It’s a tough old world out there, particularly in online journalism, where jobs are few and far between.
To make it as a great sports journalist, or any journalist for that matter, you need to first secure the role – which is often the hardest part straight out of university.
With so many candidates going for the same opportunities, it’s vital you change your mindset when it comes to securing a role in the online space. There are some things to definitely take into account, even potentially before you’ve finished your course.
So, with this – here are the secrets to better have a better chance of securing an entry-level job in online journalism.
The harsh reality of online journalism
Well first off, you know it’s going to be tough.
There aren’t too many entry-level jobs in online journalism and even fewer in print – but you will want to make sure that you are as best prepared as possible when entering the job market post-graduation.
So, first off, push your lecturers and your university – you MUST be given some insight into how the world of online journalism works. If your course just focuses on print media, you will be at a major disadvantage when the time comes to look for that first job.
Ensure that your lecturers are covering the importance of online content choices and headline management, that they are fully imparting to you how you optimize web-based articles for SEO, social, apps and news aggregators, and that they provide you with a sound understanding of Google Trends and Google Discover (the most important source of traffic for most news websites today).
Insist that they invite industry practitioners (both in print and online journalism) to undertake a guest lecture / Q&A. You need to hear what’s going on from the horse’s mouth.
Be proactive and seek out opportunities
Do what you can to get a writing gig during your studies. I know it’s hard, and most of these ‘opportunities’ are unpaid and, in reality, won’t teach you much, but it’s an advantage to have a byline, and to at least be able to demonstrate that you know your way around a content management system.
And if you do get a gig, insist on being given access to your article data (page views, engagement times, traffic sources, etc) – you can learn a lot from that data.
If you are being edited, ask for feedback – I know, often-times you will be treated like a mushroom and get nothing back, but if your editor is prepared to spend a bit of time coaching you, he will spend far less time having to edit future articles you submit (a win-win in my book)
Oh, and if you do apply for a part-time position while you are studying, send in a bespoke application for each work opportunity – demonstrate that you have looked at the content that the company publishes, and send in a sample article which showcases your writing skills, knowledge of the subject matter, and eye for a story (and, if football is your thing, don’t send in a match report – no-one reads match reports anymore, except maybe on the BBC website!).
And then, you need to work on that CV. Anyway, good luck – I hope I’ve given you something to think about.