How to get an Internship in the Field of Journalism?

Have you been considering looking for journalism internships for some time now? If yes, this is just the article for you! Start by narrowing down where you want to intern. Do you want a taste of print journalism or do you want to try your hand at broadcast? Once that’s done, you need to shortlist the media houses you want to work at. Remember, research is key.

Here’s a quick guide to help you get that journalism internship you’ve been pining for!

Take the first step towards your Journalism Internships

Journalism internships would mean a vague idea in a broad variety. You need to narrow it down further. After you’ve made your choice between print, broadcast and digital, you need to start making a list of all the media houses you would like to work at. Once that’s done, create an impressive resume and send out your application to the official HR address of the media houses. Email is still the best way to reach out. Though, you can even reach out via LinkedIn to a senior correspondent or reporter who works at the media houses you’re applying to. By reaching out through LinkedIn, you make your application stand out. What’s more? Through the LinkedIn message option you can let hiring managers know why you’re the ideal fit for the internship. This way you stand a better chance to get noticed amidst hundreds of other applications.

Create an exemplary cover letter and resume

Most organizations will require you to submit a cover letter and a resume along with your application. Make sure that both these documents are concise and up-to-date. It’s always better to get an outside perspective so try to get a friend or mentor to proofread it. While you’re at it, make sure to include links to all your previous works in the mail body. By doing this, you make the job of the hiring manager easier as he/she doesn’t have to scout online for your work and they are more likely to take the final decision based on whatever is less time consuming. Also, make sure that your qualifications are reflected aptly and that there are no typos or grammatical errors in these documents.

Put your contacts to use

Contacts will play a big role in getting you journalism internships. There are two ways to make the most of your contacts. Firstly, you can get in touch with people from your past internships and ask them about any available positions in the organization they are currently working at. If that doesn’t work out, you can contact your college alumni network and see if there are any openings that suit your needs.

Be open to change

At least for an internship in Journalism, don’t confine yourself to your hometown or the city that you reside in. The world is your oyster so don’t be afraid to look far and wide for opportunities. Use the internet to reach out to the right people in the right organizations. Make use of portals like internshala when you’re looking for internships. If there is an opportunity in another city, don’t hesitate to take it. However, make sure that your choices align with your interests.

Brush up your general knowledge

The world of journalism is hinged on general knowledge. If you go for an interview for an internship in journalism to for eg. a media or publishing house, you will be asked more questions relating to current events as compared to anything else. One way of staying updated is by reading the newspaper daily. Make sure you read it cover to cover so you know everything that’s happening in your town, international as well as local politics and even the entertainment industry. If you want to work in a particular beat like finance, be sure to read up as much about finance as you can. Doing this will help you ace your interview.

Have a web presence

It is imperative to have a web presence that goes beyond social media as your recruiter is quite likely to Google search your name. Sure, you need to clean your social profiles, but you also need to have a blog or website of your own which you can showcase. Make sure to update your blog with recent articles and posts as nothing speaks as badly as an ignored online presence. Your digital portfolio will add brownie points to your overall application and make your candidature stand out.

While the above-mentioned tips and tricks will help you get a job, you need to value experience over pay at least at the start of your career.

Everyone needs to start their career somewhere. Just because your friend landed an internship with a decent pay, doesn’t mean you’re going to get just as lucky. Strive for the stars but don’t be afraid to land on the moon. Although there is a lot of just criticism with regards to unpaid journalism internships, there is no denying the fact that they can be a useful stepping stone. Many prominent organizations in various fields do not offer stipends to their interns. Your aim at this point should be to gain experience and knowledge.

It is true that finding an internship in the field of journalism is tricky but if you channel your efforts in the right direction, there is no reason why you won’t get an internship that matches your area of interest. If you don’t lose hope and keep at it, you’re bound to land your dream internship sooner rather than later.

Since you’re here, take a look at 5 things you can do in college to land a Journalism job