How to answer this Communication Skills interview question about Source Relationship Management for Mid-Level Journalist?

How do you build and maintain relationships with reliable sources?

A popular meme image featuring the Marvel character Thanos with the caption “A small price to pay for salvation,” commonly used to humorously express acceptance of a minor sacrifice for a greater benefit.
Journalist

Communication Skills

Asked at

The Washington Post

Difficulty :

Medium

A modern, rounded square webclip or app icon with a soft gradient background, representing a mobile-friendly shortcut or digital brand identity for quick access and visual consistency.
A popular meme image featuring the Marvel character Thanos with the caption “A small price to pay for salvation,” commonly used to humorously express acceptance of a minor sacrifice for a greater benefit.

Explanation

This question assesses your networking and relationship-building skills, which are crucial for cultivating trustworthy sources. Recruiters are looking for candidates who can establish credibility, maintain confidentiality, and foster long-term relationships. A strong answer will include examples of building rapport and ensuring ethical practices in source management. Avoid failing to address the importance of trust and discretion.

A popular meme image featuring the Marvel character Thanos with the caption “A small price to pay for salvation,” commonly used to humorously express acceptance of a minor sacrifice for a greater benefit.

Answer Example

I build relationships with sources by demonstrating professionalism, maintaining confidentiality, and consistently delivering fair reporting. For example, I developed a rapport with a government official by respecting their off-the-record requests and accurately representing their statements. Over time, they became a reliable source for exclusive insights. I also regularly check in with my network of sources to stay updated and maintain trust. This approach ensures a steady flow of credible information.

How it works?

Perfect applications in one click.

A popular meme image featuring the Marvel character Thanos with the caption “A small price to pay for salvation,” commonly used to humorously express acceptance of a minor sacrifice for a greater benefit.

Step 1:
Create a profile

Create your profile by uploading an existing resume or create one from scratch using our resume builder.

A popular meme image featuring the Marvel character Thanos with the caption “A small price to pay for salvation,” commonly used to humorously express acceptance of a minor sacrifice for a greater benefit.

Step 2:
Find a job post

Start searching for jobs anywhere you want and paste the job description in the box in FirstResume.

A popular meme image featuring the Marvel character Thanos with the caption “A small price to pay for salvation,” commonly used to humorously express acceptance of a minor sacrifice for a greater benefit.

Step 3:
One click .. and done

One click, and we will track your job with AI, analyse your compatibility, create your perfect resume and more, ready to apply.

That's it! Give it a go!
Get updates and career content

Subscribe to our newsletter

We frequently write blogs that help our community with their career growth! Don't miss out!

Thank you! Your submission has been received!
Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.
Talk to us directly

Join us on Discord

Discord is where we give updates, offer member exclusive giveaways, and help each other grow on our careers.

Your success begins here.

Get Started Now