How to Get Hired as a Remote Fact Checker
In the last few years, there’s been a lot of talk about “false news.” You may be wondering if anyone is verifying the news items that get published or broadcasted, and you can find comfort in knowing that there are fact-checkers out there.
If becoming a fact-checker is something you’re interested in, you need to learn what steps are necessary to take to become one. You can work as a staff fact-checker or do it as a freelancer. Before committing to anything, knowing the education and skills required to do the job is critical.
Step One: Review the Education Requirements
Research the minimum level of education you need to become a fact-checker. Most fact-checkers have a bachelor’s degree; however, anassociate’s degree may be considered the minimum requirementby the industry since very few fact-checkers only have a high school diploma or G.E.D.
Like many careers, you increase your chances of getting hired if you have an advanced degree. If you’re starting your post-secondary education and are wondering what your major should be, you could specialize in English, Journalism, or Communications. You can also take courses in information science or fact-checking.
Step Two: Gain Experience in Journalism
Many skills you need to be a successful fact-checker can be developed while working as a journalist. Magazines and news broadcasters need fact-checkers to verify the information they share with their readers, listeners, or viewers.
In your work in the research department of television news shows, book publishers, newspapers, or magazines, you could learn how to source and check the information from news releases and other forms of communication. If you’re still in school, you can start gaining experience by working for the school media, whether the newspaper or radio station.
You can also start your own blog as a start to building your portfolio of experience in journalism. If you already have an idea of the writing area you want to focus on, you can use that as the main subject for your blog.
Another great way to gain experience is to seek an internship since it’s an excellent way to network with the industry and build on your work experience. If you’re wondering where you’re able to find internships for people that have been out of school for a while, you may be interested inadult internships to relaunch your career.
Step Three: Sharpen Your Research Skills
To build a successful career as a fact-checker, you should consider taking courses in information science or fact-checking. While you can develop these skills on the job while working as a journalist, it may be beneficial to take classes since it shows employers your eagerness to gain the skills necessary to be an effective fact-checker.
You can take a course infact-checking and verification from the National Council for the Training of Journalists(NCTJ). You can check theNCTJ websiteto find other classes that can help sharpen your skills regardless of your level of education.
Developing the skills required to be a successful fact-checker overnight can be difficult. Since it can take time to build the skills necessary, you may find it helpful to work with a mentor while training to become a fact-checker. You may be interested in learning about thetop platforms to find a mentor.
It’s vital to remember when conducting research that you’re looking for facts and not information that confirms your particular biases. In addition to verifying all the facts and claims in a story are accurate and represented without prejudice, fact-checkers also need to look for gaps in the reports they review.
Attribution is critical to helping publications maintain their credibility. They rely on fact-checkers to attribute the information they’re claiming in the news that’s being shared. News publications don’t appreciate having to retract reports they’ve disseminated because the facts of the news piece weren’t verified beforehand.
Step Four: Seek Fact-Checker Jobs
Once you’re confident in your education, experience, and skills required to be a successful fact-checker, you can start looking for remote positions. You can find employment listings on job sites such asIndeed,Glassdoor,Monster,Zippia, and others.
Although print media is becoming obsolete, the need for online fact-checkers has increased. Social media platforms like Twitter and Facebook have fact-checkers employed to verify that the posts users share are factual. You may have seen posts that have been flagged, warning viewers that the information in the post has been proven factually inaccurate. If you’ve been in trouble on social media, you may be interested in learning thethings that can get you permanently banned from Facebook.
Step Five: Consider Starting as a Freelancer
Some publications have a fact-checking staff in-house; however, it may be possible for you to start working as a freelance fact-checker once you have acquired the skills and have a resume for the position. Freelancers may be able to earn more money for their services since they can work on a variety of materials, which can be enjoyable.
Freelancing provides an excellent way to gain experience and build your resume, so should a permanent position open, you’re prepared to handle the job. If you’re on the fence about becoming a freelancer, you may be interested in learning about thetop benefits of a freelance career.
Step Six: Submit Applications for Positions Best Suited to Your Expertise
If you want more stability than freelancing offers, you can apply for fact-checker positions you feel qualified for. Remember, if you’re going to work remotely, use “remote” as part of your job search.
Whether you believe a functional resume is the best format for you because of your limited work experience or feel like a chronological resume will showcase your skills and experiences better, the choice is yours. Before you start working on your resume, you may want to review thethings you don’t need to include in your resume.
Facts Matter, and You Can Play a Part
Fiction books, movies, and television don’t need to be factual, but if you’re reporting on the news, you want to ensure that the information you’re sharing is based on facts, whether you agree with them or not. Fact-checking is becoming an increasing necessity with the internet and the ability for people to write and post whatever they want.
We’ve seen it in recent elections and during the COVID-19 pandemic. Misinformation is rampant, and the need for fact-checkers who can let the public know whether they can trust the news they’re hearing, watching, or listening to has become increasingly critical.
Want the best news sites around? Here are the top-ranked news sites that publish credible content, not fake news stories.
Love fades, even for the best open-source darling.
You’re conveying the wrong meaning when you send these emojis.
Lose your laptop without this feature, and you’ll wish you had turned it on.
You can’t call this offline, Notion.
Taming data is easier than it looks.
