TV News Internships

Earlier this week I received an e-mail from a senior at Lakeland High School in Rathdrum, Idaho enrolling at the University of Idaho as a journalism major this coming fall semester. She's writing a research paper titled "Why does your future career choice suit you?"

She listed 25 questions such as "What provoked you to choose the profession?', "How many years of school did you go through?", "Who was your inspiration?" and so on. Question number eight was a common question I get, "What are your recommendations for someone considering this profession?"

My answer? Apply for internship.

That's how most all producer, photographer, reporters and anchors get their first job. The absolute best way to begin your journey into the world of broadcast journalism is working as an intern.

It's your first honest way to get a glimpse inside a working newsroom and understand how the television business works. Many of the things you learn on the job aren't necessarily the things you learn in the classroom. Not everyone who is working in t.v. news graduated with a degree in

The good news most all television stations around the country offer internships. The bad news is most if not all, are unpaid. But I promise you, the lessons you learn and the people you meet will become invaluable down the line. And here's a little fact, sure it's about what you know but sometimes, it's more about WHO you know when it comes to getting your first paid position.

Besides not getting paid you'll be doing jobs that no one else wants to do. Plan on answering phones, listening to scanners, logging videotapes and transcribing word for word interviews that reporters conducted earlier in the day, things that don't involve sitting on the anchor desk or holding a microphone.

To start simply call or physically go to your local t.v. news station and fill out an application. Don't call the newsroom and ask for the News Director of the main anchor. You can call the newsroom and ask if they're accepting application and if they can direct you to the right person to talk to. If you're willing to move you have more than a thousand t.v. stations to choose from. There are more than 200 t.v. markets in the country each broken down by households.

For example the number one market in the country is New York. New York has an estimated 7.5 million television households which represents a little over six a half percent of the country. Going down the list after New York is Los Angeles, Chicago, Philadelphia, Dallas-Fort Worth, San Francisco, Boston, Atlanta, Washington DC, and rounding out the top 10 is Houston, Texas.

The market size all depends on how many t.v. household are in that specific city. Spokane, Washington is market 75 with about 419,000 television households. To give you some perspective, the smallest market in the United States is Glendive, Montana at 210. It has under 4000 television households. Number 209 is North Platte, Nebraska with just over 15,000.

In most cases each city has at least three t.v. news affiliates; ABC, CBS and NBC. You'll also find FOX and the CW. Unless you live in a New York won't find CNN, MSNBC or Fox News.

Another requirement to apply for an internship is being enrolled in college. I had three internships during college and for each internship I earned college credit, anywhere from 3 to 6 credits.

So, if you you want to be the next Peter Jennings or your hometown general assignment reporter, the best way to start is by getting an internship and seeing first hand what goes on in a real life newsroom.

Intern Power! How to Turn Your Internship Into a Job

Your summer internship may be over, but your career is just beginning. If your internship experience was a positive one, you're probably looking for more than a send-off luncheon and a fond farewell. Position yourself for career success with these tips for turning your internship into a full-time job.

Be proactive in your career development.

Take charge of your own career development; no one else can do that for you. Ask to have lunch with as many employees and managers as you can in order to learn from them and build relationships. And seek out a mentor. Your active involvement in your internship program and your strong sense of the company's culture and values will help managers see you as a prospect who is not likely to quit after a few short months.

Demonstrate a team-player attitude.

Be humble and flexible, no matter what the task. In other words, don't act as if making copies is beneath you. Instead, be conscientious in even the smallest duties, and you will prove that you can be entrusted with greater and greater responsibilities in the internship program. And don't be afraid to ask questions; you don't have to know it all. When you assert your capability and desire to learn and grow, your genuine interest in the company will capture attention.

Take advantage of after-work opportunities.

Your free moments are precious, but taking time outside of your internship to participate in company activities will pay dividends in the end. You might decide to attend an industry networking event, volunteer at a corporate charity, or just be an enthusiastic participant in the company's social functions. Aligning your personal interests with the company's interests highlights your true dedication to the company.

Finish well.

