Home Journalist Resume template
Journalist resume template
A clean starting structure with example content grounded in what journalists actually do day to day, not generic filler. Download and replace the bracketed placeholders with your own details.
Which resume format should you use?
Reverse chronological
You have a steady work history. This is the format almost every recruiter and ATS expects by default.
Functional
You're changing fields or have gaps in your employment. Leads with skills rather than a job-by-job timeline.
Combination
You're early career or have worked consistently but for only a few employers. Blends a skills summary with a shorter chronological history.
This template uses the reverse chronological format: the one most journalists should default to, since most Australian recruiters and ATS software expect it.
Professional summary
Journalist experienced in researching, interviewing and writing news copy under deadline pressure across print, digital and broadcast formats. Skilled at verifying claims through multiple sources and reshaping a single piece of reporting for different platforms and audiences. Known for clear, accurate writing and sound editorial judgement on tight turnarounds.
Key skills
- Content creation and writing
- Data analysis and data storytelling
- Content management systems (WordPress, Drupal)
- Social media platforms (Twitter/X, Facebook, LinkedIn)
- Recording and transcription software (Otter.ai, Audacity)
- Data visualisation tools (Tableau, Google Data Studio)
- Fact verification and source management
- Deadline and time management
- Stakeholder management
Experience: example bullet points
- Researched and interviewed sources across an assigned beat to produce daily and weekly news stories, consistently meeting print and online deadlines
- Verified claims through multiple independent sources before publication, keeping the correction rate on a high volume of stories low
- Pitched original story ideas to editors, with several selected for front-page or homepage placement
- Used data visualisation tools to turn raw datasets into charts and graphics that made complex stories easier for readers to follow
- Worked with editors and multimedia teams to adapt reporting for web, social and print, tailoring tone and length to each platform
- Covered breaking news on short notice, filing verified copy fast enough to beat or match competing outlets
Education
Bachelor degree in journalism, communications or a related field is the typical entry pathway; a growing share complete a postgraduate qualification such as a Master of Journalism after an undergraduate degree in another discipline, while entry via a diploma or extensive industry experience remains possible but less common.
Keywords an ATS is likely to scan for
Applicant tracking systems match your resume against terms in the job ad before a person ever sees it. Only include the ones that actually apply to your experience, but if a term below matches something you've done, use the same wording the job ad uses.
- MEAA
- Australian Press Council
- Freedom of Information Act (FOI)
- defamation law
- contempt of court
- court reporting
- shorthand
- AAP wire
- editorial style guide
- Walkley Awards
- code of ethics
- beat reporting
Getting past ATS screening
- Match the specific skills, certifications and terms used in the job ad, not just your own wording for the same thing.
- Keep formatting simple: no tables, text boxes, columns, headers/footers or graphics. Parsers frequently drop content placed in these.
- Submit as .docx or PDF unless the job ad specifies otherwise.
- Use standard section headings (Experience, Education, Skills) rather than creative alternatives.
- List your core skills and technical competencies in their own section so a keyword scan can find them instantly.
This is a starting point, not a guarantee of interviews. Tailor every bullet point to your own real experience and the specific job ad.