Robert Niles, writing on the Online Journalism Review site, offers five top tips for students about to embark on a journalism course at university or college in the coming weeks.

In summary, his recommendations are:

• Don’t believe that journalism school will help you prepare for your career. Why? Because your journalism career’s already started.
• Audience equals power for journalism job-seekers. Start building your own online straight away.
• Your career is only as strong as your network. Follow the right people.
• Pursue your passion, and develop expertise within it. Become an expert in a field that stirs your passion.
• Conduct yourself as a journalist, at all times.

The overall message from Niles is for students to use the internet to make their own opportunities – “never wait for someone to hire you before starting to work”.

See the full post here…