It may be tempting to spend the last few weeks of your internship coasting, since your mind is drifting to other upcoming responsibilities. But if you've got one foot out the door, your complacent attitude will not go unnoticed. Instead, use the final days of the internship program to showcase the unique skills you've acquired at the company. Confirm that you're a better worker than when you started.

Ultimately, candidates sending unsolicited resumes have nothing on you. From your position on the inside, you can market your skill set, talents, and team-player attitude to the powers-that-be. And when you exhibit your commitment to the company from the first day of your internship through your last, your name will be uppermost in managers' minds when it comes time to hire.

Should My Salary Be Higher After Graduation If I Have An Internship?

This is a very difficult question to answer. The simple answer is that an internship may make you more marketable to potential employers following graduation, so you may be able to get a higher-paying job. But it's unlikely that a company will offer you more money for the open position for which you're interviewing simply based on your internship. Of course, many companies list a potential salary range when listing available positions, and having that extra experience on your resume may give you a little more bargaining power than students who do not take the initiative to get this added experience. Yeah, it's not an easy question to answer.

If one thing is for certain, it's that an internship rarely hurts your chances of landing a job. A bad recommendation from a supervisor in a summer program or part-time program will not bode well if you try to use the experience in your favor. Working for a company that turns out to be a scam may not help you either. But good, solid experience from a legitimate company that earns you a positive recommendation letter will almost always help your chances of landing a job after graduation.

Make no mistake, though. An internship will not guarantee you a job by any means. It can only help you, as long as you take advantage of the opportunity. But you're not guaranteed an advantage over a student who did not participate in an internship merely because you did. It's essential to take the most from the experience as you can. That means working hard and soaking up knowledge as much as possible. Volunteer yourself to help people in the company or in your department in whatever task they may need assistance. Develop your skills and learn new ones. The experience can help your resume look great, but if you cannot transfer that into your interview you may not go very far.

So, again, while an internship may not guarantee that you'll make more money after graduation, it may help you land a job if you take the most out of it. Whether that job pays well is another story. Higher-paying jobs usually see competition from applicants with stronger resumes. Whether you belong in that class is up to you and the choices that you make throughout college. Then it's up to how fulfilling that experience on your resume was, and how it carries over into the real world.

Business Consultant Internship - Getting Hired After the Internship

Most only get to set the foundation for their future career with an internship experience once in a lifetime. Encountering the real world of the field in a business consultant internship is invaluable to a student. The experience can solidify students' convictions that the consulting role is right for them or warn them that another area might be a better fit. Active training on the job is an unparalleled way to learn the business. Due to the selective nature of these internships, students need to do their homework on interviews and resumes. Advice about resume construction and interview etiquette is widely available on the internet and should be taken advantage of by smart internship applicants. However, one of the best tools in the tool belt of an applicant is the knowledge of what a company needs or wants.

Many companies hire interns after the completion of their internship. While employers are interviewing interns, they are thinking about who has potential to become a valuable employee. During the internship the company is expecting free or nearly free labor with a possible added benefit of a fully trained new employee at the end. Students who make the most they can out of the business consultant internship are providing a foundation for possible immediate employment and a successful career. Certification courses offer practical and proven business methods interns can implement right away, enriching an internship experience.

A business consultant internship coupled with a business consultant training course allows students to learn from experienced consultants with very successful career records. The basis of these training classes are the formulas, processes, methods, and models for management consulting that have been proven effective in real world business as best practices. The core fundamentals of business consulting are taught along with ethics guidelines, and operational knowledge, such as management, branding, and assignment structuring. Even full-time interns can take the courses that have an all online format. These highly flexible courses lead to a certification credential earned by passing a comprehensive exam.

The certification credential can be added to an intern's resume, business cards, or future marketing vehicles, such as print ads or websites. During the business consultant internship, the intern can be learning information in class and seeing it applied in the workplace. Tricky internship situations are made simple with the advice of an experienced course instructor. Employers who see interns as respectful, hard working, and responsible will see value in them as well. A business consulting certification makes the intern stand out even more for possible full-time employment.