What 15 years in the media have taught me

7 Tips for aspiring female journalists.

Being a journalist is the best job in the world. Right after being an actress I suppose, but I digress. Being a female journalist though, comes with its own unique set of challenges and many lessons you will only learn on the road.

Below is a short list of tips I put together for young women currently exploring a future in the media. From getting social to empowering other women, all down to makeup skills (yes that's right).

Think of it as a quick guide from a positive, mid-career, currently sleep deprived journalist and new mama still as excited about her career as day 1. (or 2)

1. Develop Thick Skin.

Really immense thick skin! You will need it as you learn to master the art of differentiating between good advice and pure negative (just to get under your skin) criticism.

In 2014, I was covering the international coalition strikes against ISIS, filming on board the USS George H.W Bush aircraft carrier in the Arabian Gulf. In one of my reports, I stood next to missiles about to be loaded on American F/A-18s conducting strikes over Iraq and Syria.

Needless to say, working in the heat of the Gulf (37 degrees Celsius) on board a military aircraft, my attire was the least of my priorities. I wore a cotton polo shirt and cotton pants that guaranteed my ease of movement while sweating and moving between the decks of the ship. Despite the exclusive stories we filed, the very first comments I received from colleagues and friends were "what were you wearing? why didn't you have makeup on?" and "your hair looks nicer down"

As a female, many of your critics will feel entitled to comment on your clothes, style, hair, weight and general looks way before they even judge your actual work.

This will make you furious and on some occasions wanting to scream "Did you even watch or read my work?"

Listen to all criticism, take what you need and just toss away the rest without letting it affect you. Your journey is one of constant learning which should never stop. It's also a public journey where your work is open to all kinds of interpretations where thick skin will come in handy.

2. Challenge Yourself.

In 2012, I spent a night at the Pakistan-Afghanistan border, sleeping under a mountain along with US and NATO troops covering the end of NATO's mission in Afghanistan.

The prospect of Taliban elements in the area was scary and during that time, I had limited military experience. But the excitement of being the 1st Arab female journalist to do a full embed with US troops leaving Kandahar, gave me a huge incentive to master my fears and I started thinking of it as an adventure rather than a mission.

I realized that being different in our field, means chasing the stories others have forgotten or stopped caring about and that's what you should do. Look for the forgotten subjects, the stories that are overlooked and most importantly the stories that you find yourself passionate about.

3. Learn more than one skill.

A common mistake many journalism students fall for is the assumption that getting on air is the ultimate goal for any media professional. While getting on air might bring in more money and strike the ego of some journalists, this should not be your ultimate goal.

I once knew a correspondent who was asked to recommend an expert as a guest for one of the newscasts. "That's not my job" she said. "I am a correspondent, I don't book guests and I don't have contacts". You shouldn't be surprised to know she has been out of a job for a few years now.

Speaking from experience, some of the best journalists, anchors and reporters were writers first. They were field and interview producers. They were the behind-the-scenes soldiers who built a network of contacts and a large experience putting all the on-air elements together before reaching that much sought-after anchor desk.

In today's digital media world, the best journalist is also the one who saves money!

Learning to film, edit and write will make you indispensable for many networks currently struggling to cut costs.

4. Get Social.

Don't get the point of Twitter? Find Instagram annoying? Too Bad! If you want to get ahead in this business you need/must/should get social asap. ? You may be one of the best storytellers out there, but if you don't learn to market your stories via today's top digital platforms for the youth, your work will go unnoticed.

Many young journalists start their Twitter accounts simply with the goal of amassing followers. They quickly loose interest in tweeting when this doesn't happen overnight (It takes years to build a trustworthy twitter presence so get on it).

Choose at least one platform that suits you and focus on delivering unique, targeted content. Photojournalists use Instagram because it's the fastest way to spread their visual work. While reporters choose Twitter to follow breaking news, build contacts and a better online presence. Facebook Live has now also become an indispensable tool for journalists able to broadcast any event to thousands of viewers.

Whatever you choose, you will eventually reach a large audience if you dedicate a little bit of your time to deliver informative content that many will find useful.

5. Empower each other.

Throughout your career you will find that some of your biggest critics, haters and fans will be women. Many of us underestimate the power we have as women although a lot of us nag/complain about the lack of support we get in the workplace.

So, why don't we support each other? Why do we rush to criticize, back stab or step over our female colleagues, especially the most successful ones? The truth is, haters and back stabbers are afraid that someone else is stealing the show.

The truth is nothing can be further from the truth. Nobody can take your place, as long as you keep working on new ideas and stay on top of the industry's trends. So, rather than spending time plotting and scheming, focus on supporting your teammates and simply stay away from negative people. They usually self destruct.

6. Beware of arrogance.

Despite all its rewards, our industry attracts some of the worst most arrogant types you will ever meet. Do not become one of those annoying, know-it-all wannabes everyone avoids.

Our job may be challenging, stressful and difficult most of the time, but it's not rocket science.

It is a privilege to get paid to bring stories to viewers around the world, but if you are one of those types obsessed with getting on camera, you got it wrong.

Embrace humility in everything you do no matter how big your achievement is. This will keep you grounded, loved and simply a better human. Plus let's face it, there are too many divas in our business, the world doesn't need anymore.

7. Embrace Makeup!

Your looks do matter. Yes I know. This is NOT what you will learn in college. If you had the privilege of attending a western college, the first thing you learn will be that a journalist's most valued work is his/her words and not their looks.

To a large extent this will ring true, however don't let that be an excuse for you to completely ignore your looks. (a lesson I learned the hard way).

You will not be taken less seriously if you put on more effort into your attire. In fact, as long as your work is solid and your intentions are in the right place, you'd be amazed what a business suit and the right makeup will do.