What is a Newspaper Journalist?
A Newspaper Journalist, or Reporter, has the role of investigating and writing stories for local, regional or national newspapers or on a newspaper’s online version. A Journalist at a national newspaper might cover events such as general elections and world events, while one contributing to a community newspaper might find themselves covering local council meetings and store openings.
A Newspaper Journalist’s work will involve investigating stories as soon they break, following up potential article leads as well as developing new contacts. A Journalist will have the task of interviewing people both in person and telephonically, as well as attending press conferences, armed with recording equipment or pen and paper to capture information. A successful reporter will come up with new ideas for stories and write up articles keeping to the style of the publication he or she is writing for.
What Skills Do I Need?
A successful Journalist is determined and persistent and possesses good listening and questioning skills. He or she must have excellent writing skills and a flawless command of the language in which they are reporting. An interest in current affairs and an enquiring and inquisitive mind are both valuable assets. A Reporter will have the ability to put the person he or she is interviewing at ease and instil confidence enough for the person to open up without fear. A healthy level of computer skills is necessary, as a Journalist will need to type articles quickly and effectively - also, plenty of research will be done on the internet. Lastly, a Reporter needs to have shorthand skills as the ability to take effective notes at speed is mandatory.
What Qualifications Do I Need?
There are two options available to an individual interested in pursuing a career in Journalism. Firstly, there is the option of studying prior to applying for a job, known as “pre-entry”. There are Certificate Courses available – short courses for specific topics – though the more comprehensive alternative would be a Bachelor of Arts Degree specialising in Journalism. The next step would be to apply for a junior position at a local or regional newspaper in order to gain experience.
The second option available is on-the-job-training, also known as “direct entry”. This entails joining a local or regional newspaper as a trainee. If this is the option you select, you should have some prior writing experience. This experience can be gained by volunteering as an intern at a local paper, submitting articles to websites, or submitting articles to your local newspaper. Keep a record of all the articles you have written, especially if they have a by-line featuring your name, to show a prospective employer.
What are the Working Hours and Conditions Like?
A Journalist will need to be flexible about the hours which he or she works as breaking news does not stick to a 9 – 5 schedule. Following up on stories and meeting deadlines will mean long and irregular hours which may include evenings, weekends as well as public holidays. Journalists generally work out of a large open-plan office shared with others – this can be rather hectic and noisy. A fair amount of time is spent outside of the office as well, chasing up stories. Journalists are required to travel within the areas covered by the newspaper he or she is employed by – if you work for a national publication, this may mean travelling internationally at short notice.
Just Qualified? Now what?
You've done all the right things... You found your dream course on the CoolCourses.co.za website, you've completed your chosen course and now you're about to start job-hunting. In this day and age, finding a job can be fairly difficult even if you do have all the necessary qualifications behind you. There are, however, certain routes you can take in order to find the perfect job. The first option available to you is to compile a CV (Curriculum Vitae) and submit it to various recruitment agencies. The second option is more of a D.I.Y. solution - submitting your CV to job-listing websites and then using these websites to find jobs already listed.
Websites that the CoolCourses.co.za team have found to be rather useful are:
Websites that the CoolCourses.co.za team have found to be rather useful are:
- Job Find SA
- Career Junction
- PNet
- Best Jobs
- Biz Community
- IOL Jobs
- Gumtree Websites appropriate to your region: Durban, Cape Town and Johannesburg
Happy job hunting!
A New Member To Our Family....
A new member has been added to our family.... Beautiful Weddings is an online guide that looks at real weddings in South Africa as well as Gauteng service providers. The website provides info on Wedding Venues, Cakes, Flowers, Photographers, Dresses, Wedding Planners, just to name a few. The content gets updated frequently and is fresh and informing - Articles, tips and advice, Q&A, two exciting Real Wedding Competitions a year, accompanied by a lovely e-magazine.
Career Spotlight - Graphic Design
What is a Graphic Designer?
A Graphic Designer is the person in an organisation who uses images and lettering to get information across and make an impact. This artwork could be for a number of different purposes such as advertising, magazine layouts, website design and corporate branding.
The role of a Graphic Designer would be to discuss “the brief” or project requirement with the client, as well as to provide that client with a quotation for the completed project. A Graphic Designer might need to show a visual representation or sketch for the client in order for them to visualise the concept. This position calls for a person who will choose materials and styles relevant to the client’s tastes. The Graphic Designer would have to work closely with printers, copywriters, other Graphic Designers, marketing people as well as web developers and be able to work within budgets and to deadlines. Lastly, a Graphic Designer would produce a final layout with detailed specifications for fonts, letter size, colours and images.
