Journalism Resume Examples and Templates for 2023

How To Write a Journalism Resume

A journalism resume should showcase your way with words and provide actionable information for a hiring manager to decide on your application. Just like when you cover a story, writing your resume involves investigating what’s important to the audience and providing details that support the purpose — in this case, to get hired. Follow these steps to create a winning journalism resume.

1. Write a dynamic profile summarizing your qualifications

The profile is the hook for your resume. It catches the hiring manager’s attention and ensures they keep reading to find out more. Write a dynamic profile by summarizing your experience, skills, and career achievements.

It should include how many years of experience and what categories you’ve reported on. Include a career accomplishment if you have one, such as an award or a high-profile interview, and anything else specifically relevant to the job description.

2. Add an accomplishment-driven professional experience section

Instead of talking only about basic job duties like interviewing subjects or proofreading articles, focus your professional experience section on your accomplishments. Include metrics whenever possible, such as your average turnaround time, what percentage of deadlines you met, or how many subscribers the paper you worked for had.

If your article were published online, metrics like engagement time, comments, and shares can all show you write engaging articles people resonate with and respond to.

3. Include relevant education and awards

Many journalism positions require a bachelor’s degree at minimum, and some may specifically request candidates to have majored in journalism, English, or a similar field. A double major or minor in another field, such as political science, can make you a stronger applicant, so make sure to clearly list your education on your resume.

If you have other professional credentials or awards, this can be a separate section or included with your education as part of a larger “credentials” header.

4. List pertinent key skills

Hiring managers often only skim resumes to see if the candidate is an overall fit before reading more carefully. Increase your odds of being called for an interview by providing a key skills list that highlights your knowledge and abilities.

Sought-after skills for journalists go beyond just writing. Show you can handle every aspect of the job by emphasizing the investigation and research skills you use in the early stages of an article. We’ve compiled a list of common skills hiring managers are looking for in journalists to jump-start your creativity:

How To Pick the Best Journalism Resume Template

Journalism resume templates should be straightforward and easy to read without fussy fonts or distracting design elements. This is your chance to show your professionalism and writing skills, so choose a template that keeps the focus on the content.

Minimalist templates often work well for journalism resumes because they are direct and to the point. If you have high-profile bylines, consider a format that has a section for publications similar to how a CV works.

Journalism Text-Only Resume Templates and Examples

Years of Experience

Frequently Asked Questions: Journalism Resume Examples and Advice

Frank Hackett

Certified Professional Resume Writer (CPRW)

Frank Hackett is a professional resume writer and career consultant with over eight years of experience. As the lead editor at a boutique career consulting firm, Frank developed an innovative approach to resume writing that empowers job seekers to tell their professional stories. His approach involves creating accomplishment-driven documents that balance keyword optimization with personal branding. Frank is a Certified Professional Resume Writer (CPRW) with the Professional Association of Resume Writers and Career Coaches (PAWRCC).