How do I start looking for internships?

There are lots of internships out there, and a lot of ways to go about finding them. Your particular strategies will depend on you: how much time can you commit? How much do you need to be paid? What area of the country are you willing to go to? What kinds of companies do you want to work for?
For a general overview of internship opportunities, you can check out employment listings like www.journalismjobs.com, www.mediabistro.com, or personal lists like http://members.tripod.com/~journalismcenter/internships.html If you’ve got a certain type of work in mind, you can check with organizations like the National Association of Broadcasters, Investigative Reporters and Editors, PRSSA, and others. If there’s a particular company you want to work for, like the Tribune Company or Ogilvy, check their corporate Web site. And if there’s a certain city or state where you want to be, check with state or local organizations: Minnesota Public Radio, Wisconsin Broadcasters Association, local business and media directories. And don’t forget your personal contacts—if you’ve already had an internship or know someone in your desired field, ask them to keep their ears open. You never know what will pop up.
With a little work, and help from Google, you’ll be able to compile a list of 10-15 internships you’re qualified for and interested in. Write the deadlines on your calendar, and start applying. As always, if I can help in any way, just stop by my office or drop me an e-mail.

What should my cover letter include?
A poorly written or sloppy cover letter can kill your chances before anyone even looks at your resume. To make a good impression, your cover letter has show the employer you have the skills and traits they're looking for, that you know the company and want to work for them specifically, and that you are a great writer.
First, look carefully at the internship or job announcement. Highlight or underline all the skills and qualifications they mention. Your letter will need to address all of these either directly or indirectly in a paragraph that talks about you.
Second, do some reporting. If you know someone who works at the company, ask them what it's like to work there. What's the culture? How do they see themselves? Are there any big initiatives or changes on the horizon you should be aware of? What is management proud of and what makes them cringe? Go online and check the Web site. Look for mission statements, awards, or news items that give you an idea what's going on inside those walls. Of course, check out their work - read the paper, watch the broadcast, read the staff bios, or look at their clients to get a better understanding of who it is you're talking to. Now think about how you fit in with all this and write a paragraph that explains what you like about them, what you want to learn from them and what you'll bring that fits them specifically.
Now think about the writing. Don't just open the letter, write a lede. Don't say: "I was excited to see your ad on CraigsList" (you're probably the 300th person to say that). Start with a strong story that shows how excited you were, how perfect you are for the job. Throughout your cover letter, all the rules of good journalistic writing apply: Your sentences must be clear, concise and direct. Each paragraph should serve a specific purpose. You should use strong verbs instead of adverbs, and specific examples instead of adjectives. Don't ever tell the employer you're hardworking and dependable; show them through relevant and compelling examples.
Include a final paragraph that includes all your contact information, and anything else they'll need to know, such as your availability for interviews, or if you plan on calling to follow up. Address the letter to a real person and make sure you use standard business format (You can find details about that at www.careers.uiowa.edu/Cover%20Letter%20Format.pdf).
Edit the letter mercilessly. Read it out loud. Have someone else look it over. Double-check the spelling of names and of the organization itself. For most jobs that include writing, more than one or two errors of fact, grammar or spelling on your cover letter will get you thrown in the trash. Some places won't allow any.

How do I choose what clips to include with an application?
A good clip package tells a story about you as a reporter in a way that your cover letter and even your resume can’t. The key is to make it neat, easy to read, and containing only your best work relevant for the position.
First, make sure your clips don’t get mangled. Make a master copy shortly after your story is published, and file it in a folder or binder so you can easily run copies for applications. These masters should be on 8 ½ by 11 paper and easy to read. Always include date, page and name of publication.
When putting together an application, choose only your best work. Unless the editor says otherwise, send about six to 10 of your best clips, or 3-5 longer stories. Choose a mixture of stories and treatments unless you’re applying for a beat position—then select clips relevant to the job. If possible, clips should be from within the past year.
Staple pages of the same story. Paperclip the entire package with the best clip on top. Write a brief note about what you think that clip shows on a Post-It and stick it to the story, or write an annotated list at the start of the collection.

