What journalism internship recruiters look for in candidates
From PBS News Reporting Lab, Open Campus and Mirror Indy
Landing an internship can feel daunting, especially in a competitive field like journalism. But don’t worry — I’ve got you covered.
In last week’s issue, early-career journalists shared how they navigated job hunts and how their student journalism experiences helped them stand out. If you missed it, catch up here.
This week, I went straight to the source: the recruiters. I reached out to about 10 hiring editors, and three shared their insights on what really matters in internship applications. Special thanks to:
Oseye Boyd, editor-in-chief at the Mirror Indy
Kayleigh Skinner, managing editor of race and equity at Open Campus
Christine Zirneklis, director of communications and partnerships at PBS News Student Reporting Labs
Here’s what I learned: You don’t need to check every box on the job description. Recruiters expect you to still be learning. Highlight transferable skills, demonstrate genuine interest and always do your homework on the organization. And don’t forget — networking proactively and starting your search early can make a world of difference.
Good luck with your internship search, and I hope the advice from these pros guides you toward your next opportunity!
These responses have been edited for style, clarity and length.
What common misconceptions do students have about what recruiters look for?
Boyd: That we expect you to have all the answers and all the experience. We know you are college students and learning. We don’t have the same standards for an intern as we do for a full-time reporter with five years of experience. Now, that doesn’t mean we don’t have high standards, but we make the necessary adjustments.
Skinner: So often, people look at a job description and read through what skills are required and get discouraged. They believe that because they don’t have quite the number of years of experience or don’t check off every requirement, they won’t get the job and won’t apply. Don’t do this! Employers write job descriptions as a wish list — it’s highly unlikely that candidates, even the person who is ultimately hired, are a perfect match to what was posted.
Zirneklis: Don’t hold yourself back from applying because you’re not sure if you’re qualified — I hear from students that they’re hesitant to apply because they don’t have every qualification listed in the job description.
You’re a student, and internships are meant to be exploratory and help you learn about different workplaces! If you’re enthusiastic about the mission of the organization and about learning different skills that are part of that specific internship, that can go a long way.
You just need to be clear and specific about how your interests and skills are aligned with the opportunity and how this opportunity would be beneficial for both you and the team you want to work with. What perspectives and experiences do you have that they can learn from you? Why do you care about this internship?
How important is prior experience compared to demonstrated potential?
Boyd: I'm not sure how you have demonstrated potential without prior experience. The potential shows through the experience of reporting and writing (or through video, audio storytelling). As someone who hires interns/fellows, I need to know you have an understanding of the fundamentals of journalism.
That doesn’t mean you have a lot of experience, but I always encourage students to write for their student publications or freelance so they have as much experience as possible. You need to stand out from the crowd.
I also encourage student publications to make it easy for students to get experience as not everyone can write a story every week as many students are working while attending school.
Skinner: Prior experience does go a long way. We're not looking for years of experience at a newspaper or news station, but we do value applicants who have clips — even articles submitted for a class assignment — or can demonstrate experience working in a newsroom.
With that said, we recognize that students don’t always have that and many schools don’t offer these kinds of opportunities. If your writing materials are strong (your cover letter, applicant materials, etc.) and you seem genuinely interested, that makes a big impression.
Zirneklis: This really depends on the role and the organization, but in my view, internships are meant to be learning experiences. Show the hiring team how the experiences that you do have connect to this specific role and explain what you're hoping to learn in that semester or summer internship.
Highlight transferable experiences — what skills have you used in classes or extracurricular activities that would help you do the job of that internship? What projects or classes you've been part of are connected to the role? If you can explain why you're interested in the opportunity (maybe to gain the kind of experience in something that you're passionate about but haven't had the chance to explore in a professional setting yet), that can help put your application in context.
How do you evaluate candidates who may not have traditional journalism clips but have other relevant experience?
Boyd: It could be difficult to land an internship without any relevant experience — or even a couple of classes — as internships are highly competitive. Classes or working at a student publication would be the best places to explore whether or not there’s an interest in journalism.
Newsrooms today are smaller, which means more work for fewer people, and editors don’t have time for on-the-job training for someone who doesn't have a foundation in journalism while still trying to run a newsroom.
Once you have a basic understanding of the fundamentals, you can use an internship to further explore your interest in journalism and get a better understanding of how a newsroom works, what role in a newsroom interests you, etc., but the internship shouldn't be your introduction to journalism.
