What makes journalist

Journalists have distinct personalities. They are unstructured, original, nonconforming, and innovative. Does this sound like you? Take our free career test to find out if journalist is one of your top career matches.

Depending on the type of article being written, a journalist works anywhere they need to in order to produce the story. The workplace may vary, whether it's attending functions and big events or knocking on people's doors. Writing the article after all the information is gathered may be done in a hotel room, a coffee shop, an office or from home.

As journalists progress in their profession, some choose to complete further studies. It has been said that journalism is the backbone of the media industry and is critical to a high functioning society. It follows, then, that journalists must have a passion for truth, honesty, and integrity. And they must have the guts to go out and get the story.

Of course, there is much more to the role. Anyone planning to enter the field needs to understand the skills it calls for and the demands that it makes. People who have successful careers in journalism tend to have a few things in common. They are critical thinkers who can access, synthesize, and retain factual information logically and systematically. They are motivated and persistent in their efforts to get the best available or obtainable version of the truth, and then to verify those facts.

They are effective communicators who have an intuitive understanding of storytelling and the non-fiction narrative devices that create drama, tension, and suspense. They are adept at working with evolving technologies, databases, and social media that are the modern tools of journalism.

They give up the notion of a regular work week. The less defined part of the path to this profession lies in the options that exist for specialization. Based on our pool of users, journalists tend to be predominately artistic people. Their next two strongest archetypes are investigative and social. Many things. Even journalists will disagree on the order of importance of the qualities that go to make a good journalist. A person who has not this interest in other people will never make a good journalist.

Hand in hand 5 with this interest in people, should go the qualities of sympathy 6 so that you can see the other side of an issue even if you disagree with the person who holds it , open-mindedness 7 so that you do not make a hasty ill-informed judgement 8 and an inquiring mind so that you can really get to the bottom of the thing you are asking about.

Last, but certainly not least, 9 the journalist needs to have humility. That does not mean that he goes around like a Sunday School teacher! That includes having a voice that stands out. Interviewing and interpersonal skills are important too. Extracting info from some subjects can be like pulling teeth, after all. You should also understand how media is consumed. But experience is what really seals the deal. Now, hop on over to the job board to find the perfect journalism job.

By Jenell Talley. Also on Mediabistro. Sign up to get our best career advice and job search tips.