OCCUPATION: REPORTER/EDITOR

Name: Abel Torres

Company: Rumores

Thumbs up: “I have worked on a newspaper all of my life. We are a free, tabloid-size weekly Spanish-language newspaper with circulation of about 30,000. A lot of our readers come from other countries, and some don’t know much English. We provide general information about life in the United States and available services. For some who lived in rural areas and didn’t have access to newspapers, Rumores is the first newspaper they’ve ever read. “

Thumbs down: “There is nothing I dislike. And when you like your job, no matter what your salary is, you still are willing to work 24 hours a day. You think, ‘I need to get the best information for my newspaper, no matter what time of day it is.’ ”

Next step: “I used to work for a large newspaper in Mexico, but I like working for Rumores much better because I’m close to my community. We are a vehicle that is able to help.” “

Advice: “Get your education first. You need to have your eyes and ears open all the time. The best thing you can do as a reporter is read, read and read some more. Don’t read just textbooks . . . read everything. Reporters also need to develop real news judgment about what constitutes a good story, and what doesn’t.”

Salary range: In Orange County, newspaper reporters earn between $300 and $1,000 weekly.

Educational and training requirements: A four-year degree is usually the minimum educational requirement; smaller newspapers prefer generalists with broad experience, while large newspapers often prefer specialists with several years’ experience.

Size of work force: Small. In Orange County, about 550 people or .05% of the labor force, work as reporters.

Expected demand: Because of the decline in employee turnover, an oversupply of college graduates trying to break into the field and the number of news operations downsizing or closing altogether, there is intense competition for jobs.

Job description: Reporters gather information and analyze facts about current events and write news reports describing the events, background, their meanings and effects.

Major employing industries: Newspapers, magazines, wire services, and technical publications. For more information: Call James M. Gomez at the Orange County Press Club (714) 966-7831.