Sharing about how he became a sports reporter, Chiến said: “I don't remember exactly when I chose to become a sports reporter. I loved sports since middle school and I independently read many books and newspapers, and watched TV about this field. When I was a student at the Institute of Journalism, I started participating in and organizing a football tournament for students in the Journalism Faculty - the Four-Team Cup - to satisfy my passion and to practice my reporting and writing skills. The Four-Team Cup was a platform that helped me connect with many people and develop my professional skills. After that, I was mentored by a close friend and became a reporter, and I'm still one today.”
Interviewer: Could you share some of the difficulties you faced in the early days of pursuing a career in journalism?
The biggest challenge for all journalists when they first start working is finding sources of information. In the early days, I didn't have many sources, so I struggled to find topics. Even when I had a topic, I lacked sources to provide me with valuable content and opinions.
Equipment was also a challenge that I and many of my colleagues faced when we first started our careers. Modern journalism requires reporters to be capable of multimedia work, not only writing but also knowing how to take photos and videos. The first camera I owned was a cheap one, but I had to save up and spend all my savings to buy it. Although the quality wasn't great, it helped me complete my first projects.
PV: How do you make an impression, stand out, and differentiate yourself from other sports reporters?
I don't think I'm better than other reporters, but rather I believe I have strengths that I need to hone: meticulousness and discipline. Every time I cover an event, big or small, I thoroughly check every step and process. I always remember a quote from a book I once read: "If you want to be good at something, you have to practice it for 10,000 hours." My years of practical experience have allowed me to mature quickly. I've accumulated a lot of life and work experience, developing and perfecting my reporting skills day by day.
Interviewer: Can you share some of your most memorable work experiences?
I don't usually dwell on my accomplishments; I prefer remembering what I failed to do. In 2019, I had the opportunity to travel to the United Arab Emirates. I was in the East while the event was taking place in the West, and with only a few hours left before it started, traffic was extremely difficult. My boss asked if I could cover the event, and I invited colleagues to join, but none of them agreed. Because traveling to a foreign country was difficult and expensive, I didn't go, and that choice is what I regret the most to this day.
It wasn't that the event in the West was anything special, but what I missed would never come back, just like opportunities in life. If I didn't go, I wouldn't know what awaited me. After that experience, whenever I had the chance to travel far, I took on assignments to gather information and write articles, and thanks to that, I met many people who left a deep impression on me.
Interviewer: You mentioned that you remember your failures more than your successes. Can you share which unsuccessful assignment you remember most?
In 2022, I was assigned the task of interviewing Joseph Schooling, a Singaporean swimmer, but the interview failed. Finding a way to interview Joseph was a top priority during the 22nd SEA Games in Vietnam. Through my international journalist network, I found the phone number of Joseph's representative to speak with her, but she refused, saying she didn't want Joseph to be disturbed during his preparation for the competition. I assumed it was the representative who refused, not Joseph himself. The day before the swimming competition at the 22nd SEA Games, I sneaked into Joseph's hotel. He was very surprised and said that if I had arrived before his manager informed him, he might have accepted. The interview with Joseph Schooling was a failure. That's the most memorable failed assignment I've ever had.
Interviewer: During your work, were there any individuals who left a lasting impression on you?
In 2020, I had the opportunity to interview Do Hung Dung. At that time, Dung "chip" was one of the best players on the national team. He was also the winner of the Vietnamese Golden Ball award that year.
During the interview, Hung Dung shared: "I was advised that after retiring, I shouldn't do anything else. People advised me to just be a player, to do what I'm best at and love the most." I really appreciate that quote and used it as the concluding sentence for my interview: if you only do what you're best at and love the most, you'll do your best.
That's always been my guiding principle in my work. Working in journalism for many years inevitably comes with moments of pressure and fatigue. However, on the other hand, I feel happy because I get to do what I love, travel to many places, and learn many new things.
PV: In your opinion, what do students need to prepare to become sports reporters?
At the Institute of Journalism, not only did they provide a solid foundation in journalism knowledge, exposing students to all forms of media such as print, online, radio, and television, but they also gave me many opportunities to practice my skills in student activities such as the Four-Team Cup, the Inter-Cage (Humanities Journalism Festival), and the Journalism Singing Contest. I believe that being exposed to and practicing various journalistic genres helps students, after graduation, to have a strong knowledge base and many opportunities and conditions to develop into well-rounded multimedia journalists.
Furthermore, journalism is a challenging field that requires meticulousness and high discipline in your work. At the same time, you must cultivate and learn soft skills, operational skills, and be truly resilient to withstand pressure and perform your assigned tasks well.
Finally, loving your profession and pursuing it to the end will give you added motivation in the future.
Thank you very much!
