How to become a journalist

How to become a journalist

Carve out a career in an exciting, ever-shifting industry, breaking stories and keeping the world informed.

“The most important thing you can do right now if you want to be a journalist?” asks Associate Professor of Media at RMIT, Dr. Alexandra Wake. “Put your phone down and look out the window. Be curious. Listen to the conversations around you and always ask ‘Why?’ Because that curiosity is not something that we can teach.”

Journalism careers are some of the most exciting, dynamic and important ways to spend your working life – even if you move on to another career later on. The skills you learn here are incredibly useful and transferable, with many former journos going on to work in industries such as engineering, law, corporate communications and PR.

“The real value of journalism is that it’s the most fun you can get,” reveals Alex. “It is the best career you can possibly have. It’s considered a young person’s career, but it’s an excellent training ground.”

3 RMIT journalism students practice their interviewing skills in RMIT's studio facility.

How to become a journalist

“There are a hundred different ways into journalism, but the value of doing one of our degrees at RMIT is being able to walk into the newsroom on day one and do the job,” says Alex. “These days, a degree in journalism is seen as sort of entry level to make the short list. Not all news organisations follow that – it’s not like being a doctor, you don't have to have a particular qualification – but it certainly makes your life easier if you do have one.”

Apply to a journalism course

Woman writes in a notebook while holding two microphones.

Associate Degree in Professional Writing and Editing

This is a practical, industry-focused course that focuses on a combination of creativity and scaffolding the skills and expertise you need to become a professional writer and/or editor. At RMIT, you gain access to editors and publishers, so you receive feedback on your work.

3 RMIT journalism students are on-air in radio studio.

Bachelor of Communication (Journalism)

Build hands-on experience in creating high quality journalism, developing modern news-gathering skills under the guidance of experts. At RMIT, you can have your work published and/or broadcast in the City Journal, and on Channel 31 and RRR. Graduate prepared to begin your career with a professional portfolio of published work.

Soren Frederiksen takes a photo of a protest in the Melbourne CBD.

Graduate Diploma in Journalism

This one-year course enhances your undergraduate qualifications with focused study that builds your journalism skills. At RMIT, you’ll take part in an industry placement, present and produce live news for radio and TV, and write reports for publication.

Secure a cadetship

It’s a bit of an old-fashioned path these days, but there still are some cadetships available in legacy organisations such as the ABC or regional newspapers. Generally these one-year training programs involve on-the-job training, mentoring from industry-active journalists and, unlike internships, being paid for your work. 

What does a journalist do?

“The wonderful thing about journalism is that it is an ever-changing career and what you've been doing one day maybe completely different than the next,” explains Alex. “Entry-level journalists tend to write small stories, create social media, go out and conduct interviews in the field, do on-air recordings and write small online updates. That's the beginning of a journalism career. ”

Common tasks, duties, and responsibilities

  • Travelling to cover events

  • Researching stories and checking facts

  • Collaborating with other professionals on stories in different formats

  • Reading press releases and other comms to stay on top of local and international events.

An RMIT journalism student conducts an interview outside ABC Fact Check.

What skills does a journalist need?

“Increasingly the emphasis is on digital tools and the ability to use the digital environment in terms of all the online reporting tools," adds Alex. "That's everything from being able to wrangle data sets into something that is meaningful or to being able to find people in an online setting, such as on social media.”

A lot of the skills you use as a journalist are soft skills – essentially, being able to relate to people and find the information you need: “Being able to talk to people, being able to speak to people about difficult matters and being naturally curious. Knowing what questions to ask, or what questions other people might be wanting to know the answers to,” says Alex.

“It’s increasingly important to get out from behind a desk and actually talk to people in real life, because that's where you'll get original material. It's not from sitting at your desk and reading a press release that someone else has written.”

What's it like to work as a journalist in Australia?

In Australia, journalism covers a wide spectrum of publications, platforms and roles in newspapers, magazines, television, radio and online. Most people stay in the industry for 12-14 years before moving on to other sectors, having built up a strong repertoire of transferable skills. The median full-time earnings are $1,842 per week* and the median hourly earnings for freelancers are $49 per hour*.

Alex adds, “The journalism industry has been going through technological change since computers overtook our lives. That pace of technological change on news continues and in some ways is increasing. However, we find that graduates from RMIT are highly sought after by industry and many get multiple job offers. That’s because the skills that we teach at RMIT are ones that the industry actually wants. There are, at the moment, more jobs for entry-level journalists than we can provide graduates for.”

Learn more about your journalism study options

Whether you're a Year 12 student weighing up your options, thinking about switching careers or a professional looking to expand your skills, RMIT has a range of vocational, undergraduate, and postgraduate courses for domestic and international students that provide a comprehensive and industry-focused education that can help you succeed as a journalist in Australia.

*Source: www.jobsandskills.gov.au 2023

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Acknowledgement of Country

RMIT University acknowledges the people of the Woi wurrung and Boon wurrung language groups of the eastern Kulin Nation on whose unceded lands we conduct the business of the University. RMIT University respectfully acknowledges their Ancestors and Elders, past and present. RMIT also acknowledges the Traditional Custodians and their Ancestors of the lands and waters across Australia where we conduct our business - Artwork 'Sentient' by Hollie Johnson, Gunaikurnai and Monero Ngarigo.

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aboriginal flag
torres strait flag

Acknowledgement of Country

RMIT University acknowledges the people of the Woi wurrung and Boon wurrung language groups of the eastern Kulin Nation on whose unceded lands we conduct the business of the University. RMIT University respectfully acknowledges their Ancestors and Elders, past and present. RMIT also acknowledges the Traditional Custodians and their Ancestors of the lands and waters across Australia where we conduct our business.

More information