Journalism isn’t hard, but it requires practice. I’ve seen students who think just because they love to write they will be successful in a newsroom and be overwhelmed. It's not a good experience for anyone.
Skinner: The interactions with a candidate are a very telling way to learn if someone is a good fit. From the moment you hit submit on a job application, know that every step from that point forward is a chance for you to demonstrate what you would be like to work with. When you are asked to interview, do you respond to the email promptly? Do you show up to the interview on time? Does this person seem actually interested in the position or did they just mass apply to positions?
Zirneklis: It's OK if you haven't been published yet! Most internships are for students; the point is to learn and get some practice. When I'm hiring interns on our team, I want to see your skills. Show me that you're a strong, clear writer with a concise cover letter and by providing a writing sample. Show me that you've been learning Adobe Premiere by linking to a sample video report that shows your grasp of video journalism principles. Link to a blog post you've self-published, your work on a sample audio, video or written piece that shows us what you care about and that you understand reporting principles.
It helps me know what you care about, what you still need to learn, and most importantly, how you approach a project (a clue for me about how you might approach a future internship project).
What common mistakes do journalism students make during the application/interview process?
Boyd: Not doing background research on the publication for which they're interviewing. Go to the website and look around. Make it clear during the interview that you've done some research. Research is a basic part of reporting.
Make sure your resume and cover letter are error-free. It matters.
Send a thank you note afterward. It may seem like an antiquated thing to do but it matters. The recruiter will take notice.
Skinner: To elaborate on my answer above, take the process seriously. Meet deadlines, come to interviews prepared (I once had someone log on to a Zoom interview in bed in their pajamas!) just like anyone who is applying for a full-time job would. If you’re asked a question that you don't have an answer to, take a deep breath; sometimes pausing gives our minds time to think and if you truly don’t know what to say, just be honest instead of lying or rambling. It’s OK!
Zirneklis: The number one mistake I see is students not researching the organization that they are interviewing with. It’s pretty clear when interviewees don’t quite remember which internship this was out of the 30 they applied for.
Spending half an hour on the organization’s website learning about what they do, their structure and recent projects can go a long way. And if you know who will be interviewing you, it’s always a good idea to give them a quick Google so you have some context about them, their role and their experience. Come with at least a couple of questions for the interviewer about the role and the team.
How can students without access to prestigious journalism programs or high-profile internships still make themselves competitive?
Boyd: Experience. Experience. Experience. I can’t say it enough. You don’t have to go to a prestigious J-school or have already had a high-profile internship to get an internship. Write for your student publications. You need more than classroom work. Look for freelance opportunities. Show you're a go-getter. Try to get multiple internships during your college career or even after you graduate.
Skinner: There are so many opportunities out there for student journalists. Look outside of your campus and leverage your connections. It helps to be vigilant about what's out there; I'd recommend subscribing to this newsletter which publishes weekly with a thorough listing of open jobs and internships.
Give yourself a shot! Confidence is a hard thing to learn, but so many of us don’t apply for jobs because a big news organization or prestigious program would never pick someone like us.
Zirneklis: Show the organization you’re applying to why you care, examples of the skills they are asking for in the internship job description and story samples that you've worked on, whether or not they're published.
I'd also recommend reaching out to journalists who work at organizations that you're interested in for informational interviews before internship applications are open. More often than not, when you reach out with respect for their time, professionals are often open to talking with a student for 20 minutes about their career and workplace. It can be a great way to learn more about the team you'd like to work with one day, and you never know where an initial conversation can lead.
Note: this approach is usually a little easier with early-career journalists than with those who are really high profile and have less time.
What advice would you give to students who are preparing to apply for internships/fellowships?
Boyd: Start now. Don’t wait until May to start looking for internships; most have already been snapped up. Many programs accept applications in November/December and placement starts in January.
Skinner: Take advantage of the opportunities employers give in the hiring process. Sometimes organizations offer information sessions about a program, and attending before you apply helps you understand what they’re looking for and get face time with people in the newsroom before you even interview.
And, I can’t stress this enough — if you got rejected once, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t apply again. You're likely coming back to that position with more experience and knowledge than you did the last time you applied, and that can make all the difference.
Zirneklis: Think about what skills you want to learn and the type of people you want to meet and work with in the future and let that guide your internship search. Be specific in your cover letters about why you’re interested in each position (what you want to learn and what skills you can contribute to the team). Set up a free website and publish your work samples there. Keep your cover letter and resume to one page each. And again: research, research, research!
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