What Skills Do I Need?
In order to make a success in the Graphic Design arena you should be creative and have a good imagination. The ability to draw is a definite advantage while having normal colour vision is essential! You should possess good IT skills as well as have good spelling and grammar. Excellent communication skills are an added advantage if you will be dealing directly with clients. You should be clued up on printing techniques in order to understand the full lifecycle of the design job. Lastly, the ability to meet deadlines, work within a budget and manage your time is crucial!
What Qualifications Do I Need?
While many job vacancies will call for a portfolio of your work, most will want to know that you have some formal training behind you. A good choice in qualifications is a BA in Fine Arts, which is available through most universities. Many private colleges and technikons offer Graphic Design courses however, which is sometimes a quicker and cheaper option than three years at a university. A working knowledge of certain computer software is also necessary – Quark Xpress, Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator, Macromedia Freehand and Flash are some of the main software applications used in this field.
What are the Working Hours and Conditions Like?
A Graphic Designer will generally work out of an office or studio and will work a standard 8 – 5 work day. The hours might increase however, when you need to meet a deadline. You can expect to work in front of a computer for the majority of the time, though time at the drawing board is also expected. You might be expected to visit clients at their offices in order to show them layouts or proposals. A Graphic Designer also has the option of working as a freelance designer, which gives more freedom to work the hours that you wish, but sticking to deadlines is still crucial.
A Graphic Designer is the person in an organisation who uses images and lettering to get information across and make an impact. This artwork could be for a number of different purposes such as advertising, magazine layouts, website design and corporate branding.
The role of a Graphic Designer would be to discuss “the brief” or project requirement with the client, as well as to provide that client with a quotation for the completed project. A Graphic Designer might need to show a visual representation or sketch for the client in order for them to visualise the concept. This position calls for a person who will choose materials and styles relevant to the client’s tastes. The Graphic Designer would have to work closely with printers, copywriters, other Graphic Designers, marketing people as well as web developers and be able to work within budgets and to deadlines. Lastly, a Graphic Designer would produce a final layout with detailed specifications for fonts, letter size, colours and images.
What Skills Do I Need?
In order to make a success in the Graphic Design arena you should be creative and have a good imagination. The ability to draw is a definite advantage while having normal colour vision is essential! You should possess good IT skills as well as have good spelling and grammar. Excellent communication skills are an added advantage if you will be dealing directly with clients. You should be clued up on printing techniques in order to understand the full lifecycle of the design job. Lastly, the ability to meet deadlines, work within a budget and manage your time is crucial!
What Qualifications Do I Need?
While many job vacancies will call for a portfolio of your work, most will want to know that you have some formal training behind you. A good choice in qualifications is a BA in Fine Arts, which is available through most universities. Many private colleges and technikons offer Graphic Design courses however, which is sometimes a quicker and cheaper option than three years at a university. A working knowledge of certain computer software is also necessary – Quark Xpress, Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator, Macromedia Freehand and Flash are some of the main software applications used in this field.
What are the Working Hours and Conditions Like?
A Graphic Designer will generally work out of an office or studio and will work a standard 8 – 5 work day. The hours might increase however, when you need to meet a deadline. You can expect to work in front of a computer for the majority of the time, though time at the drawing board is also expected. You might be expected to visit clients at their offices in order to show them layouts or proposals. A Graphic Designer also has the option of working as a freelance designer, which gives more freedom to work the hours that you wish, but sticking to deadlines is still crucial.
Cool Courses has a new sister website!
Our new sister website launched today, 1st August 2008. Honeymoon Finder is the perfect website to visit when planning your honeymoon. We list a variety of honeymoon packages for local and international destinations.
There is something for everyone, whether it be a romantic safari or a idyllic beach getaway. Honeymoon Finder also presents romantic getaways for special occasions such as wedding anniversaries, Valentines day, engagements and birthdays.
Visit the website at http://www.honeymoonfinder.co.za/
There is something for everyone, whether it be a romantic safari or a idyllic beach getaway. Honeymoon Finder also presents romantic getaways for special occasions such as wedding anniversaries, Valentines day, engagements and birthdays.
Visit the website at http://www.honeymoonfinder.co.za/
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