Chicago Journalism Jobs Overview
In today’s culture of accelerated app usage, instant gratification, and clickbaiting for page views, journalists need to keep one underlying directive in mind: adaptation. There’s ever-growing competition for attention playing out in the digital space, with social media, legacy publications, and new media all battling it out. Hence, those who can integrate their journalistic acuity with tech proficiencies will get the best journalism jobs.
Do you have an inquisitive mind? Are you a good writer who isn’t afraid to ask tough questions and do the legwork? Do you enjoy delving into datasets to extract the right information? Then you may want to jump into a journalism career. Your daily schedule will have you pitching story ideas; researching documents and archives to synthesize facts; making calls to gather quotes or schedule interviews; hitting the field to observe and report; strapping yourself to your desk to pump out articles on-deadline; and working with your editor on revisions before going to press.
You can expand your search for media jobs by checking out these similar positions:
About Working in Chicago, Illinois
If you're going to Chicago to experience "da Bears," deep-dish pizza, and windy streets, native Chicagoans say "fogetta 'bout it!" While these have made Chicago famous, you'll find many locals eating thin-crust, tavern-style pie. Plus, the city isn't on any list of the windiest cities in the U.S.—a local newspaper named it "The Windy City" after the Chicago elite's propensity toward boastfulness and self-promotion. And while the Chicago jobs list (hit jobs, that is) includes notorious mobsters from Chicago like Al Capone, John Dillinger, and Baby Face Nelson, linguists are noticing that the "Chicago accent" is disappearing.
However, there's a reason Condé Nast Traveler has named Chicago the "best big city in the U.S." Chicago is home to top universities, including Northwestern University, Wheaton College, and Valparaiso. And if you're looking for Chicago jobs, you can relocate to any one of the city's unique neighborhoods, such as North Center with its cozy Irish pubs and breweries or Uptown, the lively entertainment district. For those who want to live further out from the city, you can also find jobs in popular suburbs including Cicero, Oak Park, and Evanston.
Update Your Chicago Journalism Resume
Recruiters for journalism jobs will be looking for a particular set of accomplishments on your resume, so make sure to highlight the following:
- Interviewing skills (and whom you’ve already interviewed and/or profiled).
- The nature of your source list and how many contacts you have within certain industries.
- Any stories that you broke or scoops/exclusives that you brokered.
- Any awards you received for outstanding reporting.
If you’re already concentrating on any specific fields or subject matter, give some examples of how you’ve applied your expertise. But if you’re still feeling jammed, read through our reporter resume sample. You should also include a magnetic cover letter that outlines your journalistic ethos—everything from your storytelling approach and aptness for uncovering stories before others to your ability to protect sources and hold corruptors accountable. Get some pointers from our journalism cover letter.
How Much Do Journalism Jobs Pay in Chicago, Illinois?
Got money on your mind? You should! Make sure you’re getting paid what you’re worth. Our Salary Tools can help you understand what you can expect to make in journalism jobs in Chicago, Illinois, as well as the skills that can boost your value and what the next steps in your career might be. Right now, the median reporter pay in Chicago is $43,521 per year, which is 6% higher than the national average.
Find Your Next Chicago Journalism Job. Monster Can Help Get You Started
Are you prepared for a career in journalism? If so, set up your profile on Monster for free and begin clicking on those journalism jobs. When you sign up with us, you’ll receive custom job alerts and expert advice on how to negotiate your salary in Chicago, how to nail your job interview, and more.