10 practical tips to succeed in a journalism job interview

So you have applied for a job as a journalist and landed an interview. Great news! You've successfully jumped the first hurdle and obviously written something that's caught the attention of the editor otherwise you wouldn't have made it this far.

Give yourself a big pat on the back because I can guarantee you that your application will have been one of many as journalism is a popular career choice and very few news organisations are ever short of applicants, especially at entry level.

But now comes the important bit, the job interview. For this you need to plan and prepare, as you don't want to blow your chances of getting the job.

And the more organised and prepared you are the more likely you'll be to get the job which will give you your first step into the industry to finally launch your career as a journalist.

So here's 10 practical tips to help you stand out from the crowd and nail that job as a journalist!
  

• Be on time: Being able to meet deadlines is an intrinsic part of being a journalist so it stands to reason that if you turn up late for your job interview then you might have spoilt your chances of getting the job. Aim to turn up at least 15 minutes before your interview and allow yourself plenty of time to get there. If you do get stuck in traffic or the train is late etc; contact the newspaper office where you have your interview to inform them of your circumstances and that you may be late.

• Dress smart: Appearances count for a lot in any job interview and journalism is no exception. So if you're a man wear a suit with a tie and if you're a woman wear a smart dress or suit. In both cases wear clean shoes and make sure your nails and hair are clean and tidy. This might sound like I'm being 'mother' but I've seen many interviewees turn up in trainers and t-shirts tucked into denim trousers and yes, you've guessed it, they didn't get the job! As a general rule of thumb just dress in the way you would do if you were meeting the Queen.

• Don't smoke or eat wiffy stuff: The odour of cigarette smoke can be very off-putting, especially to non-smokers, so don't smoke before the interview, as the smell will linger. Also, don't drink heavily or eat strong tasting food the night before such as a garlic or strong cheese as this will make your breath smelly and again, can be a major turn off to an interviewer. 

• Turn off your cell: You don't want to risk your mobile phone or cell going off in the middle of the interview so it's a good idea to switch it off before you go into the interview room. 

• Be polite and interested: From the moment you enter the building consider that your interview has already started. Be courteous and polite to everyone as you don't know who they are or who they know. It's a good idea to offer a handshake when you enter the interview room but make sure it's a firm one. There is nothing more awful than a limp handshake that feels like you're shaking hands with a lettuce leaf! Sit up straight and don't slouch, speak only when invited to do so and look at the interviewer asking the questions when you're answering. Speak in a confident voice and smile! Look interested and keen at all times. On leaving, remember to say thank you and offer another firm handshake. 

• Take evidence: Take a copy of your CV, any certificates of qualifications you have achieved, any clippings or print outs of journalism work, paid or unpaid (especially if you've stated that you have done in your job application) and any other supporting evidence of anything you stated when you applied for the job.

• Know the media and its audience: Whether you're being interviewed for a journalist's job on a local newspaper, a regional radio/TV station or a national media or magazine, you need to fully understand that specific media, its audience/readership and its rivals. Don't turn up for the job interview without having read a copy of the newspaper or tuned into the TV or radio station's news more than once. Be fully versed in what sort of news is covered, what news angles the stories take, what, if any, campaigns are run and what sort of audience does the publication or media channel attract. You need to know the answers to all of these questions before the day of your interview and be fully conversant in the news and audience of the specific media. 

• Know the national news: Be up-to-date on current news and events. If you're asked what you think about the Government's decision to do something that day/week/month, you need to have a plausible answer as knowing about current affairs will show the interview panel that you are keen and serious about wanting to be a journalist.

• Know who's who: Not only should you know the name of the editor and the organisation that owns the media where you have your interview (or whether or not it's an independent) you should be knowledgeable on its news patch and key political figures. You should know the name of the local Mayor, the MP/senator, which political parties are governing that region and the local authority, the name of authority leaders. Not knowing these basic key facts won't look too good if a question crops up about them.

• Think ahead: Think about the sort of questions that you might be asked and your likely response. Always refrain from 'yes or no' answers and have a solid explanation in your mind for each possible question. I'll do another post on typical journalism job interview questions and give you some good, sound answers, so add me to your circle to follow me on Google+ to stay posted.

Essential journalism qualifications are key to success

Journalism is a highly competitive industry, especially at entry level, so good grades in relevant qualifications are a key tool to getting that all-important first job in the industry whether it be print, broadcast or digital media.

The qualifications needed to be a journalist will be different from country-to-country so it's worth contacting your local careers service or school/college careers adviser to find out what qualifications are essential to being a journalist where you live.

In the UK editors will be looking for a good first degree coupled with a nationally recognised qualification in journalism gained through an accredited National Council of Training Journalists (NCTJ) course.

The NCTJ-accredited course will provide you with the core foundations needed to become a journalist including shorthand, law, public affairs and essential writing and reporting skills.

It is the benchmark qualification used by editors when taking on new recruits and is the standard qualification required to do the NCE, which is a further course of study provided by the bulk of media companies on entry to the profession.

Many UK colleges and universities offer NCTJ-accredited courses and it is possible to complete a course of study on a distance learning or short course basis.

