Entry-level journalist resume example
A journalist finds the story, interviews the people who know it, checks every fact and files on deadline. An entry-level journalist resume should prove you have done that for a real audience: a beat you covered, the clips you published, and how you made sure each story was right.
What this resume has to prove
The Bureau of Labor Statistics says "News analysts, reporters, and journalists keep the public updated about current events and noteworthy information." Their listed duties include "Develop relationships with experts and contacts who provide tips and leads on stories or articles", "Interview people who have information, analysis, or opinions about a story or article", "Review stories or articles for accuracy, style, and grammar" and "Update stories or articles as new information becomes available". BLS says some reporters, particularly in large cities or large news organizations, cover a particular topic, such as sports, medicine or politics, while those in small towns may be generalists. It adds that "reporters often face pressure or stress when trying to meet a deadline or cover breaking news," and that they may need to work nights and weekends.
BLS says they "typically need a bachelor's degree in journalism, communications, or a related field, such as English." It says "Employers generally prefer to hire candidates who have had an internship or have worked on school newspapers," and that "Internships allow students to gain experience and develop samples of their writing or their on-air appearances." Its important qualities include communication skills, interpersonal skills for building contacts and conducting interviews, persistence and stamina. So the resume should name your beat, count your published clips, show your sourcing and fact checking, and make clear you file on time.
Sample resume
Sample resume (fictional)
B.A. Journalism, minor in Political Science, Halverson State University · May 2026
Coursework: News Reporting, Media Law and Ethics, Public Records and Data Reporting, Audio Storytelling, Copy Editing
Reporting Intern, The Pinecrest Ledger (daily newspaper) · Jefferson City, MO · May to August 2025
- Covered county board and school board meetings and filed 24 stories in 12 weeks, most on same-night deadlines
- Interviewed about three sources per story, including officials, parents and business owners, and kept recordings and notes for each one
- Checked every name, title, quote and date against recordings, agendas and public records before filing
- Updated two breaking stories online as new information came in, with editor approval for each change
City Editor, previously Staff Reporter, The Halverson Herald (student newspaper) · 2023 to 2026
- Covered the student government beat for two years and wrote about two stories a week, from budget hearings to election results
- Built a beat contact list of about 40 students, staff and city officials, and pitched story ideas at each weekly meeting
- Edited about six reporters' stories a week for accuracy, AP style and fairness before the editor-in-chief signed off
Newscast Reporter, Halverson Student Radio · 2024 to 2026
- Wrote and read a five-minute local newscast every Tuesday, with recorded interview clips edited in Audacity
Reporting: interviewing, beat sourcing, public records requests, fact checking, AP style, breaking news updates
Tools: WordPress, Google Docs, Audacity, Adobe Audition, Otter transcription, Google Sheets for data stories
Languages: Spanish (conversational)
The internship leads because it is published work at a real news organization, with an editor and a daily deadline. The student newspaper comes next because it shows a beat held for two years, plus editing other reporters. The radio newscast proves you can write for the ear as well as the page.
What to put in each section
Experience: the beat, the clips, the deadline
Each reporting bullet should name what you covered, how many stories you filed in what time, and the kind of deadline. Then show the work behind the story: how many sources you interviewed and how you checked the facts. Editors hire reporters they can trust, so a fact checking bullet is worth as much as a story count.
Weak bullets, rewritten
Clips: a short, linked selection
Put one clips link in the contact line and choose about six pieces: a breaking story, a meeting story, a feature, one built on records or data, and one audio or video piece if you have it. Lead with stories from the internship, then the student newspaper.
Education and campus media
Give the degree, school and graduation month, then four or five courses that match the posting, such as media law, ethics and public records. BLS says internships or work on a college newspaper, radio station or television station may be helpful, so student media goes under Experience with real titles and dates, not under Activities.
Skills to list
Newsroom postings name reporting skills, a content management system, audio or video tools and sometimes social media. BLS notes reporters may need to maintain a social media presence and gather the audio, video or graphics that go with their stories. List what you have really used. The University of Maryland career center also suggests mirroring the job description's keywords.
Tools
- A content management system such as WordPress or Arc
- Audio and video editing: Audacity, Adobe Audition or Premiere Pro
- Transcription tools for recorded interviews
- Google Sheets or Excel for records and data stories
- The AP Stylebook
Abilities
- Finding and keeping sources on a beat
- Interviewing people who would rather not talk
- Checking facts, names and quotes before filing
- Writing clean copy fast on a deadline
- Working nights and weekends when news breaks
Common mistakes
- No beat named. "Reporter, student newspaper" tells an editor nothing. Name what you covered, such as campus government, courts or sports.
- Leaving out fact checking. BLS lists reviewing stories for accuracy as a duty. One bullet on how you checked quotes and records shows you take it seriously.
- Clips that do not load. A link behind a login or a subscription wall leaves the editor with nothing to read. Test every link and keep PDF copies.
- Opinion pieces up front. Columns are fine, but a news job wants reporting. Lead with stories built on interviews and records, and avoid putting a column first.
FAQ
How is this different from a content writer resume?
Both are writing resumes with a portfolio link. A content writer resume centers on long-form articles and web copy for a business or brand. A journalist resume centers on news: a beat, interviews, sources, fact checking and deadlines. If most of your clips are blog posts and guides, see the entry-level content writer example.
Do I need a journalism degree?
BLS says reporters typically need a bachelor's degree in journalism, communications, or a related field, such as English. Read the posting. If your degree is in another field, lead with student newspaper and internship clips, and use your subject knowledge, for example science or business, to pitch a beat.
Should I list social media accounts?
Only a professional account where you post your stories or cover live events. A personal account does not belong on the resume. If social media was your main job, the social media coordinator example may fit better.
Check your resume free
Upload or paste your resume and see what to fix, in under a minute. Add a job post to see what's missing for that job. No sign-up.
Check my resumeMore resume examples
- Entry-level content writer resume exampleA blog writing internship, a student newspaper copy desk and a personal blog, built around long-form articles and a writing portfolio.
- Social media coordinator resume example (entry level)A nonprofit internship, a student newspaper account and a class campaign, built around real posts and native platform insights.
- Entry-level video editor resume exampleA post-production internship, student TV and two student films, built around a demo reel and the notes you took from directors.
See all resume examples.