Press / Media
Journalist
Overview
A Journalist researches, writes, and reports news stories for print, online, or broadcast media. They must have excellent writing and research skills, and be able to work under tight deadlines. They may specialize in a particular area of coverage, such as politics, business, or sports.
The main responsibilities of a Journalist include researching and investigating stories, conducting interviews with sources, writing and editing news articles or scripts, reporting live from the scene of events, and verifying the accuracy of information. They must also adhere to ethical standards of journalism, including avoiding conflicts of interest, maintaining objectivity, and protecting sources.
Common tasks
| Task | Related trait(s) |
|---|---|
| Researching and investigating news stories through interviews, background research, and other sources | Cautiousness – Objectivity Activity Level and Multitasking Reading Comprehension Social skills – Extroversion Communication skills – Expressiveness Communication skills – Understanding others Curiosity |
| Writing and editing news articles, reports, and features for print, online, or broadcast media, or covering news events | Communication skills – Expressiveness Communication skills – Understanding others |
| Developing and maintaining relationships with sources and contacts in order to develop story leads and secure exclusive stories | Communication skills – Understanding others |
| Adhering to ethical and legal standards of journalism, including accuracy, fairness, and unbiased reporting | Tenacity Integrity Cautiousness – Objectivity |
| Staying up-to-date on current events and trends, and developing expertise in specific areas of coverage | Curiosity |
| Collaborating with other reporters and editors | Teamplayer Helping Others Teamplayer Positive group practices Teamplayer Respect for rules |
Soft skills measured by TraitForward
| Trait | No of Questions | Cronbach’s alpha (α) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Communication skills – Expressiveness | 11 | 0.84 | |
| Do they express themselves effectively? | |||
| Communication skills – Understanding others | 8 | 0.71 | |
| Do they understand others? | |||
| Tenacity | 5 | 0.72 | |
| Do they value freedom of expression? | |||
| Cautiousness – Objectivity | 8 | 0.78 | |
| Are they objective? | |||
| Activity Level and Multitasking | 6 | 0.67 | |
| Can they multitask? Can they handle demanding workloads? | |||
| Social skills – Extroversion | 9 | 0.84 | |
| Can they handle social situations? | |||
| Reading Comprehension | 10 | 0.79 | |
| Do they like reading? | |||
| Emotional Intelligence – Understanding others | 7 | 0.80 | |
| Do they understand how people feel? | |||
| Integrity | 9 | 0.73 | |
| Do they have a moral compass? | |||
| Teamplayer Respect for rules | 9 | 0.74 | |
| Do they follow rules? | |||
| Teamplayer Helping Others | 6 | 0.75 | |
| Do they like helping others? | |||
| Teamplayer Positive group practices | 9 | 0.72 | |
| Do they like being included in a group? | |||
| Curiosity | 9 | 0.73 | |
| Are they curious? | |||
Did you Know?
Source: US Department of Labor – Bureau of Labor Statistics
Median wage:
$48,370 / per year
$23 / hour
The median annual wage for this profession is $48,370. Nonetheless several professionals may not be paid in that rate. A relatively low salary the 10th percentile of the annual wage is $29,210, whilst a relatively high salary, the 90th percentile of the annual wage is $120,590.
Expected employment growth:
Number (in thousands in 2021): 47.1 (News analysts, reporters, and journalists)
Number (in thousands in 2031): 43.1 (News analysts, reporters, and journalists)
Employment percent change: -8.6 (News analysts, reporters, and journalists)
Entry Education level:
To become a Journalist, one typically needs a bachelor’s degree in journalism or a related field, although some employers may accept candidates with a degree in a different field if they have relevant experience or training in journalism. Journalists must have excellent communication and writing skills, as well as a strong attention to detail and the ability to work under tight deadlines. They must also have strong critical thinking and analytical skills, as they must be able to gather and analyze information from a variety of sources. Finally, Journalists must be comfortable working in a fast-paced, high-pressure environment and have a strong commitment to accuracy and ethics in their reporting.
Find out the psychometric properties for the Journalist Traitforward questionnaire