Apply now for summer 2010 journalism internships

Journalism majors seeking internships at major news organization need to put their search into high gear, since some of the best programs have deadlines in the next two to six weeks.  Here's a sampling, but also check the Web sites of journalism professional organizations (see list in the left-hand column of this blog) and major media companies for more opportunities.

• The Associated Press offers a paid summer internship for photographers and photo editors.  The application deadline is Nov. 13.  This annual program runs 12 weeks and is open to juniors and seniors.  The AP will select at least photo interns for next summer.  For more information, visit www.ap.org and look in the "careers" tab. 
• The Texas Associated Press Managing Editors Association (Texas APME) is seeking applicants for its annual Buster Haas Minority Internship Program.  The winning student will receive a 10-week internship at a Texas newspaper of 30,000 or less circulation, plus a $3,000 stipend and $1,000 for living expenses.  For more information, visit http://www.txapme.com/scholarships/.
• The American Society of Magazine Editors (ASME) offers an annual, 10-week internship program each summer for students interested in careers with magazines.  The internships are at magazines in either New York City or Washington, D.C.  Since starting this program 44 years ago, 1,766 students and more than 200 magazines have participated.  Applicants must have completed their junior year, be returning to school full time next fall and have at least a 3.0 GPA.  The deadline to apply is Dec. 1.  For an application, visit http://asme.magazine.org.
• Minority students interested in a career in broadcast television will want to check into the LIN Minority Scholarship and Training Program.  LIN Television selects one student per year, who receives a four-year contract that includes two years of summer internships followed by two years of full-time employment with LIN.  The company will pay for the winning student's tuition, books, room and board for the junior and senior years of college.  The deadline to enter is March 15, 2010.  For more information, visit http://www.lintv.com/contact/careers.html.
• The Oklahoman and NewsOK.com plan to hire seven full-time and four stipend interns for the summer of 2010.  Interns can work in a variety of departments, including news, sports, business, features, photography, video, online communities and niche publications.  Full-time interns are paid $450 per week, while stipend interns will receive a $500 allowance and may qualify to earn college credit.  Other perks include free access to the newspaper's fitness center.  For more information, visit http://www.newsok.com/interns. The deadline to apply is Dec. 4.   
• The Detroit News is seeking applicants for its 2010 summer internship program.  This 12-week program is open to juniors, seniors and recent graduates.  Opportunities are available for reporters, copy editors, photographers, graphic artists/page designers and within the newspaper's online news operations.  Preference is given to students who have completed at least one prior newspaper internship and have worked on a campus publication.  Interns are paid $524.93 per week.  The deadline to enter is Nov. 20.  For information, visit www.detnews.com and e-mail me for an application.  The deadline to apply is Nov. 20.
• The Institute for Human Studies at George Mason University is seeking spring semester journalism interns for newspapers, major media networks and state policy organizations.  The deadline to apply is Nov. 15.  For more information, visit www.TheIHS.org/journalism. 
  
• Not every internship counts for JMC credit, but the experience is still valuable and looks great on your resume.  For instance, the Christian Chronicle, a nationally circulated newspaper serving members of the Churches of Christ, is looking for "virtual" interns willing to report and write from home.  This would require a student who is a self-starter and has a dual interest in journalism and religion.  We don't count virtual internships toward your JMC internship requirement, but the clips you could receive from this assignment would be worthwhile.  
  

Please note that there are many more internship opportunities at newspapers, TV stations and magazines, so don't stop your search with this list.  Check the organizations in the left-hand column of this blog or see me for more recommendations.

Beware Phony PR Job Come Ons

Not every job ad is legit.  Job seekers need to exercise caution when viewing and responding to job leads.  The following story is a good example.  Ad/PR majors are the most likely of all our majors to run into this issue, so if you are interested in a career in advertising or public relations, be sure to take time to read the story below.  It is from Ron Culp, whose blog, Culpwrit, is an excellent one for students and young professionals.

Beware Phony PR Job Come Ons

LinkedIn a great site for job hunting, networking

If you've had me as a teacher, you know how passionate I am about networking as a way to find jobs and build your professional presence.  Networking is absolutely essential.

LinkedIn (www.linkedin.com) has emerged as the leading online site for professional networking.  LinkedIn is phenomenally popular, with 47 million users, including 5.1 million students.  Executives from every Fortune 500 company maintain profiles on the site.  If you plan to seek work after graduation and build a successful career, you need to join LinkedIn now.

You can think of LinkedIn as your online resume, but it's really much more.  LinkedIn lets you post your own profile, where you can list your education, work experience and skills, similar to a resume.  You can also include your photo and links to your blog, Web site or online portfolio.   Employers who are interested in hiring you can access your profile online. 

