As mentioned in my earlier post, Q&A Series: When should you start your job hunt? we have invited April Chan, a journalism major at the Queensland University of Technology to discuss some lessons learnt from her internship experiences.
I first came across April’s via her post Internship Articles on her blog, Planet of an Ape. Captured by her positive outlook, I invited April to guest post on First Comms Job. A second year undergrad, she has already spent 4 months working with Netball Queensland as a match reporter, prior to her week at The Courier Mail and is a glowing example of a proactive comms job seeker. So without further ado, here’s April and her guest post.
Your Communications Internship by April Chan
So, it’s November and for journalism students such as myself, that means one thing – internships and work experience are currently available.
We all know how important it is to gain as much work experience as possible before graduating with a degree. The problem? Actually getting one.
Don’t worry! Everyone has, or will, go through the same issue. You’re not alone!
No matter where or what you’re applying for, there are some universal rules that might help you get the upper hand in scoring that internship or work experience position– and some tips to help you make the most of your experience.
The Application
No Spelling or Grammar Mistakes!
A CV riddled with spelling and grammatical errors doesn’t exactly paint a very good picture of you. As communication students, our professional careers will be based around words, so this is especially crucial for us. I’ve heard countless stories from friends who hire for their respective companies who don’t even look twice at a CV once they spot a spelling or grammar mistake.
Do as Santa does and check it twice! Better yet, after you’ve done that, get a friend to go over it for you. Nothing beats a fresh set of eyes.
Be (reasonably) Persistant
You’ve sent in your CV and that application form. It’s been two weeks and you haven’t heard back from them. Chances are, your application got lost in a stack of emails or letters and they never actually ended up seeing it. Don’t be afraid to inquire about your application or even send it in again. After all, no one’s perfect, including the person you sent it to. It once took me three emails and 6 weeks to get something sent to me.
A word of caution though – while persistence is an admirable trait, don’t over do it. No one likes someone breathing down their neck.
Go Out of Your Way
So, there’s this one work experience position up for grabs. You think it would be an amazing learning, and contact-building, experience. The only problem? It’s an hour away. Don’t let that hinder you! The future YOU will be thanking the present YOU for taking that extra effort today.
Don’t Be Picky
Seriously, DON’T. Apply for anything and everything. It’ll boost your chances of getting a future job, as any experience is good experience! Even if it isn’t in the field where you want to end up, think of it this way – it’ll either reaffirm the fact that you don’t want to work in that field, or end up being the introduction to a field you never gave a second chance. Plus, the more experience, the better your CV looks!
The Internship
Take Initiative
The person you’ve been assigned to has given you a task and you’ve already finished it. You’re sitting at your desk bored out of your mind. Ask your supervisor if there is anything else you can do.
Not only does this give them a good impression of you, it also gives you more lines on your CV. It’s a win-win situation. At my previous internship with The Courier Mail, I was assigned to the Property section. One day, someone from the news desk came in asking if anyone was free to do a story for him. Knowing I was constantly looking for something to do, my editor asked me if I wanted the job.
Saying yes not only became a highlight of my week, but a published article for my portfolio!
Be polite
As the intern or workie, let’s face it – you’ll be getting the work that no one else wants to do. But that doesn’t mean you can’t do it with a smile on that dial! Nothing screams “Hire me!” more than an enthusiastic worker.
Have the courage to ask questions
Many a times, you might be asked to do something you’re not entirely confident in. What’s worse – trying and failing miserably, or plucking up the courage to ask? As my grade 7 teacher used to say “It’s not rocket science!” But seriously, ask, ask, ask! In my interning experiences, I was surprised at how willing experienced journos were to lend a helping hand out to rookies like me.
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I hope this post has been helpful! What sort of experiences have you had with internships or work experience? Feel free to share them below!
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Thanks April, for sharing her tips with us on First Comms Job. Because I love April’s pitch, her blog post and her beautiful personality, she will also be joining First Comms Job as a contributing writer next month! To read more about this Brisbane based, Adelaide born journo student, who loves a challenge (besides films and a good steak), check out Planet of an Ape or give her a shout out on Twitter!
