Journalism and Writing
Research careers and find opportunities in journalism and writing.
About journalism and writing
According to the latest census data, there are over 50,000 journalists working in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. That figure for the UK as a whole could be around 60,000. In the same census, over 70,000 people identified themselves as “authors, writers and translators.”
The Future of UK Journalism report outlines dramatic changes to the sector. Challenges include changes to traditional business models and a rise in ‘fake news’. Opportunities include new ways to engage with audiences and distribute content. For aspiring journalists, this also means new ways to build your platform.
The writing industry is also changing. The Writers Guild of Great Britain has expressed concerns about the impact of AI. However, if AI tools pay writers for the use of their work, there’s potential for increased income streams.
Job profiles
Have a look at Prospects and targetjobs to find out what roles in this sector involve and how to get into them. These are some of the job profiles available:
Journalism
- Newspaper journalist
- Broadcast journalist
- Magazine journalist
- Magazine features editor
- Press sub-editor
For information on undertaking a postgraduate or vocational training course, see Study & Training.
Writing
- Writer
- Screenwriter - also see industry tips and advice from BAFTA Guru: screenwriting
- Technical author
- Science writer - also see How to become a science writer
Skills employers look for
Employers look for skills including:
- the ability to write quickly, clearly, succinctly and passionately
- excellent grammar and spelling
- commitment, perseverance and the ability to be comfortable asking strangers uncomfortable questions
- curiosity: a lively and enquiring mind
- the ability to strike up a rapport with all kinds of people
- 100 words per minute shorthand
- a knowledge of media law
- multimedia skills including video and blogging, writing for search optimisation and multi platforms
Salaries
Starting salaries for graduate jobs in journalism and writing can vary depending on location and the type of role.
The average salary for someone working in journalism 6 months after completing an accredited postgraduate NCTJ diploma is £22,500.
To get an idea of typical starting salaries use the following resources:
- our Discover your Earning Potential Pathway offers access to The Pay Index. This shows you how salaries vary across different roles, industries and locations
- job profiles, such as those listed on Prospects or targetjobs
- vacancy sites such as Glassdoor and LinkedIn
For information about how to negotiate a salary, visit Handling job offers.
Inspiration from people working in the industry
- browse our Work Experience and Graduate Employment directories. See where our students and graduates have had work experience, or been employed
- use LinkedIn’s Alumni tool to find out what Newcastle graduates are doing now. You could ask to connect with them, to gain advice and insights into their career. See Newcastle Alumni on LinkedIn to help you get started. Also, watch our quick tutorial on Getting inspiration from others [3:13]
- attend alumni events, such as Newcastle Develop, to hear directly from our graduates
- sign up for mentoring support with Graduate Mentor and The 1 Hour Project. These aim to match students with industry professionals who can provide invaluable insights. Register to be connected for a one-hour meeting
- attend events, including recruitment fairs and employer and sector insights. Hear about graduate jobs, placement schemes, build your network and ask questions
Online reviews
Searching for reviews online can be a useful way to get an idea of what to expect from certain roles or employers. Reviews are written by employees with different opinions about what makes a good employer.
Use the following review sites for inspiration and insight into the recruitment process:
- RateMyPlacement placement year reviews written by students.
- The Job Crowd – graduate job reviews
- Glassdoor – company reviews from employees
Not sure what you want to do?
If you’re not sure exactly what you want to do, we can help. You can book a guidance appointment via MyCareer. Our careers consultants can help you explore your options or plan your career.
Career guides
Read career guides for this sector, such as:
Journalism career guides
- Journo Resources – includes specific areas like social media journalism
- Routes into journalism
- targetjobs
- Journalism.co.uk
- The Guardian Foundation
Writing career guides
- Penguin: How to get published
- BBC Writers - champions new talent in film, television, radio and theatre.
- British Film Industry – how do I become a screenwriter?
- Careers in technical communication
Useful blogs
- Danny Stack: Scriptwriting in the UK - career resources from an experienced UK screenwriter
- Kate Ravilious - blog from an award-winning scientific journalist. See I want to be a science writer for advice.
- BBC Get In blog - interviews with apprentices and trainees talking about their experiences at the BBC
Industry news
Use online magazines and journals to follow news from your industry. Reading about trends and developments is important for applications and interviews.
Examples include:
For North East sector insights, visit:
- North East Times - printed magazines promoting achievements that impact the local economy.
Attend events
Attend events to hear directly from professionals in the industry.
See our Events and workshops page for upcoming events, including recruitment fairs and employer and sector insights.
Our Creative Careers event takes place in semester two. It often includes journalists, writers, editors and other creative industry professionals. Sign up to sessions to hear about their career experiences and advice on how to gain experience.
