News Reporter Resume Examples & Templates for 2025

More News Reporter Resume Examples

See our news reporter resume examples to learn how to highlight your investigative skills, storytelling abilities, and multimedia expertise. These media and communication resume samples will guide you in creating a compelling resume that stands out in journalism.

Advice for Writing Your News Reporter Resume

Explore our advice on how to write a resume tailored for a news reporter role. Discover how to highlight your storytelling skills, journalistic flair, and ability to capture the essence of breaking news.

Showcase your portfolio or projects

Including a portfolio or sample projects on your resume is especially important for a news reporter. It gives employers a direct look at your reporting style, writing ability, and investigative skills.

A well-structured portfolio allows you to highlight your strongest work, whether that’s published articles, broadcast segments, or digital news stories. Linking to an online portfolio, such as a personal website, newsroom profile, or platforms like Muck Rack, can be highly effective. You can also feature select clips or projects directly on your resume if they are particularly relevant to the role.

When showcasing projects, list the story title and the publication or station where it appeared. Provide a short description of the piece, its focus, and the audience it served. Then highlight your contributions, such as conducting interviews, researching and verifying facts, or covering breaking news.

Whenever possible, include the impact of your work. For example, readership numbers, audience reach, or how the story informed the public. This approach not only demonstrates your reporting experience but also shows your ability to communicate clearly, think critically, and deliver stories that matter.

For a news reporter role, emphasizing projects that showcase investigative work, on-the-ground reporting, or coverage of high-profile events will stand out most to employers. Showcasing a mix of written, on-air, and digital reporting also reinforces your versatility and adaptability across today’s evolving news platforms.

Example of a projects section

Emphasize your most relevant skills

For a news reporter, showcasing both technical and soft skills is essential. On the technical side, this may include proficiency with newsroom software, content management systems, video and audio editing tools, or digital publishing platforms.

Equally important are soft skills, such as strong communication, the ability to ask insightful questions, adaptability under deadline pressure, and building trust with sources. Highlighting both demonstrates that you not only have the tools to produce stories but also the interpersonal skills to connect with audiences and gather accurate information.

To make your skills stand out, consider creating a dedicated skills section on your resume. Here, you can list relevant software, digital tools, or storytelling techniques you’re confident using. Then, reinforce these skills in your work history by showing how you’ve applied them.

For example, you might note that you used Adobe Premiere to edit a breaking news package under a tight deadline or relied on research skills to uncover details for an investigative feature.

This approach strengthens your resume by providing concrete examples of how you’ve applied your abilities in real-world reporting. It not only highlights what you can do but also helps employers see how you’ll contribute effectively to their newsroom.

Choose a professional resume template

When choosing a resume template for a news reporter role, aim for one that combines professionalism with creativity. A clean and structured design is important—it should naturally guide the reader’s eye through your experience, skills, and accomplishments.

Avoid flashy fonts or overly decorative elements, as they can distract from your content. Instead, select simple layouts with clear headings, consistent spacing, and subtle bold or italic to highlight important details.

Opt for a format optimized for ATS (applicant tracking system) compatibility to ensure visibility during digital screenings. This involves using standard fonts like Arial or Times New Roman and steering clear of complex graphics or columns that could confuse the system.

Focus on templates with a strong visual hierarchy so hiring managers can easily scan your qualifications. For a news reporter position, this might mean prioritizing sections such as work experience and writing samples while maintaining an easy-to-read and professional look throughout.

Format your resume properly

A proper resume format makes it easy to read and looks professional. For a news reporter, use a chronological resume if you have lots of experience to show your work history and growth. If you’re just starting, try a functional resume to highlight your skills in storytelling and research rather than past jobs.

5 resume formatting tips

1. Structure with clear headings: Use bold section titles like “work experience” and “skills” for easy organization.
2. Select a readable font: Choose fonts like Arial or Calibri in 10-12 pt size to ensure clarity.
3. Implement bullet points: Convert details into bullet points for quick scanning by hiring managers.
4. Limit to one page: Keep resumes one page unless you have extensive experience that warrants more space.
5. Ensure proper spacing and alignment: Maintain consistent spacing and alignment for a clean, professional appearance.