Journalism is a dynamic field that constantly evolves with new trends, technologies, and challenges. To succeed as a journalist in today's rapidly changing industry, one needs to stay curious, flexible, and committed to continuous learning.

In this blog post, Alex Burns, Associate Editor at POLITICO, explores some of the essential skills and attitudes that every journalist should cultivate. From keeping up with industry trends to thinking creatively about news presentation and gathering original information, he offers practical tips and insights on how to be a successful and respected journalist. Whether you are a seasoned reporter or just starting out, read on and discover how to thrive in this highly competitive and complex environment.

Always be learning
Being a journalist is like having a license to explore the world during your day job. Make the most of it. Our industry is constantly changing, sometimes in scary ways. The best way to survive is to keep evolving as a journalist, ideally before external forces impose changes on you.

Whether it’s reading exhaustively about the area you already cover, acquiring new technical skills related to news presentation or trying a difficult new beat, it is never a mistake to approach the trade of journalism as an exercise in continuing education. It can be one of the delights of the job.

I reported on campaigns and elections for more than a decade and then in 2022 decided to make a change. These days I write just as often about climate change and semiconductors. I had to learn a lot just to get started and it was a real challenge — in a good way.

Think flexibly about news presentation 
Early in my career it felt like there was a pretty widely understood hierarchy of respectability for different kinds of news writing. At the top there were expansive, literary magazine pieces and deep investigations. Somewhere in the middle was clear, efficient breaking-news writing. And then there were blogs, newsletters and so on — digital-only formats then seen as lower-end journalism.

Things are different now. There is still special prestige attached to certain kinds of journalism, but for rising journalists that is mostly an unhelpful distraction. All major publications have come to see the value in using a range of tools to reach readers. This is a good thing for ambitious reporters who have flexible brains and who think creatively about how to communicate information.

In my career I’ve been a newsletter writer and a blogger; I’ve written short-form breaking news and long-form enterprise pieces, essays and a book. All of them were useful experiences. Every format has the potential to be a rewarding journalistic experience and a building block in a meaningful career.

Nothing is more valuable than original information and insight
Breaking big stories and gathering scoops isn’t the only way to be a successful journalist. But in a highly competitive industry, the most reliable way to stand out and build your career is to show you can gather information better — or gather different kinds of information — than your competitors.

You will see other reporters who may be better at getting on TV panels or funnier on Twitter or faster at turning around a hot take in response. A few people build lucrative careers that way. For the most part, though, those are fleeting achievements — unless they are backed up by real reporting and genuine expertise.

Readers and viewers change their tastes, social media platforms rise and fall. The need for hard, accurate information remains. Learning how to gather it and explain it is the foundation of a great career.

Being a person of integrity matters — and pays off
This is an industry where your reputation matters a lot over the long term. Not in a high school-ish sense of whether people think you’re cool or fun or clever, but in deeper ways.

Are you trustworthy with your sources? Are you accurate in your reporting? Are you careful with sensitive information? Are you thoughtful about difficult subjects?

Plenty of people try to take shortcuts around the basics of journalistic integrity. Sometimes they get away with it. But there are few traits more valuable to a reporter, over the long term, than a reputation for honesty and good character. You will never regret keeping your word and the people who you work with won’t forget it either.

Thank you, Alex! You can follow Alex on Twitter here","_id":"00000187-0eea-d754-adef-6feed83c0000","_type":"02ec1f82-5e56-3b8c-af6e-6fc7c8772266"}">here.

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