So you want to be a journalist?... Then read on!

Journalism can be an exciting, challenging and very rewarding career but one that also demands a lot of hard work, long and often unsociable hours, low pay and working in an industry that is very demanding and constantly changing.

For instance, on the death of former British Prime Minister, Margaret Thatcher, on April 8, 2013, one of my journalist friends updated his Facebook status with the following: "Thatcher dies and so does my plan for an early finish" - now that sums up the reality of life as a journalist!

However, if you are cut out for a career in journalism - and that certainly isn't everyone - then there are many upsides to the job too and the more you put into it, the more job satisfaction you will receive in return.

But seriously, if you have ideas of newspaper journalism being a glamorous career where reporters spend lots of time wining and dining contacts in the hope of getting a good story, then dream on! 

Long gone are the days when a journalist could languish for hours down the pub schmoozing with contacts or spend hours out of the newsroom to cover various events and/or conduct interviews in person.

These days, especially as the print media tackles the new challenges and demands faced by the dot com era, a journalist's job is very much desk bound with most interviews conducted over the phone and outings only to cover specific stories, as agreed with the editor.

Now that might sound all doom and gloom but a career in journalism is very much what you make of it and is considered more a vocation than a job. Just don't be under any illusion that being a good journalist is going to be a piece of cake!

But once you've made sufficient impact on a local level you can progress to covering national news or even move into the realms of glossy magazines or broadcast media - the world's your oyster, as the saying goes!