Internship advice

Hello,

For the past two summers, I worked the news beat as an intern at a top 200 newspaper.

This summer, I'll be on sports at a top 50 paper.

Any advice for someone going into a pretty big internship? I'm obviously very excited, but I'm also trying to prepare myself for what is to come.

Thanks.

 

Work your ass off no matter what the assignment.

Whatever content you create, learn their style inside and out before you turn it in. Interns whose work doesn't have to be reformatted get more and better assignments in the future.

 

Work hard and be active. Hang around the newsroom as often as you can, just being there can teach a lot. Be ready for anything they throw at you and accept the work no matter how small the assignment.

Also, that sounds like an awesome situation to be in. Congrats although I'm slightly jealous.

 

My experience is summer sports interns will get some pretty funky assignments. You could find yourself writing about polo or weightlifting or lacrosse or any of a number of things. The key is to know what you're talking about. As soon as you get the assignment, start reading up on it. Be informed as hell, and people won't even realize you're an intern, which is what you hope for in that situation. That small sport or adult-league baseball team doesn't want to know that the big-city paper sent its intern. And never let yourself get starstruck if you're in a major market, where you might be covering NFL training camps or MLB games.

 

My advice is to call the editor and all the key staff members on that staff and ask for the read of the culture. What do you value? is a good question. Doesn't mean you have to agree. But seeking their thoughts can be a nod of respect and willingness to be prepared.

 

Pitch like crazy. You'll be happier if you're doing your own stories and editors will appreciate that they don't have to come up with ideas for you.