Archive » Search for perfect internship takes time, preparation » Indiana University School of Journalism

Belle Kim | Oct. 16, 2011

Photo by Thomas Miller

Career Services director Marcia Debnam, left, invites students to attend Career Cafes during the week to talk over internship and job strategies.

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Debnam recommends these strategies for starting your search:

Be willing to dedicate five hours a week to internship searching. That includes preparing resumes and cover letters, and using resources such as IUJournalismCareers.com, IU databases and others on the Web.
Apply to as many internship leads related to your interest area as possible. Be open and flexible.
Keep applying until you get what you want.

Matthew Spears has been a Pacers fan his whole life, so he was beyond excited when he got an internship with the Pacers Sports and Entertainment. Spears said the internship prepared him for the workforce in a way that his classes hadn’t.

Like Spears, many students seek internships before graduating. While many undertake these experiences in summer, some students work as interns during the regular semester or even as in short-term posts over winter break.

Regardless of timing, Director of Career Services Marcia Debnam said internships are critical to a new graduate’s resume.

“Employers expect students to have real-world experience, and internships are the best way to get that,” she said. “Students who don’t have internships won’t be able to compete with those who do.”

In addition to hands-on tasks, internships offer students opportunities to network and receive advice from professionals.

Debnam said about 200 students a year have internships, and one is not enough in this competitive job climate.

“My preference is that every student graduate with a minimum of two, ideally three to five, internships,” she said.

This may overwhelm students who are struggling with course work and student media, but Debnam said internships may be quite flexible. Some don’t require students to work full-time, and not all require relocating, something that’s hard for students who can’t afford time away from studies or to pay for living in another city. Local and online internships allow students to take courses while working.

“The more career-related experience they have, the better their skill sets will be,” she said. “They’ll have more knowledge of specific companies and industries, and they’ll be more impressive to employers.”

Debnam conducts weekly Career Cafés to guide students in the internship search.

“It’s a walk-in, career advising time,” she said. “Any student can stop in to talk about any career-related issues.” She sees 10 to 20 students per session.

Leads are not the only requirements for students starting their search. They also must put together cover letters, resumes and portfolios. Some of her Career Café visitors ask her to review these materials for feedback.

To start their search, Debnam advised starting with the IUJournalismCareers.com site, a database of internship listing and links to other resources. The school database lists companies that have offered internships in the past, complete with contact info. For help with resumes and other resources, the school website features samples.

Students often find internships by talking to faculty, staff or even parents or neighbors, who may have friends or colleagues working at companies that offer internships. Use alumni databases and other resources to find potential employers, and scour company websites to find contacts you can contact directly. Many of these people are on Twitter, LinkedIn and other social media tools, where you may contact them directly.

Debnam said students who aren't sure what type of media they want to pursue should conduct "informational interviews" with professionals in several fields. This gives you a chance to learn more, to meet a professional to talk with one-on-one, and to practice your interviewing skills, she said.

Debnam said students should base internships on their career goals and interests, but also should be open to any offerings that catch their attention.

Two School of Journalism Web reporters, junior Amie Sites and graduate student Dalton Main, tracked down students who completed internships last summer. Read their experiences for tips on preparing for the internship search.

Broadcast interns experience ‘view from inside’

Kevin Wang, Wyatt Ferber and Meg Ely each applied to their “dream” organizations, and these experiences taught them about the broadcast industry and about working life. For these broadcast interns, a view from the inside proved invaluable.

PR interns develop diverse skills

Matt Spears, Molly Burns and Taryn Rosenberg discovered their skills are broader and deeper than they had thought as they were asked to complete many tasks on the job.

Newspaper interns refine storytelling, editing skills

Mary Kenney, Poojah Kansal and Keira Carr, all interested in newspaper reporting, found themselves working as reporters and editors last summer, refining what they learned in class. But they also said they became better storytellers, managers of details and organizers of their time.

Magazine interns credit networking, flexibility in finding jobs

Alyssa Goldman and Julie Meek landed internships at magazines and online organizations by not letting themselves fear the process. Instead, they kept their options opened and applied for top jobs.

Photojournalist uses networking — old and new — to land summer job