Job sheet

freelance journalist: profession, assignments and salary

Roles and missions of freelance journalists

Freelance journalists are independent editors who write articles for various publications or projects, without being linked to a particular organization or media. Freelance journalists are highly specialized service providers and their roles and missions involve a variety of responsibilities and skills. Here is a list of the main roles and missions of a freelance journalist:

Find topics to cover: Freelance journalists often work to find ideas, angles and topics to cover.

Write articles: Freelance journalists write articles that are intended to be published in various publications or on websites.

Research: Research is an important part of the work of freelance journalists. They will need to do extensive research to ensure that their articles are complete and accurate.

Ensure the work is informative and entertaining: More and more freelance journalists are working to produce informative and entertaining content that is both edifying and interesting.

Developing relationships with sources: Freelance journalists must be able to develop relationships with qualified sources, managers and experts.

Stay current: Freelance journalists need to be informed of the latest news and trends in order to produce quality content.

Work on a schedule: Freelance journalists must be able to manage their time and work quickly and efficiently to ensure that their projects are delivered on time.

Meet sponsor requirements: Freelance journalists must be able to meet sponsor requirements and deliver quality products that meet the standards of their clients.

Salary and career development of freelance journalist

As a freelance journalist, your gross annual salary will vary based on your experience and skills. Here is a list of the annual gross salary changes in France by years of experience for a freelance journalist:

0 to 2 years: between €18,000 and €24,000

2 to 5 years: between €22,000 and €30,000

5 to 10 years: between €25,000 and €42,000

10 to 15 years: between €30,000 and €48,000

Over 15 years: between €35,000 and €55,000

Although the salary of a freelance journalist varies depending on many factors, career development opportunities are offered to those who wish to upgrade their skills. Here are 5 possible careers for a freelance journalist:

Editor

Content producer

Project manager

Web editor

Head of communication

Advantages and disadvantages of freelance journalist

Advantages

Flexibility - as a freelancer, you can choose the topics and customers you want to work with and how often.

No boss - no boss or manager to answer to. You are your own boss.

Earn money - you can research and write articles without being paid in advance.

Experience and resume - you can add the articles you’ve written to your resume.

Opportunities - by working as a freelancer, you can work and learn on many different topics.

Disadvantages

Financial uncertainty - you don’t know when you’ll get your next pay.

Lack of social protection - you are not entitled to benefits such as health insurance and retirement.

No press card - you don’t have the same advantages as a salaried journalist (access to sources, etc.).

Rejecting articles - you must accept that editors can reject your work.

Difficulties in supporting an article - you need to find and refine your sources of information.

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