This interview profile for a journalist combines a summary of what you should look for in applicants with a fair range of good interview questions.
Former Community Manager at Workable specialized in employee experience, talent brands and our event series, Workable Ideas.
To get a job as a business reporter, you need more than just writing and money sense. You need to show hiring managers that you are a professional journalist with good writing and analysis skills. This means acing the interview by providing thoughtful, compelling responses to tough questions.
To help you put your best foot forward, here are 12 common business reporter interview questions along with tips on how to craft winning answers:
1. Why are you interested in becoming a business reporter?
Interviewers want to gauge your passion and motivations for pursuing this career path. Highlight your genuine interest in the world of business finance and economics. Share how you actively follow business news and trends. Discuss specific aspects of the job that appeal to you such as investigating complex issues, interviewing high-profile executives, or explaining intricate financial information in layman’s terms. Convey enthusiasm and dedication to business journalism.
2. What do you think makes for a good business news story?
This tests your news judgment and understanding of what engages readers. Explain how relevance, impact, and timeliness factor into newsworthiness. Share how you would balance hard data with narrative appeal to produce compelling stories. Discussstrategies for identifying fresh story angles and perspectives. Demonstrate knowledge of topics and trends that resonate with target readers such as insider trading, corporate scandals, industry disruptions, and innovative startups.
3. How do you stay up-to-date on business news and trends?
Employers want to see that you are proactive in continually expanding your business knowledge. Discuss resources you use to stay in the loop such as financial publications, newsletters, podcasts, business TV networks, and social media platforms. Share how you leverage tools like Google Alerts and Feedly. Mention networking methods like attending industry events and building contacts within the business community. Convey curiosity and a hunger for the latest insights.
4. How would you explain a complex financial concept like quantitative easing to a general news audience?
This aims to assess your ability to take complex financial topics and make them accessible to non-expert readers. Share techniques like using relatable examples and analogies, avoiding jargon, employing visual aids, and presenting information in a logical, easy-to-digest manner. You could describe how quantitative easing is like pumping stimulus into the economy’s veins to help heal an ailing patient. Discuss strategies for distilling convoluted financial mechanisms into engaging, enlightening stories.
5. How do you ensure accuracy and integrity in your reporting?
Credibility is everything in journalism. Discuss your rigorous fact-checking process including cross-verifying information from multiple sources, consulting subject matter experts and thoroughly reviewing data. Share how you avoid biases present objective analysis, and maintain transparency regarding any potential conflicts of interest. Demonstrate an unwavering commitment to producing fair, accurate, and balanced reporting.
6. Tell me about a time you persuaded a reluctant source to provide key information for a story. How did you convince them?
Interviewers want insight into your source-building and investigative reporting skills. Tell us how you used patience, planning, listening, and building trust to get the story details you needed in the end. Talk about how you put your contacts at ease and persuaded them that sharing private information would be good for everyone. Demonstrate resourcefulness in obtaining critical details for impactful stories.
7. How do you prioritize your reporting when covering multiple complex business stories with tight deadlines?
This evaluates your time management and news judgment skills. Explain how you determine the urgency, newsworthiness, and relative impact of each potential story Discuss how you work efficiently to gather the necessary facts, interviews, and data within pressing time constraints. Share how you balance speed with accuracy Demonstrate ability to pivot and reprioritize as new developments occur.
8. What experience do you have using data to enhance your business reporting? How would you present dry financial data in a compelling way?
Employers want to see you can bring numbers to life through compelling narratives and visualizations. Discuss your experience using tools like Tableau, D3.js, and Excel to analyze data and create charts, graphs, and interactive features to add clarity and impact. Share examples of how you made dull data engaging such as illustrating workforce layoff stats through a poignant worker profile. Demonstrate creativity and comfort with using data journalism techniques.
9. How do you build and maintain relationships with sources in the business community?
Strong source networks separate average reporters from ace reporters. Talk about tried-and-true ways to make strong connections, such as going to events in your field, keeping an eye on social media, sending personalized outreach emails, and getting coffee to share information. Talk about how you keep sources interested by giving them value by sharing relevant articles or giving them insights from your reporting. Demonstrate a collaborative, mutually beneficial approach to sources.
10. Tell me about a time you had to persist through challenges to break a major investigative business story.
Interviewers are looking for examples of your grit and investigative tenacity. Walk through the obstacles you faced and how you overcame them through exhaustive research, developing sources, analyzing data, connecting dots between disparate pieces of information, and persuasive interviewing. Discuss how you assembled scattered puzzle pieces into a compelling narrative. Demonstrate passion for hard-hitting investigative journalism.
11. How would you handle pressure from advertisers or other business interests to skew coverage?
This tests your ethics and ability to withstand external influence. Emphasize your commitment to pursuing the truth without fear or favor, regardless of who might be made uncomfortable by your reporting. Discuss how you would stand your ground while handling the situation diplomatically. Share examples of times you prioritized editorial independence over financial interests or politics. Demonstrate courage and integrity.
12. Where do you see yourself in your career in five years?
Employers want get a sense of your professional goals and growth potential. Convey your vision for advancing from a junior to a more senior role with greater reporting responsibilities, leadership of special projects, and guiding younger journalists. Discuss desires to expand skillsets by covering different industries or beats, learning new storytelling methods, taking on management duties, or joining the executive leadership team. Demonstrate ambition and commitment to excellence in business journalism.
Preparing compelling, thoughtful responses to these common business reporter interview questions will help demonstrate that you have the smarts, skills, and temperament to thrive. Be ready to provide real-world examples that showcase your abilities. With some practice and confidence, you’ll be ready to have a winning interview.
What do you like to read on your own time?
This question helps you figure out what the candidate is interested in and how well-read they are, which is very important for a journalist.
“I enjoy reading a mix of fiction and non-fiction. I’m particularly drawn to investigative journalism pieces and historical novels. ”.
How do you ensure accuracy in your work?
This question evaluates the candidate’s commitment to journalistic integrity.
“I double-check all facts and figures and always cross-reference sources. I also have a checklist to ensure all ethical guidelines are followed. ”.
Business Reporter interview questions
FAQ
What are the six questions reporters ask?
What are the duties of a business reporter?
How many interview questions do I need for a reporter job?
26. Why is this job a good fit? If you want to ace your upcoming interview, practice with our topical-based interview question sets. Practice 26 Reporter Interview Questions. Written by professional interviewers with 26 answer examples.
What questions do interviewers ask a reporter?
Accuracy and integrity are of utmost importance in the world of journalism. It’s essential for reporters to uphold these values and maintain credibility with their audience. By asking this question, interviewers want to know how you handle situations where you may have made a mistake, and if you’re willing to take responsibility and correct it.
How do you interview for a reporter position?
When interviewing for a reporter position, showcasing your ability to present information in an easy-to-understand and compelling manner is essential. Interviewers want to ensure that you not only have strong writing skills but also that you can effectively communicate complex ideas and maintain reader interest throughout your work.
What questions do interviewers ask?
Video: Top Common Interview Questions and Answers Jenn, an Indeed Career Coach, breaks down the intentions behind employer’s questions and shares strategies for crafting strong responses. When meeting with prospective journalists, interviewers often ask in-depth questions related to writing experience and motivation.
