News anchor to crime journalist
A news anchor already meets 43% of what the crime journalist role asks for. The move turns on 11 required skills not yet in the profile.
63.8/ 100
1 How much of what a crime journalist is expected to do is already part of a news anchor’s work. Directional: the figure for the reverse move differs, because moving into a speciality is not the same problem as moving out of one. 2 Every skill the crime journalist role is recorded as needing, required and optional together. What these numbers mean.
Why this move works
A crime journalist role treats 11 of its required skills as things a news anchor already does. You would walk in with these on day one.
- apply grammar and spelling rules
- consult information sources
- develop professional network
- editorial standards
- follow the news
- grammar
What stands in the way is 11 required skills the profile does not yet cover. Table 3 groups them; Table 4 says which to take first.
Table 2 · What you already bring
Of the 20 skills that carry over, these are the ones fewest other occupations ask for. A crime journalist role needs them, and most people applying for one will not have them already. This is the part of a news anchor background worth leading with.
- already held rewrite articles communication, collaboration and creativity
- already held present during live broadcasts communication, collaboration and creativity
- already held participate in editorial meetings communication, collaboration and creativity
- already held editorial standards social sciences, journalism and information
- already held write to a deadline management skills
- already held press law business, administration and law
All 20 carried skills, including the 11 the crime journalist role treats as required.
Table 3 · What you may need to learn
The 33 missing skills fall into 9 areas of the ESCO skill hierarchy, numbered in the order worth working in. Areas carrying the most required skills come first, and inside each one the required skills sit above the optional ones. Nothing here is a verdict on you: it is a list of what this particular job asks for that your current one does not.
- still to learn build contacts to maintain news flow required
- still to learn evaluate writings in response to feedback required
- still to learn use specific writing techniques required
- optional, not held adapt to type of media optional
- optional, not held ask questions at events optional
- optional, not held create online news content optional
- optional, not held follow directions of on-site director optional
- optional, not held promote one's writings optional
- optional, not held write captions optional
- optional, not held write headlines optional
- optional, not held communicate by telephone optional
- optional, not held provide written content optional
- still to learn stay up to date with social media required
- still to learn study topics required
- still to learn record court procedures required
- optional, not held manage writing administration optional
- optional, not held document interviews optional
- still to learn copyright legislation required
- still to learn court procedures required
- still to learn criminal law required
- still to learn writing techniques required
- optional, not held multimedia systems optional
- still to learn follow ethical code of conduct of journalists required
- optional, not held edit negatives optional
- optional, not held edit photographs optional
- optional, not held edit recorded sound optional
- optional, not held apply desktop publishing techniques optional
- optional, not held perform image editing optional
3 further areas in the appendix
Table 4 · Where to start
The 3 entries a crime journalist role is least likely to hire without. The ordering is computed from the skill data, not from what pays.
- 01 build contacts to maintain news flow practise this
- 02 evaluate writings in response to feedback practise this
- 03 follow ethical code of conduct of journalists practise this
Each entry opens a course search for that skill. Career Overlap earns nothing from these links.
Appendix · The rest of the record
All 20 skills that carry over
- already held apply grammar and spelling rules skill
- already held consult information sources skill
- already held develop professional network skill
- already held editorial standards knowledge
- already held follow the news skill
- already held grammar knowledge
- already held interview people skill
- already held interview techniques knowledge
- already held participate in editorial meetings skill
- already held spelling knowledge
- already held write to a deadline skill
- already held check correctness of information skill
- already held edit digital moving images skill
- already held perform video editing skill
- already held present during live broadcasts skill
- already held press law knowledge
- already held pronunciation techniques knowledge
- already held proofread text skill
- already held rewrite articles skill
- already held show diplomacy skill
The 3 learning areas not shown above
- optional, not held ICT software specifications optional
- optional, not held audio editing software optional
- optional, not held desktop publishing optional
- optional, not held manage personal finances optional
- optional, not held law enforcement optional
22 supplementary skills, helpful but not required
- optional, not held ICT software specifications optional
- optional, not held adapt to type of media optional
- optional, not held ask questions at events optional
- optional, not held create online news content optional
- optional, not held edit negatives optional
- optional, not held edit photographs optional
- optional, not held edit recorded sound optional
- optional, not held follow directions of on-site director optional
- optional, not held manage personal finances optional
- optional, not held manage writing administration optional
- optional, not held promote one's writings optional
- optional, not held write captions optional
- optional, not held write headlines optional
- optional, not held apply desktop publishing techniques optional
- optional, not held audio editing software optional
- optional, not held communicate by telephone optional
- optional, not held desktop publishing optional
- optional, not held document interviews optional
- optional, not held law enforcement optional
- optional, not held multimedia systems optional
- optional, not held perform image editing optional
- optional, not held provide written content optional
17 held skills the crime journalist role does not ask for
- not needed by the target role adapt to changing situations skill
- not needed by the target role adopt a relaxed posture skill
- not needed by the target role audiovisual equipment knowledge
- not needed by the target role breathing techniques knowledge
- not needed by the target role check stories skill
- not needed by the target role lighting techniques knowledge
- not needed by the target role memorise lines skill
- not needed by the target role moderate a debate skill
- not needed by the target role news analytics knowledge
- not needed by the target role operate audio equipment skill
- not needed by the target role perform improvisation skill
- not needed by the target role photography knowledge
- not needed by the target role read pre-drafted texts skill
- not needed by the target role set up sound equipment skill
- not needed by the target role vocal techniques knowledge
- not needed by the target role work closely with news teams skill
- not needed by the target role work with a voice coach skill
9 gaps that are knowledge rather than practice
Knowledge gaps usually close through study. Practical skill gaps usually need something you can point at.
- still to learn copyright legislation required
- still to learn court procedures required
- still to learn criminal law required
- still to learn writing techniques required
- optional, not held ICT software specifications optional
- optional, not held audio editing software optional
- optional, not held desktop publishing optional
- optional, not held law enforcement optional
- optional, not held multimedia systems optional
Common questions about this move
Can a news anchor become a crime journalist?
Yes, and it is a substantial move. A news anchor already covers 43% of what a crime journalist is expected to do: 20 skills carry over, 11 of which the crime journalist role treats as required.
What skills does a news anchor need to become a crime journalist?
11 required skills are missing, plus 22 optional ones. They fall into 9 areas of the ESCO skill hierarchy, led by communication, collaboration and creativity. The single most important is build contacts to maintain news flow.
How hard is the move from news anchor to crime journalist?
Its learning distance is 63.8 out of 100, which is the substantial band. That accounts for both how much is missing and how specialised those skills are.
How this record was compiled
Both occupations are taken from ESCO, which lists the skills and knowledge each occupation is expected to have and marks every one required or optional. Nothing here is a prediction about hiring, and nothing here knows that a particular employer wants a particular certificate. Treat Table 3 as a starting point for your own research rather than a syllabus. The full method states what these figures can and cannot tell you.