Friday, November 6, 2009

Media Internships

Given the competitiveness of the media job market, media internships are one of the first things employers look for. Because internships have become so much more popular over the years (in media and other fields), many people looking for their first job have experience from one, or more, internships. If you don't fit that bill, a media internship might be the thing you need to get that first job.

Should I Look for An Internship?
To answer this question, you need to take stock of the experience you have and the job you're trying to get. Taking an internship after you've graduated from college, when you're hoping to get a paying job, can be tough. It can also feel like you're taking a step backward, instead of forward. Ditch that attitude. If you don't have the right experience for the jobs you're looking for, you may need to take an unpaid internship.
Assessing Your Experience
Because so many people do internships these days, and because the competition for media jobs is fierce, you need to have experience related to the jobs you want to get. For example, if you want to be an editorial assistant at a fashion magazine, you'll be competing for EA jobs with people who've interned in the editorial departments of fashion magazines. So, if you don't have that experience under your belt, it might be best to apply for an internship at a fashion magazine.
How Post-Grad Internships Help You Land Jobs
The biggest difference between being an intern during a semester in college or over the summer and being a full-time intern is the amount of time you get to spend at work. If you're on-the-job all the time, you can be relied upon to do more work. And if you do more work as an intern, you have more opportunities to impress your bosses.
If you can impress your bosses with your work, one of two things may happen. The best case scenario is that, while you're interning, an entry-level position opens up and you're there to fill it. Of course, this doesn't always happen -- job openings, after all, don't adhere to any schedule. If a job doesn't open up where you're interning, but you've made a good impression on the people you work for, they will likely help you find a job elsewhere. Interning, after all, is one of the best ways to network.
I Need a Job, Not an Unpaid Internship
This is an understandable position to take. Graduating from college and then signing on for an unpaid position may feel like taking a step backward, but, as I stated above, it isn't. Sometimes, working for a few months without getting paid might allow you entry into a company and a career that will make you happy for a long time. If you can swing working without a salary for a limited time after graduating, full-time internships can be invaluable. They can also get you jobs that would be much harder to land if you were coming in from the outside.

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