What are the six things that journalist should keep in mind?
Being a female journalist can be quite a different experience from being a male journalist. Certain issues may not cross your mind until you experience them first-hand, and it’s something that not all women reporters are prepared for. However, this doesn’t mean that things will always be bleak, and there is nothing you can do to change the future.
As more women become journalists, we expect things to change even further in their favor. Women have come a long way in equality over the past few decades. However, these gains aren’t universal across all industries—especially when it comes to journalism. Women account for only 24% of the profession, and their numbers decrease the higher up the career ladder they climb. If you’re considering becoming a woman journalist or are already in the field, here are some things you need to keep in mind to help you succeed:
Key to Success is Confidence
Whether you’re interviewing a source or writing an article, you will need complete confidence in your abilities. Nobody else will either if you don’t feel that you have what it takes. You should be able to go into any situation believing that you can succeed, no matter the circumstances. You have to have faith in your writing and reporting skills and have the self-belief to go out there and get the job done. If you lack this confidence, nobody will take you seriously, and you’ll never make it very far in the field.
Dress for success
While it’s true that you shouldn’t be judged based solely on your appearance, it’s also true that how you look can sometimes have a huge impact on how others perceive you. When you’re applying for jobs or meeting with sources, you’re often judged first and foremost based on your appearance. You don’t have to go overboard with the makeup and the fancy clothes, but make sure that you look presentable and well put together. It’s not bad to get a professional outfit for special occasions either. You never know who you might run into at those events, and they could be really useful in the future.
Networking is crucial
Journalism is a field where having a wide network of connections is almost as important as your writing ability. You need to be able to reach out to sources and find people to write your pieces and offer you advice. You can build up this network by going to events and meeting people in your industry. Going to conferences, joining industry groups, and following people on social media are great ways to start. Networking is an essential part of any job, but it’s even more crucial for journalists because it’s the only way you will get published.
Be careful of whom you befriend.
Of course, you want to make as many connections as possible, but be careful with whom you associate. Be picky with whom you choose to be friends and make sure that your relationships don’t get in the way of your career. At the same time, you don’t want to be too guarded either and miss out on genuine friendships.
You need to have a fine balance between keeping your professional and personal life separate. This doesn’t mean that you can’t be friends with your colleagues; it just means that you should avoid getting romantically involved with them. If you’re a female journalist, you may want to be extra careful and avoid getting too close to certain men at work.
Be a go-to person in terms of work
When you’re starting, people will want to use you as much as they can because they know you’re new and inexperienced. However, you can turn this to your advantage and become a go-to resource for your coworkers and superiors. Offer to write up press releases, write articles for the website, and take on any writing tasks that nobody wants to do.
This will help you gain experience quickly, and once you’ve proven your worth, people will start giving you more important tasks. While you’re still a beginner, you don’t want to be the one writing the more serious and important pieces. However, you can help by making notes and coming up with ideas that your managers can use later.
Be assertive and ask for what you want.
Don’t be afraid to speak up when you need or want something. You don’t want to be that pushy person who annoys her colleagues and superiors with constant requests, but neither do you want to be the person who lets opportunities pass you by because you’re too shy to ask for them.
If you need time off for family vacations or a sick day, go ahead and ask for it. If you have an idea for an article or want to meet with a certain person for an interview, go and get it done. You can’t expect people to notice what you need or want unless you tell them, and you don’t want to miss out on great opportunities because you’re too timid.
Conclusion
The field of journalism has changed a lot over the past few decades. Although it has traditionally been a male-dominated industry, more and more women are always in a will to join the profession every year. If you’re a woman journalist, it’s important to keep these things in mind to succeed in this ever-changing field. Being confident, dressing professionally, making connections, respecting your coworkers, and being assertive will help you achieve your goals.
It is important to recognize that journalism is a dynamic profession, which is rapidly evolving in 2022 itself. There is a need to evolve not gradually but in the blink of an eye, with a growing awareness of responsibilities toward the public. For Indian journalists specifically, public-interest journalism is in danger. This subject is not adequately captured by our current journalistic standards, which is essentially a code of silence hiding silos of information that cannot be shared with the public.
There is a need to rethink the current system, rethink the means of packaging the news, and then rethink the laws and regulations that govern the profession.
Reference Links:
https://online.sbu.edu/news/journalism-skills