Talking About Careers: Is becoming a journalist as easy as it seems?

Is becoming a journalist as easy as it seems?

No. Becoming a journalist (and remaining one) is not easy.

Granted, it’s not as difficult or expensive as studying to be a lawyer or a doctor. But it’s not as easy as, say, sitting behind a computer keyboard and making up stuff - as Alex Jones seems to like to do - for blogs or websites along the lines of InfoWars.

First, you have to take a lot of classes, first in middle school/high school, and then in college. Not only do you need to take the core curriculum classes that are required for your high school diploma, but you also need to sign up for specialized classes, such as Basic Reporting, Advanced Editing and Page Makeup, and (if you want to be a photojournalist) News Photography.

Second, you need to have free time after school to work on the school newspaper, learn to meet deadlines, and develop a thick skin that will not only help you deal with the inevitable writer-editor dynamic but also with difficult assignments (such as interviews or investigative news reporting).

Third, although a college degree is not a requirement in journalism (especially in small towns), it helps your chances of being hired by a major news media organization. So plan to spend at least four years in college, where not only will you have to take the same core classes as the average student, but you’ll have to take a smorgasbord of classes that are directly related to journalism and mass communications. Again, you’ll need to set aside time to work for the college’s student newspaper, which in smaller schools will be weekly, but in larger and more expensive colleges and universities will be daily.

Then, of course, you’ll have to compete with other recent graduates to compete for the relatively few open job slots at a newspaper, magazine, or TV station. If traditional media options don’t pan out, you can always try to write for online publications, but be prepared to work for a miserly sum unless you get lucky and become a well-known online writer or reporter. And you’re gonna need to work your ass off no matter what.

So, no. Becoming a journalist is not as easy as it is assumed to be.

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