The real power of LinkedIn is the networking potential.  Similar to "friends" on Facebook, LinkedIn lets you "connect" with employers, peers and other contacts.  Hey, you can even connect with your college instructors.  Your networking can grow exponentially as you connect with groups, such as your college alumni organization or companies where you've interned or worked.   Venturing one step further, you can participate in professional discussion groups and begin to establish your interest or expertise on given issues. 

Similar to building a good resume, developing a highly professional profile on LinkedIn requires skill.  This isn't Facebook, so you want to be sure everything you post on LinkedIn is highly professional and career-focused.  A poorly executed profile on LinkedIn, just like a sloppy resume, can be a kiss of death with employers.

Lindsey Pollak, author of "Getting from College to Career" and a consultant to LinkedIn, offers these suggestions to students on building a successful LinkedIn profile:

1. Make sure your photo is professional and that it shows only you.  This isn't the place for that goofy photo of you and your roommate that you posted on Facebook (you know the one).
2. Think carefully about what to say in your headline.  It could focus on your area of study or your career ambition.  For instance, if you want to be an advertising account executive, say so in your headline or say you are an Ad/PR major.  Don't waste the headline by saying you wait tables at Chili's, unless, of course, your dream is a career in restaurant management. 
3. Use appropriate keywords in your profile.   What are the words or phrases that employers in your field typically list in job descriptions?  What software programs are important in your specialty?  Include keywords that will make employers stop and look at your profile.
4. It's OK to include internships, Study Abroad and volunteer experiences in your profile.  These activities reflect positively on you.  Don't limit yourself to only listing jobs.  
5. Don't neglect to include recommendations.  LinkedIn includes space for people who know you to write something nice about you and your professional skills.  Ask your internship supervisors, employers, college instructors and others who know your work well to submit recommendations for you. 
   

In today's job market, posting a profile on LinkedIn is almost as important as having a solid resume.  Take time now to visit LinkedIn and start your profile.  For more information, see "Ten Ways to Use LinkedIn to Find a Job" or visit LinkedIn's own site for college graduates at "Launch Your Career With LinkedIn."

Event-planning internship available at ACU

Ad/PR majors interested in a career in event planning may wish to apply for a part-time job and student internship available through ACU's Office of University Events.  This position will count for your official JMC internship.  If you need to complete your internship in Abilene, this is the best internship opportunity available in event planning. 

Keep in mind you need junior or senior status in order for this position to count as your official JMC internship.  Before accepting this or any other internship position for which you want ACU credit, also remember to e-mail me for advance approval and to review the necessary procedures and paperwork. 

For more details, click this link or e-mail me. 

Twitter series examines what employers look for and when to start job search

An enterprising recent series of questions on Twitter (see #PRStudChat on Twitter) provides good answers to questions JMC students need to know, such as "how soon to start a job search?" and "what do CEOs look for in new employees?"  Although the series focuses on public relations students, the results are applicable to all JMC majors.  Take a few minutes and read this blog series by Valerie Simon, a senior vice president at Burrelles Luce and a freelance writer.

What does a CEO look for in a PR hire?
http://tinyurl.com/n4wlvs

When should students start their search for a job?
http://tinyurl.com/mfk3tz

What are the best PR books and publications?
 http://tinyurl.com/ns3vty

 
 DH

Ag & Environmental Sciences offers part-time student job

The Agricultural and Environmental Sciences (A&E) Department at ACU is seeking a part-time student employee to help market the department and manage its Web site. This could be a good opportunity for any of our students but especially for electronic media or Ad/PR majors.

Requirements include:

• Students should have completed their core JMC courses; preference will be given to juniors and seniors
  
• Agricultural or environmental background is not required, but the student should be willing to learn some of the jargon and terms used in this field
  
• Self-motivated/initiative
• Work 10-15 hours a week
• Ability to "market" A&E by staying abreast of departmental stories and communicating through various means
• Current proficiency or willingness to learn Collage (ACU's Web site software) to keep the A&E Web site current and fresh
• Willing to interact with the Optimist and Creative/Marketing Services to keep our message in front of people

For more information, please e-mail me or call me at 674-2045.

Graduated but not employed: Strategies for what to do next

Graduated (or about to graduate) and still not employed? Read this story from the Public Relations Society of America for some helpful job-search tips.

Internships, part-time jobs await JMC students this fall

Now that you are back in Abilene for the fall semester, some of you will be looking for JMC internships or part-time job opportunities. I have good news. Some of Abilene's best JMC-related employers are waiting to hear from you.

