Profiles, Town Halls, and Lessons on the Job

 

I’ve officially wrapped up my three months as a journalism trainee at WAZ, and I’m starting to find my rhythm, while still tripping over the occasional headline or two. My main focus right now? Portraits. I’ve been writing profiles of local people, like the kiosk owner who gave away free ice cream for half a day (yes, really, and no, I wasn’t too proud to accept one).

There’s something deeply satisfying about writing profiles. You meet a person, often a stranger, and slowly peel back the layers until something emotional and human reveals itself. That moment, when someone shares a story they haven’t told in a while, when their eyes change just a bit. That’s the moment I try to hold on to. Sometimes it works. Sometimes it doesn’t. But with every interview, I’m learning how to ask better, more mindful questions. I try to create safe spaces for people to open up. I’m getting better at listening with both empathy and focus. And with each article, I’m learning what details matter most to readers, what turns an everyday story into something that resonates.

Of course, not every day is a glowing portrait of purpose. Some days I stare at my screen unable to find the right beginning, middle, or end. Titles are my personal nemesis, and don’t even get me started on those two-sentence excerpts. But when I hit that wall, I remind myself: I’m a trainee. I’m supposed to be learning. I’m allowed to not get it right every single time.

Local Politics & Heat Waves

Last month, I also joined my editor for my first Ausschuss and Ratssitzung. Basically, local town hall council meetings. The rooms alone felt like something out of a serious drama: dark wood, circular benches, a podium that radiates authority. We sat at the press table, surrounded by local politicians. My boss scanned the agenda and took notes on topics that might matter to our readers. I mostly sat in quiet fascination, soaking it all in.

After my vacation to Croatia, I attended the next session, which was live-streamed for the public. We sat right at the front, beside the mayor’s desk, in full view of the audience. The heat was almost unbearable — over 30 degrees and no fans — so I used my notepad as a fan and worked my way through two bottles of sparkling water while watching the meeting stretch endlessly forward. After 1.5 hours, they were barely halfway through the agenda. My boss leaned over and whispered, “You can leave now,” and honestly, I didn’t need convincing.

Despite the heat and formality, those meetings gave me a glimpse into another part of the job: reporting that’s less about emotion and more about structure, observation, and precision. I haven’t written an article about one yet, but I know it’s coming. And I want to be ready.

Back to the basics of journalism theory

Next week, I’ll begin my theory block. Five weeks of workshops with other trainees from WAZ and across the FUNKE Mediengruppe. We’ll cover journalism ethics, interview techniques, and so much more. I’m looking forward to the change of pace, new faces, and the collective “we’re figuring it out together” energy. In mid-August, I’ll return to Herne and start the next chapter. I have already told my boss that I’d love to try legal journalism (including courtrooms and all) and police reports. Basically, anything new I can experience at least once before my next station.

For now, I’m soaking it all in. The good days, the messy ones, the portraits, the parliament meetings, and the panic over punchy intros. It’s all part of the process. And I’m lucky to be in the middle of it.

 

Photo: Niklas Jeromin via Pexels