Carley Captures Cool COMM Gig
It’s one thing to fantasize about your dream job: Maybe you want to be the next JK Rowling and publish stories loved by the masses; maybe you want to inspire others as the next TEDx speaker at UWGB; maybe you haven’t thought that far ahead, yet.
Regardless of where you end up, internships provide college students with opportunities to discover – or rediscover what we’re passionate about. Internships are also experiences we can share with prospective employers in the future.
Three years at UWGB, I’ve worked as a Communication Intern for Newcap and as a News Intern for WLUK FOX 11. There are three things I’d like to share; three things that might help you find success as well.
- Do your research
When searching for internships, I knew FOX 11 was my goal (I toured there as a senior in high school) but I wanted to keep my options open. Utilizing resources such as UWGB Handshake – and my peers – gave me a starting point for my internship crusade. At least a couple times a week I would look on Handshake to see if there were any new internship postings. And, if I didn’t know anything about the company, I would check their website to learn who they were and where I would fit.
- Make and maintain connections
I initially applied for FOX 11’s news internship last fall but at the time, the stars didn’t align so I kept in contact with FOX’s internship coordinator. I kept my connections open and in doing so, did myself a great service because this spring FOX was ready for me – and I was ready for them. Establishing connections with students, professors and other career professionals has opened many doors for me. Even if the timing isn’t right at first, maintaining a two-way connection shows employers that you’re passionate enough to wait. Oftentimes, your patience will pay off.
- Tailor your resume to the position you want
One thing my FOX internship supervisor said to me during our phone interview was that he liked the classes I’ve taken in my COMM career. In my resume, I added a section for courses relevant to the internship and made sure to include an accomplishment or one thing I learned how to do from each course – something I thought applicable to the job. A tailored resume is your chance to make an impression, and to stand out from other candidates so, make it count. No two resumes are going to look exactly alike, but it’s important to highlight skills you have that might not be reflected in the job title.
Carley DeGrand writes for The COMM Voice.
ASIDE: Carley@FOX11!
“So far, I’ve mostly been shadowing the anchors and I was able to go to a News Conference with one of the reporters,” she said. “They’ve been giving me the opportunity to sit in on their editorial meetings and have been showing me the process of how they write their stories. Next week, I’ll be able to practice writing my own stories – with Bill Kiefer, Assistant News Director – reviewing my work and helping me with that.”
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Great Story, Carley.
Thank you so much!