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Reporters

Experience, Skills, and Personality Traits

Any experience working or volunteering as a writer, reporter, or editor in print, online, and broadcast journalism will be useful for aspiring reporters.

To be a successful reporter, you must be dedicated to obtaining hard facts, finding reliable sources, and conducting effective interviews. You need to be detail oriented and should enjoy working under tight deadlines. Reporters must also be good communicators, who can relate facts in a clear, easy-to-follow style. You should enjoy interacting with people of various races, cultures, religions, economic levels, and social statuses.

In order to succeed as a reporter, it is crucial that you have good typing skills, since you will type your stories using word processing programs. Although not essential, knowledge of shorthand or speedwriting makes note taking easier, and familiarity with news photography is an asset. Proficiency in multimedia and strong computer skills and database knowledge are essential. Reporters should also be inquisitive, aggressive, and persistent. 

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