With the development and democratization of technology, journalism as a profession has evolved in the past decades. New technologies introduced new platforms and new audiences, and newsrooms are trying to adapt.
“We are genuinely in a revolution when it comes to getting information,” says Raquel Amparo, news director at KUVN (Univision) in Dallas.
As a result, new types of jobs are created, such as digital strategist who is in charge of analyzing different audiences to figure out what information they want and when.
New technologies also mean new ways of gathering information. While in the past, journalists were simply gathering information, today they are also organizers of the content.
“I would love a kind of forensic accountant,” says Andrea Parquet-Taylor, news director at KTVT, the Dallas CBS station. “We have data, data, data, from local communities. I need somebody who can distill that in a visual story.”
This means that the qualities you need today to be successful journalists are adaptability and versatility. For example, if you want to become a radio reporter, you need to have digital skills because you will not only produce audio but quality images and videos as well.
In addition to showing off your skills, be sure to follow these job hunting tips:
- Show your potential employer that you are reliable and considerate. If you are asked to send your application material in a certain format, do what you are asked. Show that you can follow the rules.
- Do not undervalue the importance of being easily reachable. You would not want to miss out on that job because you forgot to include your email or telephone number on your cover letter or resume.
- Be rigorous when you send emails or material. Make sure you get the company and employer’s name right and pay attention when copying/pasting. You will not make a good impression if the employer feels like you did not take your application seriously. Make sure to personalize every cover letter, and to verify that any link you are using is functional.
- Finally, sell yourself but do not oversell. Make sure you highlight the skills newsrooms are looking for, but do not lie about your ability to do some things. Your employer will need to know what you are capable of doing on your own.
This post originally appeared on advancingthestory.com.
Deborah Potter is an experienced journalism trainer and reporter who spent 16 years as a network correspondent at CBS News and CNN. She is co-author of “Advancing the Story: Quality Journalism in a Digital World,” now in its fourth edition. She writes regularly about journalism on the Advancing the Story website. For almost 20 years, Deborah ran NewsLab, the journalism site she founded in 1998, which is now part of the University of Mississippi. Deborah leads workshops for journalists in newsrooms across the United States and around the world on writing, social media, digital journalism, and ethics.
