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Internship Tips
Some helpful hints on applying for print and broadcast news internships (Remember that internships are jobs!):
- Apply to at least five (although more is okay...the more the better) internships that you are truly interested in. There is a lot of competition for these opportunities. The more applications you have out there, the better your chances are of landing one of these opportunities. Have a sense of adventure. Don’t be afraid to go far from home. Some of these internships have housing arrangements.
NOTE ON BROADCAST INTERNSHIPS: Please note that most broadcast internships at radio and television stations are for college credit only and do not offer pay. That is because, while the competition for newspaper internships is intense, it is far more so for broadcast internships.
- Submit a range of clips. Submit stories which demonstrate your ability to handle as many different facets of journalism as possible, from hard news to features to whatever you have. You want to submit clips that show off your writing and storytelling abilities, so choose stories that you are proud of. In the case of broadcast internships, if you have audition tapes or scripts from stories which aired on either campus, cable or some other community television or radio media, it is okay to submit those as well.
- VERY IMPORTANT: If you have online or multimedia journalism skills, whether you are pursuing a career in print or broadcast journalism, make that clear in your resume. More news consumers are getting their news via the Internet, so having these skills will make you an even more desireable candidate in the eyes of newsroom recruiters.
- Triple check resumes, cover letters and clips for spelling mistakes. DO NOT RELY ON SPELL CHECK. Spell Check misses a lot of errors. As a journalist, you will be expected to know how to write correctly. Even if your editor made an error with your story, do not submit it. It has your by-line on it and that is what recruiters and editors will go by when considering whom to hire for an internship.
- PAY ATTENTION TO DEADLINES AND DON'T MISS THEM. Your target date for submission should be at least one week before the deadline. Some companies are very strict and will not consider applications submitted after the deadline. Do not wait until the spring to start looking for a summer internship.
NOTE ON NEWSPAPER INTERNSHIPS: Keep in mind that deadlines for most summer newspaper internships come up during the previous fall. If you want until a few weeks before summer to start applying for internships, you are TOO LATE. Most broadcast internships are offered year-round and are available in several departments, from the newsroom to the sports department to public affairs.
- You should always apply for an internship that you are interested in regardless of college year requirements. For example, if you are freshman, but the internship requests college juniors or above, APPLY ANYWAY. This cannot hurt you and some companies may hire you if those in decision-making positions think that you are good enough. The worst that can happen is they will say "no."
- FOR NEWSPAPERS ONLY: Even if you have just graduated from college or about to, you are still eligible for most internships. Several companies hire interns who have graduated within six months of the start of their next summer internship program. They consider these hires to be recent graduates.
- There are internships for all fields in journalism, including online/multimedia journalists, editors, photographers, newscast producers, assignment desk and graphic artists (both newspapers and television stations employ graphic artists). Please let the potential employer know which areas you are interested in.
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