Sarah Berry

I chose UTS journalism course because it had the best reputation, and it didn’t disappoint.

The combination of reporting, features, and multimedia subjects gave the well-rounded grounding needed to have a career in the industry.

Many of the teachers are working actively in the industry, which meant that they could share real-time, practical knowledge and teach the skills needed to work in the newsroom.

Along with high-calibre teachers, we had the opportunity to meet and hear from interesting guest speakers from the industry who provided further insight into the reality of working in journalism.

I was lucky enough to score a part-time job at The Sydney Morning Herald just as I was finishing off my degree, which eventually became a full-time position. In this job I’ve travelled internationally, had front-page stories, written for sections including Good Food, Extra, S Magazine, Traveller and Sunday Life, and I am currently the editor for Fairfax’s new national online health and wellbeing section.

A day in the life of a journalist

It’s varied: I’ll spend several hours filming videos, next I’ll have an interview, then head back to my desk to write up that story, as well as edit and produce a couple of others. I often have a meeting with the boss in the afternoon, followed by preparing for an early morning interview the following day. Throughout the day I’ll try to keep a tenuous lid on a never-ending stream of emails!

So you want to be a journalist?

My advice to new students is to be willing to learn from everyone. If you are passionate, it will make everything easier as you will enjoy what you’re doing and your commitment will shine through in your work.

Stay curious and don’t be afraid to challenge the status quo but also be aware that there are things that others have more experience in, so try to keep an open mind and stay humble.

Be willing to intern, work part-time or do whatever it takes to get a foot in the door, and be persistent. Once you’re in the door, it is unlikely you’ll get to do what you want immediately but if you show enthusiasm, capability and work hard, then there’s a possibility you’ll start being given the chance.

Career paths are rarely linear, so don’t lose hope if it doesn’t work out immediately or in the way you expected. Just keep learning, keep knocking on doors, and find ways to stoke your passion.