Journalist CV Example
Build a CV that showcases your news reporting skills, investigative abilities, and track record of publishing impactful stories.
Recommended template: CreativePro
Key Skills to Include
Quick Tips
- Include bylines and links to your most impactful published articles.
- Mention the beats or specialist areas you have covered in depth.
- Highlight your ability to work under tight deadlines and breaking news pressure.
- Include your understanding of media law, defamation, and ethical journalism standards.
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Upgrade to ProHow to Write Your Journalist CV
A journalist CV should demonstrate your reporting range, the quality of your published work, and your ability to operate effectively under deadline pressure. News organisations look for reporters who can generate stories, develop contacts, and produce accurate, engaging journalism across multiple platforms. Your CV should highlight your bylines, specialist beats, and any impact your reporting has achieved, alongside your professional qualifications and commitment to ethical journalism.
CV Structure
Lead with your contact details and a concise profile stating your experience, specialist beats, and notable achievements. List work experience in reverse chronological order, describing the publication, your reporting responsibilities, and the impact of your work. Include a section for published work with links to your most significant stories. Add education, professional qualifications, and relevant skills. Keep the document to two pages.
CV Format
Use a clean, text-focused template that prioritises content over design. Journalism CVs should be readable and well-structured, reflecting the clarity you bring to your writing. Include links to your published work or a personal website where your portfolio can be reviewed. Save as a PDF.
CV Profile Examples
Experienced News Journalist
NCTJ-qualified journalist with eight years of experience in news reporting across regional and national media, specialising in local government, planning, and housing. Strong track record of breaking exclusive stories that have prompted public inquiries, policy changes, and national media follow-ups. Experienced in print, digital, and broadcast journalism with multimedia storytelling skills including video reporting, podcast production, and live social media coverage.
Investigative Journalist
Tenacious investigative journalist with six years of experience producing in-depth reports for national broadsheets and digital investigative outlets. Specialises in corporate accountability, financial crime, and public interest investigations using FOI requests, data analysis, and source-led reporting. Work has led to regulatory investigations, parliamentary questions, and two Press Awards nominations for investigative journalism.
Trainee Journalist
Ambitious trainee journalist completing NCTJ diploma studies whilst working as a reporter for a regional daily newspaper. Covers courts, council meetings, and community news, filing an average of five stories per day for print and digital editions. Combines strong shorthand, media law knowledge, and a genuine commitment to public interest journalism with a growing portfolio of bylined news stories and features.
State your qualification status, years of experience, specialist beats, and one headline achievement in three sentences. Mention notable publications you have worked for to establish your professional level.
Key Skills for Your Journalist CV
News Reporting
Researching, writing, and filing accurate, balanced news stories to tight deadlines for print and digital publication.
Investigative Journalism
Conducting in-depth investigations using FOI requests, data analysis, source development, and document scrutiny.
Interviewing
Conducting interviews with diverse subjects including members of the public, officials, and experts to obtain information and quotes.
Feature Writing
Writing in-depth features, profiles, and analysis pieces that explore topics beyond the immediate news cycle.
Media Law & Ethics
Understanding contempt of court, defamation, privacy law, and ethical standards governing journalistic practice.
Deadline Management
Delivering accurate, well-written copy under the time pressure of daily news production and breaking story situations.
Source Development
Building and maintaining relationships with confidential and on-the-record sources across relevant beats and sectors.
Multimedia Storytelling
Producing video reports, podcasts, social media content, and interactive elements to tell stories across multiple platforms.
Work Experience Examples
Describe the publication, your reporting beat, and the volume of stories you produced. Include specific examples of impactful or exclusive stories. Mention multimedia skills and any audience engagement metrics. Quantify with page views, awards, or real-world outcomes from your reporting.
Senior Reporter
The Guardian
Covered housing, planning, and local government for the national news desk, producing news reports, investigations, and analysis for print and digital editions.
Responsibilities
- Researched, reported, and wrote news stories, features, and analysis pieces for print and online publication to daily and weekly deadlines.
- Developed and cultivated confidential sources across local authorities, housing associations, and community organisations.
- Filed Freedom of Information requests, analysed public data sets, and scrutinised planning documents to underpin investigative reporting.
- Produced multimedia content including video reports, podcast contributions, and live social media coverage of developing stories.
- Collaborated with editors, data journalists, and sub-editors to develop and shape stories for maximum editorial impact.
Achievements
- Broke an exclusive investigation into social housing conditions that prompted a council inquiry and was cited in parliamentary debate, generating over 2 million online page views.
- Won a Regional Press Award for News Reporter of the Year based on a portfolio of public interest stories published over 12 months.
- Built a social media following of 15,000 on the back of housing and planning reporting, becoming a recognised voice in the field.
Reporter
Birmingham Mail / Reach Plc
Covered a general news patch including courts, crime, education, and community news for a regional daily newspaper and its associated digital platforms.
Responsibilities
- Filed an average of five to eight stories per day for the newspaper and website, meeting tight production deadlines.
- Attended court hearings, council meetings, and press conferences, writing accurate reports under time pressure.
- Conducted interviews with members of the public, officials, and emergency services for news and feature stories.
- Monitored social media, emergency services communications, and news wires for breaking stories.
Achievements
- Produced a court reporting series on youth justice that increased digital engagement by 35% and was shortlisted for a Midlands Media Award.
- Consistently ranked in the top three reporters by digital page views across the newsroom, averaging 500,000 monthly views.
Education & Qualifications
List your NCTJ diploma status first, including shorthand speed. Follow with your degree and any postgraduate journalism qualifications. Mention any specialist training in data journalism, FOI, or multimedia reporting.
NCTJ Diploma in Journalism
Industry-standard qualification covering news reporting, media law, public affairs, and shorthand.
BA / MA Journalism
Undergraduate or postgraduate degree providing academic and practical training in journalism.
100wpm Shorthand
Teeline or Pitman shorthand certification demonstrating note-taking speed required for court and meeting reporting.
IPSO / IMPRESS Complaints Training
Training in press regulation standards and complaint handling procedures.
Frequently Asked Questions
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