Journalism is one of the most competitive careers you can aim for. Not only can it be difficult to break into, but well-paying jobs are extremely hard to find. It is no wonder that journalism internships are highly prized by students as a way to break into the industry. Consequently, there is a lot of competition for journalism internships and many students end up disappointed. Even those who do manage to obtain an internship often find they have wasted their summer working as a 'gopher' and not learning a thing about the industry. It is therefore important to have a plan when it comes to finding a journalism internship. Here are ten tips to help you land an internship that will give you valuable skills and experience for your future:
Step 2: Directly contact organizations and ask if they are offering internships. Writing to smaller local papers can often yield excellent results and put you in a good position to gain valuable skills. Many journalism students only want internships with the top newspapers or magazines in the country, thinking that it will give them a foot in the door for later employment. What they are not aware of is that many of these organizations use their interns for basic office jobs and do not give them the desired experience. On the other hand, smaller print organizations often take full advantage of their interns and use them in many capacities. This gives the intern a lot of important experience, which can be included in a resume.
Step 3: Read job ads. A lot of internships are advertised alongside permanent jobs. If you want an internship, it pays to keep an eye on specialist journalism and communications employment websites. Many companies treat internship recruiting in much the same way as they look at hiring permanent staff. You may well stumble upon a great opportunity by simply keeping your eyes open.
Step 4: Specialist internship sites can also be excellent ways of finding good internships. Companies advertise for interns on sites that specifically cater to that need. You can find these sites by simply doing an internet search. Spend a bit of time browsing and you will quickly get a sense of which sites will be beneficial and which should be avoided.
Step 5: Overseas internships, if you can afford them, can provide excellent experience. There are internship organizers whose business is to organize for overseas internships for students. This is an expensive internship option. However, many of these companies do seem to be in a position to place students in some highly-regarded internship positions, which can make an enormous difference when it comes to finding a job later.
Step 7: Speak to tutors, lecturers and past students to get their advice. If you are currently studying journalism at college, then you know other students have found internships in the years ahead of you. Tutors and lecturers will know of their experiences and may well personally deal with companies requiring interns. Seek out the advice of these people.
Step 8: Make sure you are prepared for an internship interview. Have a portfolio of your work ready. When you are a student, it can be difficult to find the time to pursue writing outside the demands of your courses. However, it is very important to gain first-hand experience. It also shows a commitment and an interest to journalism that internship recruiters are looking for. Write regularly for different publications and keep published clippings in your portfolio.
Step 9: Maintain good grades. Journalism is a competitive field and your grades will matter when it comes to obtaining a good position. It is better to take a little bit longer to do your degree and get higher grades than to take a high load and get mediocre grades. Keep an eye on your grade point average and regularly meet with a student advisor to develop skills and strategies to maximize your results.
Step 10: Work on college publications for experience and to show genuine interest. Keep clippings of your best pieces in your portfolio. Write freelance articles and keep clippings if they are published. If you want to get a good internship, you need to prove you are serious about journalism.
If you implement these strategies to find and apply for journalism internships, you will give yourself a competitive edge. You will be best placed to not only find an internship, but to find one that will give you the skills and experience you are seeking to help build your resume. Excellent internship experiences can make all the difference when it comes to applying for permanent journalism positions after you graduate. If you prepare and market yourself to appeal to publishers, while at the same time choosing those opportunities carefully to meet your own needs, you will find yourself with great journalism internship offers to choose from.