Please share your comments and thoughts with April and I. We love to hear about your views and stories!
Until the next post,
XOXO, Jeszlene
Very good post!
I agree with all that you specify in your piece, however, I would like to add that a stereotypical CV (as in one that is listed on white, A4 pages in plain black ink, with your capabilities and former occupational accomplishments listed in much the same way as many people might develop their CVs) is not always going to satisfy your perspective employer.
True, the wealth of information on what you have done for other employers and can thus do for future personnel is exceptional information, but presentation is additionally key.
For instance, I knew a woman who wished to obtain an internship with a furniture development manufacture. As to ensure that she would acquire the position, she placed her information onto separate pieces of woodwork and other such pieces and filmed the development of each piece. Day by day she submitted the objects she made, each of which contained separate professional information about herself, along with a video outlining how she had developed the pieces to the company. Although, and it is unfortunate for me to say this, she did not acquire the job (a person who developed a tiny house made out of tissue paper with her professional information located inside the small residency acquired the position), she still did an impeccable job that indeed was noticed by the employer, who said that she would be the first person they would call if they ever needed additional help.
As for myself, a few years ago I placed all of the information in my CV at the time into the form of a comic book (I was attempting to gain an internship at a literary magazine which published fictional and non-fictional pieces, comics, photos, etc). The comic was about how Earth was being invaded (I know, crazy, right?) and a special team was sent in to neutralise the threat? How? The team needed to use skills the likes of professional writing, meticulous editing, grammar and other such abilities to win the battle and defeat the enemy. During the conversations, the team talked about how they knew they could win because of previous accomplishments, places of work, and skills they subsequently had developed. Unfortunately, as with the last story, I did not acquire the job – but the employer did provide me with the names and contact details of other potential employers who might have need of my services.
I guess what I am saying is that if you go outside the box with your CV, you will show off your skills in a physical sense with the product that you construct, and subsequently demonstrate your capabilities to your potential employer so they can see what you can do, instead of simply being provided information. Additionally, it allows your CV to stand out, and when on occasion up to a few thousand people could very well be applying, uniqueness will indeed stand out from other CVs, and will more often than not be remembered.
Also, I agree with the distance argument that was postulated in the post and how that is not an issue when it comes to one’s professional future. I would also add that one should perhaps prioritise positions that have aspects which they could fit into. What do I mean? Earlier this year whilst applying for internships, I realised that many were the same – organisations which involved writing, editing and publishing. However, there was one group which was working with the disabled, their goal being to advantageously assist, support and build knowledge on such a group within the community. I applied for this particular position because a member of my family is disabled, and so I could relate to the organisation, and adjunctively be proud and supportive of what they were doing. So, I would say that other qualities of an organisation that fall outside of the professional realm should additionally be aspects of consideration during the application stage.
I also have a comment/question that I have always wondered about, and because you are professionals in this industry, I would like to pose it to you. Why do a vast number of employers in this day and age often decide against informing you about your application if you failed to be successful? I realise they often specify a date when they will begin to notify successful candidates, but why not say to those who didn’t get in that they did not acquire the position? It would be good to know why one wasn’t successful – what they could do better in the future, etc. This is some of the information that was often provided to job seekers in the past, and now-a-days seems to almost always not be the case. This year alone I have submitted my resume in regards to approximately twenty eight positions, and only three ever contacted me. Why do organisations often choose against informing those who aren’t successful about their application?
Again, good post! Oh, and sorry for the gargantuan comment!
Cheers!
Thanks for your comments! Despite the size, I read it all
I must admit, I never even thought about the presentation of a CV in that sense, but you make an excellent point! I agree that applying for organisations with specific traits that you like is important, but I don’t think it should be prioritised as such – it’s a tough market out there for job seekers! It might hurt your chances by being picky. Having said that, I did apply for the netball internship over other sports as I’ve played netball for three years, so I do know where you’re coming from. As to your question – honestly I don’t know but, if I had to guess, I’d say it was simply an issue of time. As you said, often there are thousands of applicants, and formulating a personalised repsonse to each one would take ages. Thanks again!