Haberman began his association with "The New York Times" as a copy boy in 1964 and then as City College of New York correspondent. He was fired by Abe Rosenthal in 1966 after sneaking a fictional college award and awardee into the Times. Haberman then worked at the "New York Post", returning to the "Times" in 1977. His assignments included staff editor of The Week in Review; Metro reporter; City Hall bureau chief; and, from 1982 to 1995, foreign correspondent in Tokyo and Rome, and bureau chief in Jerusalem (1991–1995).