Journalist Resume Examples & Format
A journalist reports news stories for publication or broadcast, describing the background and details of events. A journalist resume should prove skills such as news writing, interviewing, and fact-checking and verification with numbers from your own work. Below are three samples, entry-level to senior, with summaries, bullets and skills.
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Journalist resume examples by experience level
All three samples are illustrative: the people, employers and every figure are made up.
Entry-level sample
Olivia Grant
B.A. Journalism · campus news reporter · city council and courts · 40 bylines
Chicago, IL · (312) 555-0143 · olivia.grant@example.com · portfolio: oliviagrantreports.example.com · x.com/example-oliviagrantnews
Summary
- Journalism graduate with 68 published stories at the campus paper and a local news site, covering city council, courts and campus issues. Looking for a reporter role at a local newsroom.
Experience
- Reporting Intern, Lakeshore Daily News (digital), Chicago, IL · Jan – Apr 2026 · Filed 28 stories on city services and local schools; one story on a school bus shortage reached 60,000 page views and led to a follow-up from the district.
- News Reporter, The Campus Courier, Chicago, IL · 2024 – 2026 · Wrote 40 stories and 12 news briefs; edited 15 stories by other reporters as news editor in the final semester.
Education
- B.A. Journalism, Midwestern State University · 2026 · GPA 3.6
Skills
- Interviewing, news writing, fact-checking, public records requests, AP style, WordPress, basic video editing, social media posting
Mid-level sample
Andrew Collins
Business Reporter · 5 years · banking and startups · 300 published stories
New York, NY · (212) 555-0169 · andrew.collins@example.com · portfolio: andrewcollins.press
Summary
- Business reporter with five years covering banking and startups for a regional news site and a national wire service, filing 3 to 5 stories a week. Broke 4 exclusive stories that other outlets followed.
Work experience
- Reporter, Metro Business Wire, New York, NY · 2023 – present · Cover banking and startups; file 3 to 5 stories a week; keep a source list of 80 contacts; 4 exclusives picked up by national outlets.
- Reporter, Hudson Valley Gazette, Poughkeepsie, NY · 2021 – 2023 · Covered local business and the county budget; filed 5 stories a week and a weekly newsletter with 9,000 subscribers.
Education
- M.S. Journalism, Columbia River School of Journalism · 2021
- B.A. Economics, Hudson State University · 2019
Skills
- Business and financial reporting, source development, document analysis, data in Excel, newsletters, AP style, audio and video clips, social media
Senior sample
Maria Sanchez
Deputy Editor, Politics and Investigations · 14 years across print, TV and digital · team of 9 reporters
Washington, DC · (202) 555-0124 · maria.sanchez@example.com
Summary
- Journalist and editor with fourteen years across print, TV and digital, now deputy editor leading a politics and investigations desk of 9 reporters. Edited 3 investigative series, one a finalist for a regional award.
Work experience
- Deputy Editor, Politics and Investigations, The Capital Ledger (digital), Washington, DC · 2020 – present · Lead 9 reporters; edit 25 stories a week; set the desk's daily priorities with the editor; 3 investigative series, 1 award finalist.
- Senior Correspondent, Capitol Broadcast News, Washington, DC · 2014 – 2020 · Reported 300 on-air segments on Congress and federal agencies; produced 12 live shots during election night coverage.
- Staff Reporter, a daily print newspaper, Richmond, VA · 2012 – 2014 · Covered state government and courts; filed 4 stories a week for the print edition.
Education
- B.A. Political Science and Journalism, Potomac State University · 2012
Skills
- Editing and assigning, investigative reporting, public records, legal review, broadcast reporting, team leadership, audience analytics, ethics
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What does a journalist do?
A journalist resume should show that work in numbers: stories filed, beats covered, audience reached and scoops or awards. The job means gathering information through research, interviews and observation, checking facts, building relationships with credible sources, and writing or presenting to a deadline, often across print, online, audio and video.
Journalist duties to put on a resume
- Report news stories for publication or broadcast, describing the background and details of events.
- Gather information and develop perspectives through research, interviews and observation.
- Arrange interviews and build relationships with credible sources of information.
- Investigate breaking news developments and receive assignments or evaluate leads and tips.
- Check reference materials, news files and public records to get accurate facts.
- Select and organize material into the right format and determine a story's emphasis, length and format.
- Write news stories, columns, scripts or online posts, and revise them to meet editorial approval.
- Take photos or video for stories, and discuss priorities with editors.
Best resume format for a journalist
- Put a portfolio link at the top and the outlets you wrote for, since editors read clips before they read the resume.
- Show output and impact: stories a week, page views, exclusives picked up, newsletter growth, awards.
- Avoid naming confidential sources or unpublished material in your resume.
The section order and what goes in each are on the how to write a resume guide; the resume format guide covers every format by type and country.
Summary examples by level
- Entry-level: Journalism graduate with 68 published stories at the campus paper and a local news site, covering city council, courts and campus issues.
- Mid-level: Business reporter with five years covering banking and startups, filing 3 to 5 stories a week and breaking 4 exclusives picked up by national outlets.
- Senior: Journalist and editor with fourteen years across print, TV and digital, leading a desk of 9 reporters and editing 25 stories a week.
Work experience bullet points
- Filed 3 to 5 stories a week on banking and startups, each checked against at least two sources.
- Broke 4 exclusive stories in one year that national outlets followed and credited.
- Grew a weekly newsletter from 2,000 to 9,000 subscribers in 18 months.
- Wrote a school bus shortage story that reached 60,000 page views and led to a district response.
- Built a source list of 80 contacts across city agencies, banks and startups.
- Filed 12 breaking news updates in one day during a storm, with video from 3 locations.
- Edited 25 stories a week and kept the desk's average publish time under 2 hours from filing.
- Filed 6 public records requests in a year, 4 of which produced documents for published stories.
Key skills to list
Hard skills: News writing, Interviewing, Fact-checking and verification, Source development, Public records research, AP style, Content management systems (WordPress), Audio and video basics, Social media and newsletters, Data basics in Excel or Sheets.
Soft skills: Curiosity, Working to deadlines, Ethics and fairness, Persistence with sources, Clear judgment under pressure.
Writing the letter too? See the journalist cover letter example.
Education and certifications
- BLS says news analysts, reporters and journalists typically need a bachelor's degree in journalism, communications or a related field such as English. List your degree with the school and year, and add courses in reporting, ethics or multimedia.
- Employers generally prefer candidates who have done an internship or worked on a school newspaper, radio station or TV station (BLS). List each one with the outlet, your role and a byline or two, and link your portfolio so an editor can judge your work.
- BLS notes that courses in multimedia design, coding and programming help you produce stories with video, audio, data and graphics. Name the tools you used and the story you used them on.
Sources
Checked on 5 October 2026.
What skills should I list on a journalist resume?
List news writing, interviewing, fact-checking, source development, public records research, AP style, content management systems and basic audio or video. Soft skills such as working to deadlines matter too; show each with a story or a number.
Do journalists need a degree?
Usually. BLS says journalists typically need a bachelor's degree in journalism, communications or a related field such as English, and employers prefer candidates with internships or school newspaper, radio or TV work. List your degree, then the outlets and your best clips.
How do I show impact on a journalist resume?
Use stories filed, page views, exclusives picked up by other outlets, newsletter growth, follow-ups and awards. For example: broke 4 exclusives that national outlets followed. Keep sources and unpublished work out.