Everyone comes to journalism in their own way and at their own time. Of course, the ideal option would be to decide on your future profession during adolescence, to work as a junior in various newspapers of your city during summer vacations, so to speak, to "smell" the profession from the inside, to understand whether you want to work in this area all your life. However, this is often not the case at all.
I would go to journalists, let them teach me
Of course, the profession of a journalist is in demand in the job market. However, it must be well understood that the demand in this area is greater
supply, so the competition is great. It also happens that guys enter a university at the Faculty of Journalism, and then go to practice and understand that they were wasting their time.
Previously, it was much more difficult to get into a journalist, because specialized faculties were only in some universities. They got into the "sharks of the pen" after philological and historical faculties. There are known journalists who got into newspapers and on television after culturological universities and even a conservatory. Many well-known journalists have no specialized education behind them. For example, Oleg Kashin graduated from the Baltic Fishing Fleet Academy and even managed to work hard on the ship. However, it was journalism that brought him fame and recognition. Or Svetlana Bondarchuk (Rudskaya) - now the editor-in-chief of Hello magazine - graduated from the library department of one of the Moscow universities. Today, journalism departments are open at different universities, and getting there is quite realistic with a certain diligence.
Freelance first, then full-time
You should not despair if you do not have a diploma of graduation from the Faculty of Journalism. Of course, getting immediately into the staff of a large publication will probably not work outright, but it is quite possible to get into a local newspaper. To do this, you need to write an article that is topical, vivid, with live examples and a touch of humor or even a touch of sarcasm, depending on the topic. Then you need to send the article to the editorial offices of several newspapers. You can use e-mail, and take the addresses of newspapers either from the newspapers themselves, or from the Internet. You can personally take your article to the editor-in-chief, talk with him, express a great desire to join journalism. If you really have talent and you write interestingly, then you will definitely be offered cooperation.
Perhaps at first it will be the role of a freelance writer, correspondent. Then you have to work without a salary, only for a fee. You can write for several publications and have additional income if you also have a permanent job. Over time, you will surely recommend yourself on the positive side if you try and listen to the opinions and advice of experienced correspondents, and you will be invited to the staff. So nothing is impossible, and if you have talent and desire for development, you can become a professional journalist without special education.
