Written by: Kellianne Jones, Blog Contributor
When starting out on my internship search last year, I remember sitting at my computer, staring at Google with my fingers hanging over the keyboard, and trying to think of news networks. I’d type in “ABC internships” and “CNN internships”. I think this is the way most students begin their internship search.
Unless you have been dreaming of working at a particular place your whole life, this method gets you nowhere. Not only are these big-name internships usually expensive (they require you to pay for college credit) and competitive (everyone applies for them), it’ll show if you don’t truly care about the company and what it stands for. You’ll send out a generic cover letter and chances are, you’ll never get hired. That’s why you should apply for internships at companies that do work you admire.
TIP #1: Think about what you like
Think about the show on Current TV you never want to miss or the website you love to check out to get your news. If you are digging Current TV’s journalists more than CNN’s, there’s a reason for that. It’s no secret that many of the mass media companies are in trouble- maybe the future lies within these smaller, obscure companies that are gaining a loyal following. Get an internship at a place like this and in a few years, you’ll be patting yourself on the back for making connections in a place where you can actually use them.
Examples of ways to find media you are passionate about:
- Take a walk through Blockbuster or Barnes & Noble to find some movie titles that intrigue you. Look for festival winners to find the names of some up-and-coming production companies.
- Think about commercials that you can’t get out of your head and find out the name of the advertising agency.
- Listen to talk shows on the radio.
- Look at industry or topic-related blogs that you subscribe to.
- Search around Twitter to find companies that are exercising great PR, and find out if they offer internships in their publicity department.
Look on the company’s website for internship details or contact information, and send them a persuasive cover letter and resume. If you decide that a big-name internship is still the best option for you, think about finding one in a web department or find a newspaper or magazine that has good online readership. This means they are working hard to survive in the new media environment.
TIP #2: Think of other ways to build your resume
Maybe you don’t land the internship of your dreams. Or maybe they only have you coming to the office 2 times a week. This does happen. There’s plenty of other ways to boost your experience.
Aspiring travel-writers can contribute to websites such as Matador or Glimpse to get some articles published. If you are a magazine major, I’m sure you subscribe to online magazines or blogs- see if they are willing to take you on as a contributor. An aspiring PR professional can become web-savvy by tweeting about the industry. Look for things that are web-based (since we all know that’s the way the industry is headed) so you can increase your presence online. Although you probably wouldn’t want these things to be your sole internship for the summer, they can serve as supplements that might just make your resume stand out.
Photographers can contribute to online photography sites such as Vewd or submit some of your work to sites like Burn or Making Room. You could even make contacts on these sites by emailing the photographer of a feature you loved to let them know you admired their work. If you are in a major city while you are interning, check out the gigs section in Craigslist. Professional photographers post there all the time looking for a production assistant for a day or weekend shoot. This will be a good way add some interesting experience to your resume and make some new connections.
Good luck and happy searching!
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