Student societies
Join relevant student societies such as the Creative Writing Society, or the Media and Journalism Society. Take the opportunity to learn new skills, share your work and meet people with shared interests.
Social media
Use social media to find industry insights.
Join sector-specific groups on LinkedIn to keep up to date. Posts often include news, events and opportunities. You can also find useful insights on careers on X and TikTok. Treat these with caution, as not all content may be accurate.
Find out more about how to use social media for your career.
Professional bodies
Consider joining a relevant professional body/industry network
Professional bodies often:
- run networking events
- have specialist groups you could join
- post vacancies on behalf of their members
- have member directories, useful for speculative applications
Journalism organisations
- Chartered Institute of Journalists (CIOJ)
- National Council for the Training of Journalists (NCTJ)
- Broadcast Journalism Training Council (BJTC)
- National Union of Journalists (NUJ)
- British Association of Journalists
- Women in Journalism
- Journalists Charity
- Sports Journalism Association
- Society of Editors
Writing organisations
- New Writing North - writing development agency for the North East of England
- The Writers' Guild of Great Britain
- The Society of Authors
- British Council - includes a literature section
- Society of Women Writers and Journalists
- Scattered Authors' Society is a group of writers for children and teenagers.
- Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators
- Critics' Circle
Scientific and technical writing organisations
- Institute of Scientific and Technical Communicators (ISTC)
- European Medical Writers Association
- Association of British Science Writers (ABSW) - includes science journalists
Media and creative organisations
- News Media Association - for regional and local media
- The Media Society
- North East Screen is the regional film and television agency for the North East of England.
- Periodical Publishers Association (PPA) - UK trade association for magazine publishing
- Arts Council England - national development agency for the arts
- Creative Skillset - UK Sector Skills Council (SSC) for journalists and writers
Finding professional bodies worldwide
International Journalists' Network (IJNet) includes articles, job and internship opportunities, courses and scholarships
GoinGlobal’s country guides include details of professional bodies. Find them under ‘Professional and Personal Networking’ on each individual country guide.
Guide to finding opportunities
Gaining experience in this sector can be highly competitive and often unpaid.
Some recruiters advertise opportunities. You may need to contact others with a speculative approach.
Try not be disheartened by rejections. It can take a lot of persistence to find opportunities in this field.
If you are considering working on an unpaid basis, you may have questions about your rights. We offer advice on our unpaid work experience page, as well as Make it Happen funding which can cover expenses for attending work experience.
You might also be interested in:
There are various ways to find internships, placements and graduate opportunities. We’ve added some tips below to help you get started.
- search for advertised vacancies using the vacancy sites listed below
- create your own opportunity by working freelance
- look at the careers sections on organisation websites for student and graduate opportunities. Use Researching Employers to help you gain insights into organisations
- contact employers speculatively – see non-advertised work experience and graduate jobs to help you find organisations to approach
- attend events such as recruitment fairs and employer and sector insights
- follow organisations on social media for latest news and updates
- register with EmployAbility if you are disabled, neurodivergent or have a mental health condition. They can offer advice and support on applications to Newcastle students. They also run first year, internship and graduate programmes with inclusive employer partners
- ask family and friends if they have any useful contacts who may be able to offer you work experience
- consider alternative ways to find relevant experience and develop your skills
- consider registering with a recruitment agency for graduate jobs
Top tips for applying for work experience
- know and love the medium you want to work in
- whoever you apply for, make sure you're familiar with their content and show enthusiasm for it
- do your homework and find out staff names, roles and everything you can about the company
- call them to find out who's in charge of work experience and address your recipient by name
- write a brief email, introducing yourself, explaining what you're looking for and your skills
- tailor each email to the specific publication
Search for internships and placement years
Use our resources to get started:
- MyCareer - search for internships and placements in the North East, UK and overseas. Register/log in to access vacancies and sign up for personalised email alerts
- Internships, placements & shadowing - links to vacancy sites
- Global work experience - for internships or placements abroad
The following organisations offer opportunities for work experience or internships
- News Associates - run regular free half-day journalism workshops in London and Manchester
- BBC: Get In! Launch your career
- Thomson Reuters Journalism Internships
- Bloomberg Internships – opportunities in news
- The Marjorie Deane Financial Journalism Foundation
- ITV - work experience and mentoring
- 4Skills – Channel 4 work experience
- Financial Times internships
- Media Trust – programmes for young people. Includes Breaking into News competition for aspiring broadcast journalists
Search the following external sites for more opportunities:
- SELLL Blog - posts writing opportunities for current students or recent graduates
- Journo Resources lists some internships and trainee schemes
- Sports Journalists' Association - links to sources of opportunities, mainly unpaid
- Cision Jobs - internships and work experience related to journalism
- Media Beans
- Creative Access
- Creative Lives in Progress
- If You Could
- The Dots – register for free to access internships
- Fashion Workie – fashion content writing internships
For further advice on finding work experience, see targetjobs: Getting graduate work experience in journalism.