Before you browse the list of opportunities below, you may want to review the internship program requirements. All internships require the department's prior approval. E-mail me before accepting any internship. Also, keep in mind that the university will no longer allow seniors to participate in graduation ceremonies if they have an incomplete or "in progress" grade on their transcript. If you plan to graduate next May, for instance, you must complete your internship and submit all of the required paperwork at least three weeks prior to the end of the spring term.

Internships

1. If broadcast journalism is your thing, then you'll be pleased to know that both of Abilene's network TV providers, KTAB/KRBC and KTXS, offer internships. TV stations also offer opportunities for public relations, advertising and electronic media majors. KTXS TV offers internships in news, production, promotions, weather and sports. For news, weather and sports internships, contact George Levesque, KTXS general manager, at levesque@ktxs.com or 677-2281. For production and promotion internships, contact David Caldwell, KTXS creative services director, at davidcaldwell@ktxs.com or 677-2281. KTAB/KRBC TV is looking for both fall interns and part-time workers for its Friday night high school football coverage. KTAB and KRBC interns may get to report, produce, write, shoot video or edit video. Interns can also gain experience writing, designing and creating graphics for the station's Web sites. Contact Austin Kellerman, news director, at AKellerman@ktab.tv.
   
2. Hospitals offer excellent internship opportunities in a variety of JMC fields including public relations, event planning, graphic design, media relations, copywriting and advertising creativity. Hendrick Medical Center's Marketing Department offers interns the opportunity to work in all aspects of hospital communications and marketing work, including one of the city's largest annual event-planning programs for the Children's Miracle Network (spring). For more information, contact Elizabeth Ables at eables@ehendrick.org or 670-2431. On the other side of town, Abilene Regional Medical Center offers internships in marketing and public relations. It is seeking interns who are proficient in Adobe PhotoShop and Illustrator and who have good word processing and spreadsheet skills. As would be true in any hospital setting, ARMC says students need to have "extreme diplomacy and tact" and be able to handle confidential information. Professional appearance and good decorum are also on the qualifications list. For information, contact Julia C. Belcher, marketing and public relations coordinator, at julia.belcher@armc.net or 428-4952.
3. Zachry Associates is Abilene's only full-service advertising agency. Zachry offers internships for senior Ad/PR majors with a strong background in graphic design. Students should have at least a 3.0 average GPA and a demonstrated interest in advertising creativity. Students should have samples of their graphic design work to share if called for an interview. For more information, contact Danny Flanagan, art director, at dflanagan@zachryinc.com or 677-1342, extension 125.
4. One of the best opportunities for students interested in event-planning careers is right here on the ACU campus. The Office of University Events seeks a student intern to assist with coordinating, planning, organizing and preparing for special events, meetings and conferences. The office also manages all events in the new Hunter Welcome Center. Students will a keen interest in event planning and who possess good communication and customer-service skills are invited to apply. First see me for a complete job description and then contact Jennifer Ellison, director of events, at jme00a@acu.edu or 674-2632.
5. The City of Abilene offers excellent internship opportunities for students interested in public relations and video production. These internships pay a $350 stipend to your ACU account. Two internships are being offered this fall in public affairs and video production. The public affairs intern may get experience writing news releases, creating public service announcements and producing articles for the employee newsletter and e-newsletter. Applicants should be familiar with Adobe InDesign and PhotoShop software. The video production intern will get the chance to work with the City's Channel 7 TV station. Experience will include writing, shooting and editing public service announcements and working on city-produced television programs. Applicants should be familiar with digital photography, Adobe Premiere Pro nonlinear editing system and PowerPoint. For more information on either of these internships, e-mail me for a complete job description and contact information.
   
6. While no specific information is available at this time, three other Abilene employers who often provide outstanding internship opportunities for JMC students are the Abilene Reporter-News, West Texas Rehabilitation Center and Big Brothers Big Sisters of West Central Texas. Check these organization's Web sites and e-mail me if interested in more information.
   

Part-time jobs

Abilene Christian University Press seeks a student to work part-time in marketing and promotion. The student in this position will learn how to send e-mail marketing blasts, design Web sites, spend time in marketing research and work with Web-based catalog marketing. This position is not available until Sept. 20. For more information, contact Dr. Larry Fitzgerald, director of marketing, at lxf07a@acu.edu or 674-2870.

Our own KACU-FM has opportunities for student announcers. This is an excellent opportunity to work on Abilene's most professional radio station and the region's only National Public Radio affiliate. Contact John Best or Dave Smith for more information.

Finally, ACU's Alumni Relations Office has part-time student positions posted with the ACU Career Center. See the Career Center for details.