BUSINESS/FINANCE
Statistics gathered and decisions made in a newspapers' business office affect the entire operation. Can the paper afford to hire a new reporter? Are expense reports accurate? How much can be spent on a marketing campaign?
Timely and accurate reports are essential to answering the questions above and many more. It is the responsibility of the business office to produce and maintain these reports, and also handle purchasing and budgeting.
If you have financial skills you could play an important role in the newspaper team.
Groundwork for Success
- Study business administration, finance and accounting.
- Seek internships or job experience involving budgeting, cost accounting and financial planning.
- Obtain an overview of all newspaper operations, not just the business end.
- Learn accounting and spreadsheet programs.
- Stay on top of emerging technology.
CIRCULATION
Circulation involves much more than getting newspapers into a readers home. The circulation department at most newspapers is responsible for marketing, sales, distribution, customer service, pricing and promotion.
The circulation staff applies a variety of marketing techniques to persuade people to read newspapers. Promoting readership and expanding circulation are crucial to the survival of the business.
Circulation deals with both home delivery and single-copy sales. These methods of delivery call for a wide-ranging strategy to build and maintain sales in the local market.
Groundwork for Success
- Learn effective communication techniques.
- Work on problem-solving skills
- Work on your sales ability.
- Study business or marketing.
- Learn computer skills.
- Try to work at a newspaper during the summer.
CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING
Many of life’s essentials are found in newspaper classified ads. Jobs, furniture, real estate and cars are just the tip of the iceberg. Classified advertising in newspapers represents more than one-third of total advertising revenue.
Career opportunities in classified advertising provide a bright future for anyone looking to start a career path in newspapers. As the web business grows for newspapers the job duties of a classified sales person expand.
This job is a very “people” based job. If you’re looking for a career in sales and you like interacting with the public this could be a great fit for you.
Groundwork for Success
- Study advertising, business, or sales.
- Familiarize yourself with the classified ad sections of your newspaper and check out their Web site.
- Become familiar with the Internet.
- Sell advertising for your school publications.
- Tour the classified section of your local newspaper and ask a lot of questions.
COPY EDITING
Copy editors are in great demand. This job is expanding because of technology. It is no longer just checking facts, spelling and fixing punctuation. Today’s copy editors often are expected to use specialized computer programs like Adobe InDesign and QuarkXPress.
If you are a detailed person with an eye for grammar this might be a great career choice.
- Groundwork for Success
- Study English and journalism in college.
- Read as much as possible.
- Learn the AP Stylebook.
- Learn computer layout programs.
- Work on school newspapers, yearbooks or literary magazines to hone your skills.
- Intern with a local newspaper.
GRAPHIC DESIGN
Years ago, visual journalists were on the sidelines of newspaper decision-making. This is no longer the case. Today’s graphic artists and designers are in the foreground as pages for both the Web and the actual newspaper are planned.
Photographs, illustrations, graphics and design and the artists who have the ability to work with these elements are vital to a newspapers success. There is a great need in the newspaper industry for artists to present stories graphically and help with the overall design of the newspaper.
Groundwork for Success
- Pursue a degree in graphic arts, design, or visual communications.
- Work on your school newspaper as a graphic artist.
- Learn about key computer software for design.
- Draw, design and work with graphics regularly.
- Try to get an internship at your local paper in the graphic design area.
HUMAN RESOURCES
Human resources professionals manage a newspaper’s greatest asset, its work force. They do this in two ways: by overseeing the many programs that contribute to the employee’s success on and off the job and by aligning the work force with the newspapers goals.
The HR staff implements and manages policies such as vacation, sick time, tuition assistance, health care benefits and retirement issues.
Because newspapers need the best people in place to stay competitive, the HR department is vital in recruiting and retaining staff.
Groundwork for Success
- Study business administration, industrial relations or management.
- Develop strong problem-solving skills.
- Pursue an internship in an HR department.
- Be part of skills development programs.
INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
As technology continues to grow, someone has to make sure all of the high-tech equipment at a newspaper works.
If you want a job that is constantly challenging and you are computer savvy, IT is the place at a newspaper for you.
Responsibilities in this area range from maintaining desktops to training employees on new technology. Other tasks might include being responsible for the accuracy and integrity of the newspaper data, handling security audits or working with new online services.
This is a growing field with responsibilities that expand constantly.
Groundwork for Success
- Obtain experience by volunteering to fix computers.
- Study trade journals to see what technologies and certifications are cutting edge and learn them.