NCL internships
The Careers Service runs flexible term-time and summer internships with local employers and on campus. NCL internships are aimed at all students, from any stage and often include content writing projects.
Search for these under Vacancies on MyCareer. Type in ‘NCL internship’ into the text search box.
You can find these advertised throughout the academic year. Full-time summer opportunities are advertised from around March.
Worldwide experience
IJNet: Opportunities advertises internships and scholarship opportunities around the world.
Access GoinGlobal for internships in over 120 global locations, updated daily. Search for opportunities in the local language, as well as in English. You can also use their country guides to find:
- additional vacancy websites
- CV, application and interview advice
- advice on living and working in different countries and cities around the world
Looking for ideas
If you’re looking for inspiration, try searching our NU Work Experience Directory. You can see where our students have had internships and placements in the last five years. To see all results in a search category, keep the search field blank.
Advertised graduate opportunities
There are some graduate training schemes available in journalism - competition for these is fierce.
Examples of employers that run such schemes include Thomson Reuters and the Financial Times.
For a full list of journalism graduate and trainee schemes, see Journo Resources.
When to apply
The resources in this section advertise both graduate jobs and graduate schemes. See our graduate jobs page to understand the difference between them.
For graduate schemes, apply as early as possible.
UK applications typically open early in the academic year from September or October. Some close as early as November-December. Many employers close applications as soon as their places are filled.
Graduate jobs tend to be immediate start positions which can be available all year round. You are more likely to apply for these towards the end of your studies.
Vacancy sites
Use our resources to get started:
- MyCareer – search for graduate schemes and graduate jobs in the North East, UK and overseas. Register/log in to access vacancies and sign up for personalised email alerts
- Graduate Jobs – lists graduate vacancy sites
Journalism vacancy sites
- Journo Resources
- Journalism.co.uk
- Cision Jobs
- PressGazette Jobs
- HTFP: Jobs
- Creative Access
- BBC Careers – include early career schemes
- British Guild of Agricultural Journalists
Writing vacancy sites
Writers are almost exclusively self-employed. Most publishing houses will not accept unsolicited manuscripts, so consider employing an agent. The Writers' and Artists' Yearbook lists literary agents.
You could look for opportunities using the following resources:
- BBC Writersroom: Opportunities
- WriteThisMoment.com - paid writing opportunities but subscription required to access these
- New Scientist Jobs - includes technical writer vacancies
Worldwide vacancy sites
See International jobs for details of overseas vacancy sites.
Access GoinGlobal for job adverts in over 120 global locations, updated daily. Search for opportunities in the local language, as well as in English. You can also use their country guides to find:
- additional vacancy websites
- CV, application and interview advice
- advice on living and working in different countries and cities around the world
Non-advertised work experience and graduate jobs
Not all internships, placements and graduate jobs are advertised. In fact, most people in this sector create opportunities through:
- networking and making contacts
- developing their own business ideas
A speculative approach is common for finding work experience and graduate jobs. This is where you approach a company directly to ask if they have any opportunities available.
How to access hidden opportunities
Start by identifying organisations you are interested in. Our guide to finding organisations below can help. Then use the following steps to approach them speculatively about possible opportunities:
- Identify a contact name to address your cover letter to. Call or email to find out who handles recruitment within the organisation. Or, find a key contact in the department you want to work in.
- Send them a tailored CV and cover letter. Express your enthusiasm for the sector. Show that you have researched the company.
- Follow up your speculative application with a phone call, or email, around a week later. This shows you are serious and motivated.
- If your application was unsuccessful, ask for feedback or advice, and keep trying!
How to find organisations
- find organisations on MyCareer. Select ‘search' then 'organisations’
- use the business directories and databases on our Researching employers page
- search for companies on LinkedIn. The Find Alumni tool shows you where Newcastle graduates are currently working
- browse our Work Experience and Graduate Employment directories. See where our students and graduates have had work experience, or been employed
UK organisations
- targetjobs - search employers by sector
- HoldtheFrontPage – UK media directory. Includes all daily and weekly newspapers as well as media companies
- Media UK - searchable directories for the British media industry
- The National Association of Press Agencies (NAPA) gives details of press agencies
- Professional body websites sometimes include member directories, which are helpful for finding employers.
- Who Pays Writers? – a crowd-sourced database. Offers information about pay rates across print and digital media publications
- Where to pitch – find relevant publications based on topic
Worldwide organisations
Find a global list of newspapers at Online Newspapers
Search GoinGlobal’s employer directory for company information in 196 countries. Their country guides list professional bodies around the world.
