Deseret News seeks personal finance reporter

The Deseret News seeks a talented writer to produce enterprise stories about personal finance and economic trends. This reporter will also aggregate and analyze Internet content for our digital audiences.

Candidates must be able to write enterprising national stories that highlight the principle of financial responsibility for individuals and societies. We are seeking a reporter who can:

• Empower readers to become smart, savvy consumers
• Identify and explain innovative ways of being financially responsible, including creative life hacks, budgeting, investing, etc.
• Understand and write about government monetary and fiscal policies, particularly as they affect individuals and families
• Analyze trends in the job market, housing market and broader economy
• Paint a picture of what it means to get by and thrive in America today
• Examine cultural trends such as thrift, materialism, and inequality

The reporter must also be able to engage with other thinkers about personal finance and economic policy via social media, personal interactions and written articles.

The reporter will write primarily for the Deseret News National Edition, with articles to appear on national.deseretnews.com and in a weekly print edition distributed across the country. Articles will also be published on deseretnews.com and in the local edition of the paper, and will be syndicated to partners around the world.

The Deseret News is part of a dynamic media company whose mission is to be a trusted voice of light and knowledge for a growing national audience interested in faith and family issues. The Project for Excellence in Journalism reported on innovations at the Deseret News: http://www.journalism.org/analysis_report/deseret_news_changing_two_media_cultures

Job description

• Produce two (2) strong, enterprising stories each week
• Produce three (3) web roundups (aggregated content on a current topic) each week

Skills necessary:

• Writing that is thoughtful, enlightening, informative, rigorous, engaging and entertaining
• Ability to develop stories beyond the routine. We are looking for someone who will ask more interesting questions, go beyond simple news releases and do thoughtful enterprise story development and research
• Journalism and/or other professional training in critical/analytical thinking and writing
• Ability to find, understand and use data to drive stories
• Ability to work with professionals to cultivate a beat in a way that develops mutual trust and respect with national sources who can provide insight and perspective
• Capacity and interest in participating in national conversations about personal finance and economic trends through social media, source development, networking and insightful reporting
• Ability to establish social media presence and following
• Willingness to take regular feedback and editing from multiple editors
• Ability to write on deadline and take breaking news assignments on short notice
• Commitment to Deseret Media Companies mission and values
  • http://deseretmanagement.com/mission-statement/

Requirements:

• Bachelor’s degree in related field
• 3-5 years experience, preferred

To apply:

• In order to be considered for this job, you must include three things in your application:
  • Resume
  • Cover letter
  • Published writing samples
• In your cover letter, please explain your interest and experience in reporting on personal finance and economic trends. Your one-page cover letter must include:
  • What you think are some of the important issues in personal finance and the broader economy today and why they are important
  • Why you would be a good fit for a publication like the Deseret News
• Apply at: https://deseretnews.applicantpro.com/jobs/256940.html. You may attach as many documents as you’d like to the online application. Documents should be uploaded in the same section of the online application as your resume and cover letter.