Congratulations, you’ve made it. You are now a journalist! Take a moment to breathe in the success and now get to work. Because the days of simply being a journalist are long gone. You have to be a jack of all trades and understand the business side of the news which will help you climb the corporate ladder and achieve your career goals.
“I still believe that if your aim is to change the world, journalism is a more immediate short-term weapon.”
— Tom Stoppard
No Work is Beneath You
Let’s not kid ourselves, the competition is fierce out there and the paid-work is scarce so do not pass on opportunities to write because you feel the topic is beneath you. At the beginning of your career, you will have to work as a freelancer writer, journalist and reporter. You will be given second hand assignment which might not be the most exciting ones but it’ll help you pay the bills and make connections.
Learn Photography
If you have the skills to take pictures of your subject yourself, do it. It will save your employer money and time which will make you more valuable to them in the long-run. Get yourself a good camera and take some course on how to use it. It will come in handy to do portraits and event coverage.
Take Notes
Human memory is short and terribly fickle. Janine di Giovanni
You will forget things, that’s guaranteed. While phones are still not able to replace pen and paper, you’ll have to take notes, the old fashion way. Never miss on a story because of your fickle memory: invest in some paper and B12.
Learn the Basics of SEO
Do you know what editors really love? When the writers are able to please not only the readers but Google as well. If you are doing a piece on online casino such as Luxury Casino or Zodiac Casino, learn the basic keywords that will help the search engine find your piece: chips, jackpots, winning, slots, etc. Take the time to learn this skill, you will thank us when mobile news will have completely won the battle against paper.