Key resources

• Overview of journalism careers from the National Council for the Training of Journalists (NCTJ)
• How to get into publishing on the Prospects website
• Journo Resources - articles, advice, "day in the life"
• Case study of a Commissioning Editor at Cambridge University Press
• Case study of a science writer on the Prospects website

Research the sector and keep up with current issues by reading:

• trade news like Press Gazette and Hold the Front Page for journalism, and The Bookseller for publishing. Many national newspapers and websites report on media and publishing news, such as the Guardian and the Independent
• The Publishing Post weekly newsletter, covering industry news, careers advice and entry-level job listings in publishing
• information from the Association of British Science Writers and the Science Comms JiscMail mailing list for those interested in science writing.

Jobs in journalism and publishing are varied and the specific skills will depend on your role. Skills can include:

Journalism:

• communication - oral and written and the ability to adapt style appropriately
• ability to identify and tell a story
• ability to get a message across effectively in a variety of media
• effective research and interviewing skills
• understanding social media and how it can be used to engage public and generate stories
• using initiative and problem solving
• ability to work well under pressure
• creativity and innovation
• IT and technical skills
• maths and data analysis
• shorthand (100 words per minute) is still useful
• commercial awareness is important if you're considering freelance work.
• good subject knowledge if you work in a specific field.

Journalism is open to graduates of any degree, but some choose to take a postgraduate qualification in journalism to develop their skills. The best courses are accredited by the National Council for the Training of Journalists (NCTJ) or the Broadcast Journalism Training Council (BJTC).

The Guardian Foundation offers a number of bursaries each year to support students from under-represented groups to do an MA in Journalism (deadline end of April).

Publishing:

• communication
• negotiation
• working to deadlines
• organisation and planning
• project management
• graphic design
• attention to detail.

Experience is essential if you want to work in journalism or publishing. You should think about:

• getting involved in student media at university
• writing a blog and being active on social media by following and engaging with journalists and publishers
• reading and contributing to Backbench, an open platform current affairs blog
• joining Writebase as a voluntary writer - write about popular culture and entertainment, covering a variety of genres
• organising your own work experience by making speculative applications - try local newspapers and magazines, or small local publishing houses
• applying for advertised internships, bearing in mind that these are very competitive (see jobs section below for websites)
• networking, which is very important in the creative sector as many jobs are discovered through word of mouth.

Many publishers are based in London. If you don’t have access to accommodation in London but want to take advantage of work experience opportunities there, use The Spare Room Project, which offers publishing interns a spare room in the house of a publisher. The Book Trade Charity also offers support for interviews and internships.

There are opportunities exclusively for under-represented groups in the sector to gain work experience in journalism and publishing, such as the Guardian Positive action scheme (BAME schemes, and a scheme for people with disabilities) and and Creative Access (BAME and those from lower socioeconomic backgrounds).

Journalism jobs are advertised:

• on websites like Guardian Jobs, Hold the Front Page, Jobs4Journalists, and Journalism.co.uk, with science communications roles on the Science Comms JiscMail mailing list
• through word of mouth, making networking very important.

Freelancers find work by pitching ideas to media organisations.

You’ll be expected to have a portfolio of your work, so save yourself time by putting this together as you build up your experience. Many budding journalists put this on their website or blog, but beware of copyright restrictions when including copy you wrote when working for media organisations.

There are a few graduate schemes but they are very competitive:

• BBC Trainee Schemes
• Reuters Journalism Programme
• ITV News Traineeship (likely to open early in the year; some schemes open exclusively to candidates with a disability)
• Channel 4 trainee schemes
• Journo Resources for a list of journalism graduate trainee schemes

Publishing jobs are advertised:

• on websites like BookBrunch, The Bookseller and The Society of Young Publishers (SYP) (only available to members)
• on publisher’s websites
• through word of mouth and speculative applications.

There are also a small number of popular schemes with large publishers:

• Penguin Random House summer internships, early career roles, and the Scheme for under represented groups (lower socio-economic background or BAME - see website for details)
• Cambridge University Press
• Royal Society of Chemistry publishing editor blog

Find out more about applying for jobs.

There are lots of things you can do right now at university to help you get the skills and experience for a career in journalism or publishing:

• Get involved with student media - there are opportunities to get experience in print, online, magazine, TV and radio.
• Backbench, an open platform current affairs blog in the UK (started by a York graduate) covers domestic and international affairs - useful for keeping up with a range of views, and you can join to contribute articles.
• Start networking by reading about York graduates on York Profiles and Mentors and sending questions to people working in journalism and publishing.
• Keep an eye out for relevant events to build your skills and meet potential employers.
• Join a student society and get involved - as well as having fun, you'll be developing skills such as teamwork, organisation, project management and more.
• Look for other opportunities to develop your creativity, communication and time management skills. Check our volunteering pages for ideas.
• Check for internship opportunities in York through York Internships, advertised on  Handshake
• Consider a placement year to get twelve months of real-world experience.
• If you're thinking about freelancing, get involved in enterprise activities to develop your commercial awareness
• Listen to our What do you actually do? podcast episode with Adam Smith, social media editor at The Economist.

Connect with York graduates on York Profiles & Mentors

• Political reporter in the UK
• Deputy news editor
• Editorial assistant
• Reporter with ITV
• Publisher with Amnesty International
• Copywriting Manager

Find the full list of graduate profiles on York Profiles & Mentors.

You can also find and connect with York alumni working in this sector on LinkedIn.

Podcasts

Keep up to date with the sector and learn about the types of jobs available with these podcasts.

• Relevant episodes of our What do you actually do? Podcast:
  • Bringing social media into The Economist, with Adam Smith
  • Climate Communications Consultant
  • A day in the life of a BBC journalist, with Lucy Vladev
  • Get into book publishing, with Helen Barton
  • Investigative journalist
  • Journalism researcher at the BBC
  • Writing for a living, with Lewis Lansford
• Journalism.co.uk podcasts

Blogs

• Jon Slattery, freelance journalist in the UK
• Hold the front page fortnightly law column blog
• The Guardian books blog + publishing