed writer and a winner of the Worth Bingham Prize. RightAnd in the end, make your resume special by mentioning the company that you’re applying to and the work that you will hopefully be doing here.Do this for every resume that you submit so that it seems more personalized.Summary (cont.)Christopher is seeking to join your company in creating original and innovative articles. RightHOW TO MAKE THE EXPERIENCE SECTION OF YOUR JOURNALIST RESUME SO IMPECCABLE THAT THEY WON’T BE ABLE TO SAY NO TO YOUExperience can be tricky, depending on whether you have it or not.E very employer wants to hire somebody who already has an outstanding amount of experience under their belt, but you can woo them and get that job even if you don’t. You just have to follow our tips.First, let’s show people how to properly write the experience section. You should follow these tips even if you have a lot of experience because there might be things that you didn’t know you shouldn’t do and yet you did them all along.Before you start writing the experience section, you should pick the format. The best format that you can use if you have experience and we’re constantly employed is the reverse chronological order format.In this format, you list your most recent job first, and then all the other ones. This format is good because the most recent job that you did shows your most relevant skills.If you don’t have a lot of experience or have gap years, opt for a classical format that shows your best experience and skills first.An important thing that you shouldn’t forget is to always list only the jobs that have something to do with the job of a journalist, or that have skills that you can transfer well into this job.There’s no need to write every place that you ever worked at if they don’t show that you’re the right person for this position.Start with the years that you spent working in the company, and then the name of the company and the name of your position.Then list the duties that you had there, but turn them into accomplishments.Don’t write boring everyday stuff, write the things that can separate you from the rest of the candidates. Add some hard numbers for even better results.We’re you a part of a team that helped better the income of the company in some way? Write it down!Did you manage to show outstanding performance in one of your previous jobs? Write it down!Did you win an award for any of the articles that you’ve written? Write it down!The job of a journalist requires you to have many skills, and the more talents that you show the better are your chances.And if you don’t have any professional experience, show those talents and skills, and maybe submit some of your work along with your resume.If you did any internships or volunteer work that has something to do with journalism, don’t be afraid to write it on your resume. It will show that you’re professional and passionate.We won’t tell you how to write, but use professional language! Right WrongMAKING THE EDUCATION SECTION OF YOUR JOURNALIST RESUME THE PART THAT MAKES YOU LOOK GOODArguably, you don’t need a diploma from some of the best universities for journalism if you want to do this job, but the fact is this: you have to be educated.Writers and journalists have to be smart and well-read people, and maybe the best way to show this is your BA in Journalism if nothing else.The employer will most likely choose the person who seems more educated for the job than anybody else though, so you should learn how to make the best out of this section of your resume.The most important degree that you have is one of the highest-ranking. If you have an MA there’s no need for you to list your BA or your high school diploma.Well, our high school diploma can be listed if you had some amazing accomplishments while you were in high school, but that’s about it.The form should look something like this: the years that you spent in school, the degree that you got, the name of the s chool, and any special accomplishments of yours.For example: RightYou can see here that we only added the accomplishments that can help you in the job of a journalist, and also a GPA that’s way above average. Don’t write your GPA unless it’s incredible, because it can do you more harm than good.If you’re applying for an internship or a job, but you haven’t graduated yet, you can still list your college diploma that you’re currently in the process of getting, to show that you’re educated.Write the expected diploma like this: RightAnd if you were a writer for the school paper while you were in high school, or something similar to that you can write your high school diploma like shown above.SHOWING THE RIGHT SKILLS IN THE SUMMARY SECTION OF YOUR JOURNALIST RESUMEWe mentioned already that if you want to be a journalist you have to have an outstanding amount of skills in various parts of life.This is exceptionally important if you plan on doing only one sort of journalism. Let’s say that you’re an expert on fashion or cars or both. You have to show all of that in your resume.The skills section is the best part of your resume. It’s easy to write, as long as you know what you’re doing, but it shows a lot about you.This section is short and concise, but it should have all the information that’s going to make you stand out among a sea of other candidates.Before you list your skills check the ad for the job that you’re applying to in detail because they most likely already wrote all the skills that you need to have to become a part of their company.Add the ones that match yours and then add some more special ones.Make a list of your skills in bullet-point format, and keep it short.There’s no need for it to be pages long. If you have a lot of skills you can put them into groups under one bullet-point. For example, all the software that you know can be written under one bullet-point, and so on.Know the difference between soft skills and hard skills.Hard skills are more job-specific skills, like research, MS Office, Photoshop, Hemingway, and others.Soft skills are more like your attributes, like communication skills, creativity, being detail-oriented, and similar things.While soft skills are always needed, hard skills are more respected and needed in certain jobs, so add more hard skills if you can.Either way, the skills that you need to write are the ones that have something to do with journalism, other things don’t matter.This is how the skills section should look like in y our resume:SkillsInvestigative JournalismMS OfficeHonesty and integrityEfficiency in Photoshop, Hemingway, and SlickwriteCreativity RightSkillsMicrosoft OfficeWriting WrongTIPS TRICKS THAT YOU CAN USE TO MAKE THE BEST OUT OF YOUR JOURNALIST RESUME IN 2019Using a template â€" Why waste your time creating a mediocre-looking resume when you can choose one of the templates from our resume builder and make the whole process of writing your resume smooth and simple.Don’t lie â€" We know that this can be tempting when you see a job that seems like it came right out of your dreams, but you don’t have the experience and skills that you need to get it. But even if you do get the job you’re probably going to get in trouble for it sooner or later.Adapt â€" Change up your resume for every job offer. We know that it’s time-consuming and boring, but you’re more likely to get a job if you personalize your resume.One page long â€" That’s the ideal length of your resume. It doesn’t h ave to be longer than that unless you have more outstanding experiences and skills than can fit on one page.Font â€" Don’t pick complicated fonts that are hard to read. A regular Calibri or Arial will do just fine.File format â€" Always check the ad before submitting, the format that you should send is most likely stated. If it’s not, send a PDF, but keep a Word file and a printed version on you just in case.Efficiency â€" We know that you’re a writer in your soul, but there’s no need to flourish here. Be efficient, precise and concise. You don’t want the hiring managers to get bored halfway through reading your resume.Bullet-points â€" They’re your best friend when you want to be more concise and list a bunch of things so that they’re easy to read.Don’t write Curriculum Vitae as the heading of your resume â€" everybody knows that it’s a resume, so write your name as the heading instead.Show your work! â€" If you have a blog or any articles that you wrote online, s end links to the best of them along with your resume. That’s the best way to get a job as a journalist.Basic personal information â€" Don’t write the things that are too personal in the personal info section of your resume. They’re not needed and your employer might make assumptions about you.Languages â€" Add languages that you speak besides your native language to show that you can access and understand information from various sources around the world.Achievements â€" Did you win any awards? Write them in your resume. It’s not bragging, it’s showing that you’re more than capable of doing your job.Grammar â€" Do a grammar check before submitting your resume. These kinds of mistakes are embarrassing in every case, but especially when you’re applying for the job of a journalist.Review â€" Give your resume to somebody who has experience in this area to help you fix some mistakes that you might have made and make your resume better.CONCLUSIONHere you go! We hope that thi s guide has helped you understand how your resume should look like in the end.Feel free to read through it while writing your resume to make sure that you’re doing everything right and getting the best out of it.Remember, don’t lie, show yourself as the best possible candidate, and only write the things that are relevant to the position that you’re applying for.Use our resume builder for an easy and quick process of writing your resume.Good luck! Create your own resume