- Study computer science, information systems, engineering, and graphic arts in college.
- Stay on top of emerging technology.
- Network with newspaper IT people. This can lead to internships and possible part-time work.
INTERACTIVE MEDIA
As online publishing strategies gain more momentum in newspapers, the Web department becomes very valuable. Even today, journalists from the online team sit in the newsroom to help with news sharing. This will continue to evolve as newspapers strive to utilize their Web sites to make their newsgathering and dissemination happen in real time.
Groundwork for Success
- Study computer science with an emphasis on Web development.
- Look for opportunities to utilize your skills at school by working on department Web sites etc.
- Monitor other Web sites to get ideas.
- Network with newspaper people who are already doing Web development.
- Intern for a local newspaper.
MARKETING
Promotion of the newspaper traditionally is the responsibility of the marketing department. It is their job to sell the unique attributes of the newspaper to current and future readers. A marketing job allows people to develop creative concepts, test them against a panel of critics and help direct and drive the success of newspapers.
The marketing department has to work with all of the departments at a newspaper to identify readers, determine what they want, and give it to them.
Groundwork for Success
- Work on your school’s newspaper to sell advertising and work on design.
- Study advertising, marketing, and/or journalism and communications.
- Develop strong research, writing and public speaking skills.
- Be proficient on the computer.
- Pursue internships in newspaper marketing, promotion and advertising.
PHOTOGRAPHY
Photography is vital to a newspaper. Images captured in print can remain in reader’s minds for a lifetime.
Because of the minute-to-minute nature of the news business photographers operate in all sorts of conditions so they need to have skills that allow them to adapt quickly to avoid missing the important shots.
Being a newspaper photographer requires a high ethical standard. Newspaper photographers do not stage their shots or alter images after the fact. Photography is an art form that requires imagination and creativity; being a newspaper photographer requires that you have these skills and can use them on your feet.
Groundwork for Success
- Take photos of anything that catches your eye.
- Work on your school newspaper and/or yearbook.
- Offer to do youth content for your local newspaper.
- Stay on top of technology. In the digital age this is crucial to success. Also stay on top of video and video production. This is becoming more important for the Web every day.
- Learn basic writing and reporting skills.
- Build a portfolio showing a variety of work.
- Intern for a local newspaper.
PRODUCTION
It is up to the production department to make sure that the newspaper looks its best. They make the text crisp images sharp and keep the colors vibrant.
If you want to learn a time-honored trade while mastering high-tech equipment to turn out a product that serves the public every day, then a career in newspaper production would be for you.
Newspapers are investing in new technology. As a result of this they need workers who can handle the demands of operating complex equipment in a deadline setting.
Groundwork for Success
- Pursue technical training beyond high school in printing, electronics, mechanical engineering or computer science.
- Familiarize yourself with modern printing methods.
- Visit as many newspaper operations and printing companies as possible. This could lead to an internship or part-time job.
REPORTING
Newspaper journalists no longer concentrate on telling stories for a single deadline every day. The role has evolved to more resemble TV journalists who are constantly updating stories. This is in large part due to online content.
Journalists are the front line to citizens who want information. News, sports, and features all play a vital roll in keeping people “in-the-know” regarding what’s going on in their communities.
The job of a journalist is to report on the events that make a difference in people's daily lives. The reporter can serve as a political watchdog, a teller of enlightening events and help to explain tragedies. Above all, the reporter needs to be aware of what is important to people and seek out that information on a regular basis.
Groundwork for Success
- Write about anything and everything that catches your eye.
- Work on the school newspaper.
- Try to work with you local newspaper if they use youth-produced content.
- Go to an accredited journalism school.
- Study many different subjects to have a broad base of knowledge.
- Build a portfolio of your writing.
- Intern with a local paper and network with newspaper people.
RETAIL ADVERTISING
Advertising is considered one of the most critical parts of the newspaper operation.
People in retail advertising handle all of the ads that are not in the classified section. Today’s competitive and changing environment means they must be knowledgeable about all media. They also need to be able to interact with a diverse clientele. Ad sales in newspapers encompass everything from health care to auto sales.
People skills are a must for this profession and you have to have a competitive edge.
Groundwork for Success
- Study English, advertising, communications or graphic arts.
- Sell and design ads for publications at your school.
- Work on your writing and presentation skills.
- Learn all you can about the Internet.
- Stay on top of emerging technology.
- Visit your local newspaper’s advertising department.
