We surveyed 8,317 journalists to better understand the work environment and required skills of a typical journalist. Here are the results.
How much intelligence is required as a journalist?
Low
High
Working as a journalist typically doesn’t require the use of high levels of intelligence in daily tasks.
Can I learn to become a journalist?
Intrinsic Talent
Acquired Talent
A career as a journalist typically depends predominantly on qualities you can gain through experience, with a small aspect of skills you are born with.
Is it easy to get a job as a journalist?
Easy
Hard
It’s typically quite difficult to find a job as a journalist. If you’re curious about the numbers, check out the job market for journalists.
Do journalists work full-time or part-time?
45% of journalists work in full-time roles while 55% work part-time.
Is being a journalist stressful?
Low
High
Stress is not uncommon amongst journalists, with daily work sometimes being quite demanding.
Is being organized important as a journalist?
Low
High
Some level of organization is generally required to be a journalist.
How competitive is the workplace for journalists?
Low
High
Journalists tend to see lots of competition in the workplace, with desire to get ahead of co-workers being common.
Does being a journalist require frequent time pressure to complete tasks?
Low
High
Journalists will see frequent time pressure on the job, likely contributing to an occasionally stressful work environment.
Are journalists allowed to express themselves creatively?
Low
High
Creativity is intrinsic to being a journalist, and a highly valuable part of the career.
Do journalists have control over the direction of their work?
Low
High
While sometimes the direction is set, occasionally journalists will have some flexibility over the direction of their work.
Is being a journalist physically demanding?
Low
High
Work as a journalists is not the most physically demanding of careers, falling in the bottom half of all careers.
Are journalists exposed to a wide variety of work?
Low
High
The workload of a journalist changes frequently, with their day-to-day rarely being the same.
Does being a journalist require attention to detail?
Low
High
Attention to detail is a vital skill for journalists, as small mistakes can make or break one's ability to succeed in the career.
Does being a good journalist require compassion and empathy?
Low
High
Being compassionate and empathetic is considered helpful to those looking to pursue careers as journalists.