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Launching Your Career As A Student Journalist

Katherine Witts
Print copy of Epigram, University of Bristol's student newspaper.

Katherine Witts

Starting your journalism career may seem daunting, but with these five tips, your portfolio and confidence are sure to grow.

1. Practice Makes Perfect

This may seem like an obvious one, however, since becoming a freelance editor, this is something I often pick up on with new journalists. When starting my journalism journey, I often struggled with little things such as concise writing or simple grammar.

Simply practising your written skills can help you to overcome this barrier. Draft, draft and draft again! Software like Grammarly can also help you pick up on minor grammatical or writing errors you may not have noticed before.

2. Seek Advice and Guidance

From friends to industry professionals, seeking guidance on your writing is pivotal in understanding both whether your audience can follow your work, and how you can improve your writing to meet industry standards.

Writing for early-career organisations such as your University paper or blog and Empoword Journalism is a great way to build your portfolio and get the chance for others to read and review your work. Our editors at Empoword have industry knowledge and are always happy to give feedback to student journalists.

Online communities like Empoword Journalism can also connect you to journalists at every stage of their careers and provide the foundations for a career network.

3. Build A LinkedIn Network

LinkedIn is a great way to start building your network and contacts in the industry!

Be sure to connect with as many people across the media industry as possible – later career journalists are often happy to give advice and it’s a great way to gain insider knowledge.

Make a habit of posting regularly to build your audience and demonstrate your proactivity and passion to future employers – this could be a new article you’ve written, a certificate you completed, or even a recap of an industry event you attended.

Not only can you showcase your skills and build connections, but LinkedIn is also a great way to source opportunities within your chosen field. Without LinkedIn, I would never have secured my current job!

4. Read Around Your Interests

A common question when applying for a role is: “What would you write for today’s morning/afternoon briefing?”

Research and up to date knowledge are essential for any journalist. Whether you’re interested in music journalism, lifestyle or current affairs, keeping on top of the latest trends and news within your chosen field will always benefit you.

5. Try New Things!

If you haven’t found your beat yet, take the time to diversify your portfolio! As a student, now’s the time to experiment and explore different areas of journalism without getting ‘stuck’ in a full-time position.

From medical reporting to food journalism, there are so many different niches to explore, and you’ll never know if something is for you until you give it a try. I would never have though I’d enjoy current affairs without dipping my toe into it during one of my University modules, and I now freelance predominantly in this field!

University is prime time to grow as a journalist, and the best thing you can do to utilise your time is to explore the media landscape far and wide.

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Featured image courtesy of Lauren Hope Sanderson.

Kath is a native Welsh-speaker and learning support assistant. She has a background in journalism, working for Upday News, a branch of Samsung, as a junior news editor. As a former entertainment editor for Empoword and co-founder of Empoword's 'Pop Babble' podcast, Kath loves all things music, film, TV, and literature.

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