There are many types of journalism careers.
Because there is always news to report, there will always be the need for writers, broadcasters, public relations specialists and editors. These are just a few examples of possible journalism careers, which are often choices for individuals who enjoy reading, research and communicating with the public via the written word or some other type of reporting.
Writing and Editing
Writing and editing are two of the most common jobs in the journalism industry. According to the Occupational Outlook Handbook, employment in this niche is expected to continue to grow.
There are many different types of writers. They include copy editors, novelists, technical writers, news correspondents and scriptwriters. Due in part to the large number of technological advances that occurred around the turn of the twenty-first century, many freelance writers now work from home. Although a college degree is not an absolute necessity in a journalism career, it opens the door to a much wider range of opportunities.
Many editors start their careers as writers. Their job is to edit and re-write the work of their writing staff, come up with new topic ideas and oversee the publication process. Examples of editor positions include executive editors, assistant editors, managing editors and assignment editors.
Public Relations
Public relations specialists have many job duties. Typical tasks include answering inquiries, writing press releases and speeches and escorting clients to media events. Advanced tasks include actually planning and overseeing media events. Public relations specialists are essentially the "go between" for companies (or community interest groups) and the media, both print and broadcast.
A large percentage of public relations specialists live in or near major metropolitan areas, where businesses typically have their headquarters. Employment opportunities in big cities are usually better. Growth in the field is expected to continue much faster than average, according to the Occupational Outlook Handbook.
Broadcasting
Broadcasting is another journalism career that offers many options. They include producers, video editors, assistant producers, Internet producers (a relatively new field), announcers, program directors, news analysts and master control engineers. Jobs are available in both radio and television. Securing an internship is a good way to get started in the business. Even though they are usually unpaid positions, some internships offer college credit and all of them offer on-the-job training.
Because of the glamour often associated with this particular industry, competition among job seekers is unusually high. A college degree is almost essential. The anticipated growth rate for broadcast journalism employment opportunities is slow because of new technological discoveries and the large number of competing media outlets.
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