You're given the right to be curious. Reporters and their editors warn, however, that the job can be very stressful. Reporters have constant deadlines and often work long, unusual hours. Reporters need to be flexible, especially when big breaking news occurs, said Robert Frank, city editor of the Eastside Journal. Last month, for example, when a shooting occurred at the Nordstrom store at Bellevue Square, most reporters at the paper worked unexpected 12-hour days.
Most new reporters have a college degree and have had internships before landing a permanent job.
Good reporters need a combination of information-gathering and writing skills, editors said. They must be able to work quickly and accurately. They're often teamed with other reporters and must work well with news sources, editors, photographers and graphic artists. You have to be someone who goes beyond a list of questions. We can teach them the particulars for the job.