Journalism may seem like an exciting job with exclusive access to news stories, backstage passes, meeting important people and the thrill of deadlines, but it can also appear to be a far-fetched dream job that most people feel they could never aspire to. However, there are many opportunities to get involved in media, from school to university, without even having to submit your CV.
The most obvious step is to get involved with your student newspaper or magazine. One University student began writing for her student publication within weeks of starting and is now in her final year as editor-in-chief, gaining valuable experience in writing, editing and designing, as well as making deals with advertisers and printers. Alternatively, you can always consider starting your own magazine, which will present a challenge, yet look impressive on your CV.
Rachel Mundy, a Cambridge University graduate, co-founded the popular science student magazine, Bluesci stating “I wanted to create a magazine that promoted the understanding and awareness of science in an engaging format, while providing a breeding ground for the next generation of science writers”. Mundy has gained writing experience from different widely-known publications, including the New Scientist and the BBC’s Focus Magazine.
Working on a website would also be helpful in this digital age as it could be for your university publication or a university society and would enable knowledge of publishing platforms like WordPress and SEO, which are crucial for budding digital journalists.
In addition to written journalism, valuable experiences can also be found behind the camera through video expertise. Media employment requires video content being shared around three times more on social media than written posts alone, so a candidate’s capability with a camera and being able to visually tell a story is a significant advantage in this field.
Former head of the BBC’s College of Journalism, Jonathan Baker, has mentioned that media companies regard a candidate’s commitment to their career in journalism valuable, as well as other qualities such as energy, enthusiasm, imagination, analytical skills, intellectual curiosity, and "a reluctance to accept things at face value."
To increase the chances of being employed by a media company, showcasing student journalism credentials might be helpful for your CV. So, students can select their preferred platform and focus on finding strong and unique stories to share in an original way.