What should I put in my PR portfolio?
A PR portfolio is a visual representation of your abilities and potential. It is usually between 15 and 26 pages long and contains a sample of your best writing, artwork, or projects organized in a way that tells a story about your professional strengths. It should be easy to navigate, well organized and professionally displayed.

Some more tips:
*Include a resume and goal statement.
*Separate your work samples into sections—such as writing, design, event planning, or project management.
*Create a table of contents, and use tabs and cover pages to separate the sections.
*Include only your very best work relevant to the position. Think about what the pieces say about your abilities, and why a potential employer should care. Label each work sample with your job title, date and employer, and add a concise caption that leads the reader to its importance.
*If you don’t have enough professional work, create specs (brochures, fliers, ads) that demonstrate your abilities. Indicate that it’s spec at the top of the page.
*For copy you don't have in final "pretty" form, you can simply put “In Production” at the top of the page.
*You can also include other supporting documents: course descriptions of relevant classes, certificates of completion for seminars, workshops, or training, a positive evaluation you received from an instructor or supervisor, special recognitions and awards, or anything else that shows your suitability for the position.
*Invest in a leather portfolio case and plastic sheet covers for interviewing. Also consider creating mini-portfolios with your resume and work samples to leave with the interviewer.
*Digital and Web portfolios are a good pre-interview tool, but should be used in addition to, not instead of, the physical portfolio.

How should I prepare for an interview?
Do your homework. Learn all you can about the organization. Know about its coverage area and key players. Start by browsing their web site, but don’t stop there—read the paper or magazine, find out who their clients are, watch their newscasts. 
Be a professional. Dress professionally, get there early, act calm and confident and be polite to everyone you meet inside the building. Shake hands firmly, sit up straight and be alert. If you have a portfolio or papers with you, make sure they’re organized and neat.
Show your stuff. Prove that you can do the work—bring extra copies of your resume and additional clips, or a resume tape. Know what’s going on in the world and be ready to talk about your skills—both interpersonal and technical. No one will advocate for you if you won’t do it.
Ask questions. Show that you’re interested not only in the job, but also in the way the organization works. Ask about the management structure, ask what their ideal candidate looks like, ask about things you observe on a tour of the building, ask the interviewer why they like working there. Ask questions that show you’ve done your homework, “I see you just started a depth reporting team—how is that going?”
Say thank you. End the interview by thanking the interviewer and restating your interest in the position. Follow up the same day with a typewritten letter that thanks them again and mentions a few things from the interview to show that you were listening and further impresses upon them your interest.

What does it mean to dress professionally?
It’s not fair, but it’s true: Not dressing properly for a job interview drastically decreases your chance of success. Your clips or tape got you in the door—make sure you don’t get kicked right back out because of poor grooming or nontraditional interview clothes. You want the employer to notice your skills, not your dirty fingernails.
Men should wear a solid, neutral colored suit. Your shirt should also be a solid color, with a collar and be well ironed, long sleeved and match your suit. For a tie, choose a simple stripe or repeating pattern that isn’t distracting. Footwear should be leather, matched to your clothing, polished and dressy. Socks should be a solid color that matches your pants or shoes. Hair should be well groomed, not covering your face. Shave. Minimal jewelry. No piercings, Use cologne in moderation.
For women, a suit is usually better than a dress. Choose a long-sleeved jacket with a straight or pleated skirt that reaches the knee or below. Choose a natural fabric blouse--white or pastel shades are best. Nothing shiny or sparkly. No cleavage or tight-fitting tops. Stockings or panty hose are required. Shoes should be closed-toe. The best shoes are simple pumps with no more than a one or two-inch heel. You should keep the jewelry to a minimum too--one ring per hand, one earring per ear. Take out any miscellaneous piercings. Light or no perfume. Keep makeup simple. Hair out of your face and neatly done.
Some other resources:
Putting Your Best Shoe Forward: Deciphering Business Dress Code
Building a Wardrobe for Work for Men
Building a Wardrobe for Work for Women
SYMS Dress to Achieve
Dress to Impress: A Guide

