![35+ Cover Letter Templates to Try Right Now [Free & Premium]](https://cdn-images.resumelab.com/pages/free_templates_cover_letter_listing.jpg?fit=crop&h=175&dpr=3)
35+ Cover Letter Templates to Try Right Now [Free & Premium]
Looking for killer cover letter templates to take your job search to another level? Search no more. The best free cover letter templates are a few scrolls away from you.
Breaking! When you go to your next interview, that’s the last time you’ll be the subject of your story, instead of telling it. This journalist resume guide will make sure of it.
Journalist jobs are constantly adapting to the state of media, but whatever its form, you’re still chasing a story. The skills required are the same, the responsibilities too.
So how do we make sure that your journalist resume doesn’t end up between the classifieds and the opera insert, but rather goes for the Pulitzer prize? That’s easy.
In this guide:
Let’s break this story.
Save hours of work and get a job-winning resume like this. Try our resume builder with 20+ resume templates and create your resume now.
What users say about ResumeLab:
I had an interview yesterday and the first thing they said on the phone was: “Wow! I love your resume.”
Patrick
I love the variety of templates. Good job guys, keep up the good work!
Dylan
My previous resume was really weak and I used to spend hours adjusting it in Word. Now, I can introduce any changes within minutes. Absolutely wonderful!
George
Are you applying for a range of positions? See our dedicated resume guides:
Thomas K. Summy
174 Baker Avenue
Dallas, TX 75207
817-857-9991
ThomasKSummy@armyspy.com
Objective
Passionate journalist with 6+ years of criminal news desk coverage under his belt. Covering state and national homicide cases. Published author, correspondent and editor, having written and supervised the creation of 500+ articles on cold cases.
Work Experience
Journalist
Crime Desk, Dallas
May 2015–Present
Journalist Intern
Criminal File, Dallas
January 2014–April 2015
Education
Master of Sociology, 2011-2013
University of Texas, Austin
Bachelor of Media Studies, 2009-2011
University of Texas, Austin
Skills
Languages
That’s a journalist resume ready for the front page story! They’ve been hired. Now here’s how to write your own:
You wouldn’t come to your interview unpresentable and unprepared (unless you’re at Gonzo Daily! I guess...). You would make a bad first impression. But actually, your resume is the first impression. So, why do so many people send disorganized, unclear journalist resumes?
We don’t know why, but we know they do. And that is good news for you—because after you apply the following resume tips, you will stand out like the first color photo.
Here’s the business resume format:
Expert Hint: One of the worst resume mistakes you can make is to underestimate the importance of studying the job description and getting to know the employer before you send your resume.
If you had to complete your interview in the middle of a warzone, what would you prioritize? That’s the best way to think about your resume profile. What would really convince someone to hire you when mortars are raining down within sight?
Craft an attention grabbing professional resume summary by answering each questions concisely:
4-6 lines is plenty. Draw their attention and make them read the rest of your journalist resume.
Don’t hide behind empty statements and generalizations. Refer to real achievements, and hit them with your strongest suit. Use the same approach when writing an entry-level resume. Focus on your internships, school achievements, and transferable skills and craft a resume objective.
Which candidate would you hire? The thing is, it’s the same person! Remember: even if you’re a junior, you always have some achievements under your belt.
By the way, if you prefer a bullet-point form instead of a paragraph, try writing a qualifications summary.
Expert Hint: How to make starting a resume easier? It is by far easiest to do this once you have completed the other sections of your resume for journalist jobs, especially your job description.
Sure, you’re in journalism, you developed relationships with sources and did lots of research. How to put such things on a resume?
Think: how many cases would you go through a day? How well did you do? Did you get commended for anything? How did you stand out?
When you tell the recruiter what you did at the previous job, they can imagine what you can do for them. So start each line with powerful resume words and use the STAR (Situation-Task-Action-Result) formula to help you out.
Journalist
Crime Desk, Dallas
May 2015–Present
Journalist
Criminal Cases, Texas, Dallas
For the things that deserve a mention, but don’t deserve a full line, there’s a way. You can list them in a separate section with skills for a resume, right under your work experience, or if you prefer, in a sidebar (in those fancy modern resumes!). See the list below for inspiration.
Hard Skills
Soft Skills
If you feel tempted to copy this list and paste it into your resume, don’t! Nobody likes generic resumes.
Instead, take a look at the skills mentioned in the job ad. In your resume list only those the recruiter is interested in (only if you possess them of course, better not lie on a resume). This is called targeting a resume. It's also a crucial step in creating an ATS resume, which will greatly boost your chances of passing the initial resume screening.
The ResumeLab builder is more than looks. Get specific content to boost your chances of getting the job. Add job descriptions, bullet points, and skills. Easy. Improve your resume in our resume builder now.
Nail it all with a splash of color, choose a clean font, and highlight your skills in just a few clicks. You're the perfect candidate, and we'll prove it. Use our resume builder now.
This is the easiest part of writing a resume. For your highest education level, just list the certification type, school name, and graduation date.
Here’s an example of how to add your education on a resume:
Education
Master of Sociology, 2011-2013
University of Texas, Austin
Bachelor of Media Studies, 2009-2011
University of Texas, Austin
If you’re writing a student resume or lack relevant experience, you can mention relevant coursework, GPA or Latin honors, too.
Expert Hint: Did you take four months off to help rebuild tornado-hit neighborhoods in Tennessee? When it comes to explaining employment gaps on a resume, it’s simply best to do it. Otherwise, there’s no way of telling what your prospective employer imagines you were doing.
Unlike most journalism resume examples would have you believe, the end of your resume is not an ‘About Me’ section. Only relay information which is relevant to the position, or one that shows your multitasking and willingness to take on responsibility.
These extra sections can be relevant:
Compare these two journalist resume examples:
Languages
Certifications
Added Information
Ring! Ring! You getting a journalist job is unavoidable now. Let someone else read your application to fish out any mistakes, and you’re set! If you don’t hear back within a week, give them a call.
Expert Hint: Every journalism resume will require a striking journalism cover letter.
Double your impact with a matching resume and cover letter combo. Use our cover letter generator and make your application documents pop out.
Want to try a different look? There's 21 more. A single click will give your document a total makeover. Pick a cover letter template here.
Remember the following pointers:
Did you find our journalist resume examples helpful? Did we help you get your resume for journalist jobs right? Leave a comment. We’ll be happy to reply.
Looking for killer cover letter templates to take your job search to another level? Search no more. The best free cover letter templates are a few scrolls away from you.
Cover letter templates for Google Docs are notoriously hard to find. That’s why we combed the Internet and cherry-picked the best Google Docs cover letter templates just for you.
See our curated list of 50+ Microsoft Word cover letter templates. Find the one you like, download it for free and start working on your Word cover letter right away.