Specialist recruitment agencies
Recruitment agencies can be useful for finding graduate jobs.
These tend to be for immediate start positions. See recruitment agencies to find more agencies.
Finding overseas recruitment agencies
GoinGlobal’s country guides include details of recruitment agencies in specific countries. They are listed under the following headings:
- staffing agencies and temporary help firms
- executive recruiters and search firms
Recruitment agencies may not operate in the same way in different countries. In the UK agencies are free for job seekers, but this may not be the case elsewhere. Explore the terms and conditions of an agency before signing up to use them.
Student media
Getting involved in media while at University is a great way to develop and showcase your skills
- The Courier Online - Newcastle University's student newspaper on the web
- Newcastle Student Radio (NSR)
- UK Student Radio Association (Facebook page)
- JesmondLocal
- The Tab - opportunity to pitch articles for a UK wide student news network
- Trill! Magazine - an online magazine aimed at young people aged 18-30, includes advice on how to pitch to them
Hospital and community radio
You can find volunteer vacancies and build up broadcasting experience.
- The Hospital Broadcasting Association includes a directory of member stations
- Community Media Association has a list of UK community radio stations
Competitions
Get feedback on your work, showcase your skills, make contacts and, of course, win prizes.
- Journo Resources - extensive list of journalism and student journalism awards
- BBC Writers: Opportunities lists competitions, courses and other opportunities
- Guardian Hugo Young Award – students from state-school backgrounds are eligible to apply. Prize includes a week work experience at the Guardian
- Northern Writers' Awards - annual competition. Offers cash prizes, mentoring and support to writers based in the North of England. Opens in November and closes in February
- The Poetry Society - comprehensive list of competitions and prizes
- BAFTA New Writing Competition
More suggestions
To help you develop your skills and gain relevant experience, you could:
- consider creating your own blog, vlog or website to showcase your work. Contribute to websites or forums which allow users to submit reviews or comments
- sign up for free online courses to develop new skills. Eg if you’re interested in copywriting skills, you could look at SEO or keyword research courses
- complete a free virtual internship. For example, with Forage, you can filter by career interest to find job simulations
- attend events and network to make contacts and connections, eg through ScreenSkills
- see volunteering for potential opportunities
Journalism
- How to get started as a freelance journalist
- Ten ways to survive as a freelance journalist
- NUJ Freelance Directory - directory of more than 1,500 professional journalists
- The National Association of Press Agencies (NAPA) gives details of press agencies. Useful for those who are interested in working for themselves in the UK
Writing
- BBC: How to become a freelance writer
- FutureLearn: How to become a freelance writer
- The Writers' Guild of Great Britain - information on agreements, rates and guidelines and offer a free contract vetting
Our START UP team can help you explore working for yourself at any stage. Whether you want to explore an idea or have already launched a business or freelance career, you can access the following help:
- support with idea generation
- provide tailored advice
- help you develop your skills
- introduce you to like-minded peers
- refer you to further support from mentors
- award grant funding up to £3,000
Study and training
Employers in journalism are most interested in real experience and relevant practical skills.
Entry with a postgraduate journalism degree can improve your chances. This is especially true if it is NCTJ accredited or includes relevant work experience.
Courses can also provide valuable training in media law, ethics and shorthand. For newspaper journalism, pre-entry routes include one-year full-time postgraduate courses. These lead to a postgraduate diploma or Master's degree.
There are also fast-track, 18 to 20-week postgraduate courses. These are intensive, practical courses usually leading to the NCTJ Diploma in Journalism.
It's worth researching potential employers to find out which qualifications they prefer.
Postgraduate entry is the most common route to a career in broadcast journalism. The BJTC and NCTJ accredit postgraduate courses that offer both theoretical and practical training.
For more information, read Journo Resources’ Do I Need An NCTJ?
Finding courses
- NCTJ - includes a list of accredited courses and general careers advice
- BJTC - advice on careers in broadcast journalism and a list of accredited courses
- Press Association: Become a journalist - courses in news, sports and magazine journalism, in London and Newcastle
- Professional Publishers Association (PPA) - includes list of accredited courses in journalism
Scholarships and awards
- Journalism Diversity Fund
- George Viner Memorial Fund - bursary-awarding fund to help Black and Asian students through training
- Scott Trust Foundation - offers annual bursaries for postgraduate study
- The Marjorie Deane Financial Journalism Foundation
- BGAJ John Deere Agricultural Journalism Training Award
- Alistair Cooke Award in Journalism - US study
- Association of British Science Writers - list awards, scholarships and competitions
For more information on postgraduate courses and funding, see Further Study.