What does the Internet say about me?
Back in the dark ages, potential employers had little recourse when they wanted to find out more about you. They could interview you. They could talk to your old boss. They could ask around and see if anyone knew anything about you. Hello Internet. Now anyone can type in your name and find out what your time was in that last half-marathon, or read your clips from the DI, or look at those pictures from the Halloween party you were at a couple weeks ago. Yes, those pictures. When you’re in the middle of a job search, you need to be very careful about what the Internet says about you. Take down any questionable content from your Web site or blog. Save the party references for Facebook. Better yet, just save them. Search your name and search your friends’ sites. Ask them please, please to give you an alias for a while. And if you feel the need to blast your current boss, or your professor, or make vague and creepy threats against your roommate’s pet, think about what happened when a student blogged about not getting an internship with Spin magazine: http://www.studentpress.org/acp/trends/~spinintern.html. Write a letter instead.

How do I handle internship or job offers?
When you get an internship job offer, you don’t have to accept or decline right there on the spot. To give yourself some time, thank the employer and ask any question you have about its terms. Explain to the employer that you need a few days to think about the proposal and give them a date by which you’ll make your decision. It’s important that the employer agree to this date, and it’s a good idea to follow up this agreement with a written letter thanking them again and reminding them of the date they can expect an answer from you.
Next, you should immediately contact the other organizations you’ve applied with. Ask them where they are in their search process and if you are still being considered for the internship. If you are, tell them you have received another offer but are still very interested in their organization. Ask if it would be possible to have a concrete answer by some date before your agreed-upon decision date with employer #1.
When you’re thinking about an offer, or trying to decide between offers, make sure you understand the terms—what you’re expected to do, what they’ll do for you in return. Consider how the position relates to your long-term goals. Will it help you learn skills or meet people that will help you further down the line? Is there a possibility the internship could evolve into a position of greater responsibility or full time work?
When you make your final decision, it is good form to not only write a letter of acceptance to the employer for whom you’ll be working, but also to write letters to the other companies where you’ve applied, thanking them for their time and letting them know you’re no longer looking for an internship.

How should I behave during an internship?
If you’re new on the job, it can be difficult to understand all the unspoken rules. That’s why it’s important to get a clear understanding of your supervisor’s expectations, and to ask questions to make sure you really get it. Pay attention to your coworkers (Who do people seem to respect? Who do they seem to avoid?) and find a mentor who can also help you learn the ropes.
The UI also offers a great online professional development tool called SkillSoft. It consists of more than 2200 online courses and 7000 books that cover everything from how to prepare for an interview to how to work with difficult people or improve your workplace image. It’s available for free to UI students through http://skillsoft.uiowa.edu.
Remember, too, that when you’re interning as a J-MC student, you’re never actually on your own. You can contact me, your advisor or another faculty member you trust to answer your questions or help you work through any snags you encounter in the workplace.

What is a scannable resume?
Increasingly, human resources departments are relying on computer software to sift through applications for a position. Resumes are optically scanned and the computer creates a database of the applicant's relevant skills, degrees and achievements in the form of key words. Employers then access a candidate's resume by searching those words. If you’re asked to submit a "scannable resume", use the following guidelines:

• Keep it simple.
• Use a standard serif or sans serif font between 10 and 14 points type size.
• Italics and underlining cause problems for the scanner, especially if combined. Use boldface or ALL CAPITAL LETTERS instead.
• Vertical or horizontal lines should be used sparingly. When used, leave at least a quarter of an inch of space around the line.
• Avoid graphics, shading or shadowing.
• Do not compress or expand the space between letters or lines.
• Do not double space within sections.
• Print your resume using a laser printer on white or light-colored 8 1/2 x 11 inch paper. Print on one side only.
• Don’t fold, staple or otherwise mutilate your resume.
• Describe your skills and accomplishments in key word phrases.
• Use the language of your profession.

Information provided by the UI School of Journalism office of Internships and Assessment. For more information, contact the coordinator at 319-335-1406 or e-mail jmc-internships@uiowa.edu.