Often a first degree in journalism will include the standard NCTJ qualification or you can do what I did and study for a degree then complete a one-year postgraduate course in journalism.

The disadvantage to doing a separate degree and postgraduate journalism course is that it takes four years to complete instead of three. But, in my opinion, it does allow you to gain a better-rounded education than just doing a course geared toward the job itself.

I studied business, communications, media and cultural studies for my BA (Hons) degree and these subjects have been useful throughout my career as a journalist as they have provided me with a good understanding of people, different cultures, business and economics and the general workings of the world.

If you have ambitions to be a foreign news reporter for the BBC for instance a degree in Arabic or Chinese could be a good asset before doing an NCTJ-accredited postgraduate course. Likewise, if you want to be a business correspondent a degree in economics is likely to be useful.

As well as recognised qualifications editors are increasingly looking for a whole range of multimedia skills such as photography or video filming and editing and often favour candidates who can demonstrate use and understanding of social media.

So whether self taught or gained through a course of study keeping yourself up-to-date with the workings of new technologies and the potential new media has to the industry will give you an edge in the new-recruiter job market.
  

Benefits of work experience or an internship in journalism

Despite being a very demanding job that often includes long and unsociable hours and a salary that isn't huge compared to other professions, there are usually a lot of applicants for jobs in journalism.

So if you want to be a journalist you're not only going to have to work hard for good exam grades and brush up on your technical and personal skills, but you're also going to have to get some work experience under your belt.

As I've said, being a journalist is something many people want to do, so an editor can afford to be picky and recruit the crème de la crème for journalism jobs, especially those at trainee or junior level.

Therefore, doing a stint of work experience or an internship with your local newspaper or even a national newspaper or a broadcast media that particularly interests you, will give you some real industry experience to add to your CV or resume when applying for jobs in journalism.

Although it's unlikely that you will be paid for your internship or work experience as a journalist, the experience you will get out of it has a number of key benefits:

• It will give you a taste of the industry and the job so that you can decide if you are really cut out to be a journalist and if the career is really the right one for you

• You will get relevant work experience in a real life setting so that you can see what being a journalist is going to be like when you enter the career

• It is a good way to put into practise all of your personal and technical skills and allows you to see which ones you might need to improve or gain in order to be a good journalist

• It will give you a chance to observe the key roles other professionals play in the media such as photographers, sub editors and advertising sales reps for instance. The sort of professionals you will be working alongside throughout your career as a journalist

• If you show that they are very good, keen and determined to be a journalist, it is very likely that you will be remembered by editors and could even be offered a job as a journalist for that media once you have completed your journalism qualifications

• Your period of work experience will give you a chance to gain real and valuable contacts both inside and outside of the newsroom

Therefore rather than seeing work experience or an internship as 'free labour', as many do, see it as a good way of gaining some real life experience doing a job that you want to do.

Journalism as a career is what you make of it, so view work experience in this way - the more you put into it, the more you will get out of it.

Also remember that your work experience or internship in journalism is not only a good learning curve but it will stand you in good stead when you are applying for jobs in journalism and could put you ahead of the competition.

TOP TIP: Know the news to report the news!

If you want a job as a journalist then it stands to reason that you should have a healthy interest in news and current affairs.

Reading national and local newspapers, watching regional and national TV news and listening to radio bulletins should all be part of your daily routine.

Not only will you get a good understanding of current affairs and the political landscape etc but you'll learn what sort of news is covered by the different media organisations and the contrasting approaches each takes to reporting it.

If you have applied for a job as a journalist and been fortunate enough to be selected for an interview (and I use the word 'fortunate' quite literally as applicants for jobs in journalism are usually in abundance) it would also be advisable to know who's who and what's going on out there!

Now I don't mean knowing every single politician up and down the country or the chairman of every police force, but you should at least be fluent on the name of the local council leader, county council leader and political representative.

And find out the name of the town or city mayor, the police chief, chairman of the local health authority and key decision makers for that particular news patch.

Know which political party is in power in your country, who is the leader and which party is governing the region(s) covered by the media organisation.

DO NOT, however, contact the media where you've got your job interview and ask them if they could tell you. This happened when I was a newspaper hack and the editor put a great big, black pen line straight through that young man's application! I'm sure you can imagine why.

You should definitely be familiar with the newspaper or media channel where you have the interview. What sort of news is covered? What, if any, campaigns have been done recently? What is the style and angle of its written or broadcast work? What main sports teams are covered?

Try to imagine the sort of questions that might come up in the interview. You are most likely to be asked why you want a job on that particular newspaper or broadcast media.

Wouldn't it be great to answer with reference to a few recent articles or broadcasts the media organisation has covered? Or how much you think the media campaign they are running to raise money for the local hospital is a great idea? How impressive would you sound to the interview panel?

Just don't overdo it though. Everyone, including journalists and editors, love to be praised for their work but too much of it can sound a little too gushy.

And NEVER lie! Having honesty and integrity are pivotal to the job of being a journalist so being caught out lying or exaggerating the truth to the point that you get yourself tangled in knots, is a definite no, no!

As I've said to many trainee journalists: "If in doubt, leave it out!"