Business and Education Reporter

Hearst Health

Business and Education Reporter for The Telegraph covering K-12 education and local business in Alton, Illinois. Producing timely stories and accountability reporting on local institutions.

Posted 7/24/2026full-timeAlton • Illinois • 🇺🇸 United StatesMid-LevelSenior💰 $35,360 per yearWebsite

Core Competencies

Role fit

Core Competencies

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Demonstrates strong writing and reporting skills, with the ability to generate original stories and provide comprehensive coverage of education and business topics. Proficient in utilizing digital tools and data analysis to enhance reporting and engage audiences effectively.

Highest-signal resume keywords

Strong Writing And ReportingBeat DevelopmentRecords And Data SkillsDigital SkillsCollaboration

ATS Keywords

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Applicant Tracking System Keywords

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Hard Skills

JournalismReportingData AnalysisPublic Records RequestsStory PitchingBudget AnalysisEducation CoverageBusiness ReportingAudience EngagementEnterprise Journalism

Soft Skills

News JudgmentInitiativeOrganization

Tools & Technologies

Digital PublishingSocial MediaPhotographyVideoAudience Analytics

Industry Keywords

K-12 EducationLocal BusinessEconomic DevelopmentWorkforce IssuesPublic MeetingsService Journalism

About the role

Key responsibilities & impact

Own the Education and Business Beats: Develop authoritative coverage of K-12 schools, school districts, school boards, educators, students and families, as well as local businesses, major employers, economic development and workforce issues.
Generate Original Reporting: Build relationships with parents, students, teachers, school employees, business owners, workers, public officials and community members. Regularly pitch stories based on source development, public records, data and firsthand reporting.
Cover Education: Provide regular coverage of public school districts, school boards and administrators, teachers, students and families. Report on school budgets, enrollment, academic performance, staffing, curriculum, policy decisions, construction projects, consolidation proposals, potential closures and other issues affecting local schools. Follow state education policies when they have meaningful consequences for districts in the coverage area. Periodically cover local higher-education institutions, including the community college, nearby private colleges and the Southern Illinois University School of Dental Medicine, when developments are relevant to The Telegraph readers.
Cover Local Business and the Economy: Report on business openings, closures and expansions; major employers; workforce and labor issues; downtown development; public incentives; commercial development; and the local effects of broader economic changes.
Produce Daily and Enterprise Journalism: Balance quick-turn stories with deeper reporting that provides context, identifies patterns and explains why an issue matters to readers.
Pursue Accountability Reporting: Use public records, budgets, contracts, regulatory documents and data to examine decisions involving public institutions, taxpayer money, economic incentives and community impact.
Cover Relevant Public Meetings: Periodically cover evening meetings, including school board sessions and government meetings involving economic development or major business decisions. File accurate, clean stories on deadline.
Provide Useful, Audience-Focused Coverage: Produce service journalism that helps families, employees, consumers and business owners understand important changes and make informed decisions.
Tell Stories Digitally: Use photography, video, social media and other digital tools to strengthen reporting and reach audiences across platforms.
Collaborate: Work closely with editors, reporters, and other colleagues to produce timely and impactful journalism.
Assist With Major News Coverage: Occasionally contribute to breaking news or general assignment coverage when another reporter is unavailable or when a major story requires broader newsroom support.

Requirements

What you’ll need

A bachelor’s degree in journalism, communications or a related field is preferred, but equivalent professional experience and a strong body of published work will also be considered.
Strong Writing and Reporting: An ability to write clearly, accurately, and with authority across breaking news, daily, and enterprise formats.
News Judgment: A strong sense of what makes a compelling local story and an ability to recognize how institutional decisions affect readers.
Beat Development: The ability to establish sources, maintain a forward-looking story calendar and develop expertise across two substantial coverage areas.
Initiative: A self-starter who regularly pitches ideas, follows leads and pursues stories independently.
Records and Data Skills: Comfort reading agendas, budgets, contracts, government documents and basic datasets. Experience with public records requests is preferred.
Organization: The ability to manage competing deadlines while balancing daily coverage with longer-term reporting.
Collaboration: A willingness to work closely with editors and colleagues in a fast-moving, evolving newsroom.
Published Work: A portfolio of published reporting from professional outlets, student publications or other credible news organizations.
Digital Skills: Familiarity with digital publishing, social media, photography, video, or audience analytics is a plus. A willingness to learn new tools is essential.
Location: The reporter must be based in the region or willing to relocate.

Benefits

Comp & perks

Physical Wellbeing: Medical, Dental, and Vision coverage to keep you and your family healthy.
Invest for the Future: Competitive retirement plan with matching program in most markets.
Generous Paid Time Off: Recharge with ample time off, including holidays and vacation.
Paid Parental Leave: Support for growing families, with paid leave for new parents.
Monthly Child & Dependent Care Reimbursement: Financial support for the care of your loved ones.
Emotional Wellbeing: Be your best self with our mental wellness benefits.
LGBTQ+ & Inclusive Health Services: Inclusive healthcare designed for every individual’s unique needs.
Fertility Coverage & Menopause Support: Helping you along every step of your family journey.
Pet Wellness Reimbursement & Rover Credits: We care about your pets, too – helping you keep them happy and healthy.
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