Odds of Getting In
So how do you get a job, besides showing off your fancy résumé? It's all about networking and writing stories that'll attract an audience. Do you love chess and want to write about it for the New York Times? Too bad. You need to show newspapers, broadcast stations, radio stations, and other news organizations that you can write stories that'll target their audiences.
To get your foot in the door, you might want to contact the news organization directly with an informal letter. Don't try to add them as a friend on Facebook—they don't have time for that. What they do have time for is a few paragraphs about you that state your experience, along with a link to some writing samples or clippings. If you'd won any journalism awards, that'd be the time to bring those up, too.
Realistically, though, the odds of getting in leave much to be desired for young would-be journalists. The line of people looking to break into the journalism world is long, so to have a shot you'll need to bring your A-game all the time. Polish your grammar skills, work hard, and do what you have to do to get the story.