If you’re interested in a career in journalism (and if you’re anything like me…), it has probably crossed your mind that the life of the journalist seems full of excitement, fun opportunities to travel, discover new things, and meet interesting people. What’s not to like?
With help from some of the dedicated stars of King’s student media, we created a quick guide to help you chase your dreams!
If there’s anything we know about how you can better your chances at making it big in journalism, it’s that experience matters! Established journalists everywhere often started out by working on their student newspapers.
Why should you get involved in student media, you say? We could go on and on, but we’ll stick to these three great reasons…
- Employers are often interested in work experience, or, in the very least, they want to see evidence of published work. Being involved in student media can help you increase your chances of being employed later.
- Student media is the perfect opportunity to learn essential skills, and you’ll get the support and guidance you need to perfect them. It might help you get to grips with online journalism and different platforms, which is KEY in the digital age. (Some of the student media organisations even offer training and you can also access great online courses on Lynda.com!)
- To make it in journalism you need to distinguish yourself from other candidates. The competition is fierce! You can use your student media experience to get noticed by potential employers. (Win-win!)
Student media can be the launchpad to a career in journalism. You could also consider creating a blog (an online portfolio to impress future employers!) to help you reference your work. Go get started!
…so what can I do while at King’s?
The short answer to that question is – you can do a lot. For Rebekah Evans, editor in chief of Roar News, the journalism you can get involved in as a student at King’s College London is some of the most rewarding journalism there is to take part in. Student media allows you to get the hands-on experience employers are looking for, she says. Roar News, which was previously awarded the title of best student paper in the country, is staffed entirely by students, and is always recruiting.
If Roar News is not for you, you might want to get involved by joining KingsTV, Strand Magazine, News Decoder, or KCL Radio. In addition to this you can find student media organisations focused on more niche topics, such as Strife and KCL International Relations Today, or you can join the Press Committee in the KCL Crisis Simulation next February.
Andrei Popoviciu, news editor in KCL Radio and editor in chief of KCL IRT, enjoys the freedom he gets, in terms of the stories he can cover, by being involved in student media organisations. While coordinating everything can be a challenge, Andrei says, all the resources available to you at King’s makes it rewarding and enjoyable.
…and some final advice
If student media is not enough to keep you satisfied, you could also look beyond King’s to gain experience while still a student. Make sure to keep an eye out for trainee schemes, such as those run by the BBC or ITV. For general advice on how to get into journalism you can also visit the Broadcast Journalism Training Council and the National Council for the Training of Journalists websites.
Good luck! Go forth & write your way to success.
Written by Silje Undlien, Third Year War Studies undergraduate at King’s College London & Marketing Assistant at King’s Careers & Employability.