Journalist Resume Example and Template
A strong journalism resume shows reporting depth across multiple beats, demonstrated ability to break news, and mastery of AP style. Include byline counts, story impact, and range of platforms you've published on.
Newsroom hiring managers scan for investigative chops, source networks, and speed to publish. Lead with your most competitive beat and your biggest story.
Also searched as
Senior Investigative Reporter, General Assignment Reporter, Editorial Intern
Marcus Chen: Journalist
Portland, Oregon, United States
Summary
Award-winning journalist with 7 years covering local politics, government accountability, and urban development. Published over 240 bylined pieces in print and online. Broke 3 major corruption stories, one resulting in a city official's resignation. Skilled in FOIA requests, source cultivation, and multimedia storytelling.
Work Experience
Senior Investigative Reporter, Cascade Valley Times
Mar 2023 – Present. Regional daily newspaper, 75,000 daily circulation
- Led 6-month investigation into school district financial mismanagement, uncovered $2.4M in missing funds
- Published 52 bylined stories in 18 months; 8 stories selected for regional journalism awards
- Developed relationships with 40+ municipal sources; increased story tips by 35% year over year
- Mentored 2 junior reporters on investigative techniques and ethics frameworks
General Assignment Reporter, Willamette Valley Herald
Jun 2020 – Feb 2023. Independent community newspaper, 25,000 subscribers
- Covered city council, county planning, and development; published 140+ stories across 3 years
- First reporter to obtain city contract showing $800K overbilling to county; led to internal audit and vendor termination
- Built multimedia archive of local business profiles; grew reader engagement on video content by 22%
- Trained in Adobe Creative Suite, Premiere Pro, and web publishing systems
Editorial Intern, Portland Evening News
Jun 2019 – May 2020. Urban daily, 120,000 circulation
- Researched story leads and attended 40+ city council and county commission meetings
- Wrote 15 published pieces under editor guidance; all copy edited cleanly on first submission
- Updated newsroom social media with breaking news; helped coordinate 3-part series on homelessness
- Shadowed investigative team and learned records requests; obtained 2 public documents that made print
Education
University of Oregon
Bachelor of Arts, Journalism. Sep 2015 – May 2019
Skills
Investigative reporting, AP style and newsroom management systems, FOIA requests and public records, Source cultivation and interviewing, Adobe Creative Suite, Video editing and multimedia storytelling, CMS and WordPress, Fact-checking and verification, Breaking news coverage
Languages
English, Mandarin Chinese
Why this look works
Journalists need a clean, no-nonsense layout that prioritizes achievements and byline count. A neutral palette with strong typography signals credibility and clarity, which are core to the profession. Avoid anything ornate; newsrooms value substance over decoration.
Resume tips for this job
- Lead with your biggest published story and quantify its impact. One story that moved outcomes is stronger than 50 generic assignments.
- Include specific beats you've covered and years on each. Editors know some beats are harder to break stories in than others.
- List any investigative projects, awards, or major exclusives in a separate summary line before your work history starts.
- Show multimedia skills explicitly. Publications now expect video, audio, or interactive skills in addition to writing.
Common questions
How much of my resume should be bylines and clips?
Don't list every byline. Instead, quantify them (240 published stories) and highlight 3-4 of your best work in the work section. Clips go in your portfolio, not your resume. Editors will ask for them if interested.
Should I list freelance stories separately?
Yes, if they were significant or published in major outlets. Create a brief freelance section under work experience if you have 10+ published pieces. Otherwise fold them into a general assignment role.
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The person, employers and numbers in this example are fictional, written to show what a strong resume for this job looks like.