For many an arts student trying to make their way in the world, a journalism internship is the holy freakin’ grail. Trust me, I would know. Getting my journalism internship at Debut was what Nicki Minaj would call a Moment 4 Life. I heard about the opportunity through a friend, but not everyone is fortunate enough to have someone who knows about all that.
Well Debutants, I’ll be your friend. In fact, I’ve left no stone unturned to help you find the best resources to get you a journalism internship. Make sure you bookmark and check back, new ones will be added periodically.
Your university’s student paper
As a bare minimum, you should 100% join your university’s student paper. And join early, as early as first year if you can. This way you can stack up a substantial portfolio and try your hand at a whole host of editorial and leadership roles. It might not lead to an internship directly, but the relationships you’ll build up in just one year of student paper work will become important down the line.
Student Publication Association
Speaking of those relationships, chances are that you’ll work very closely with this group. The Student Publication Association works with journalists and publications across a bunch of UK universities, sharing opportunities for work with many.
It’s the biggest student association of its kind and their training and support of student journos is second-to-none. If you get the chance, submit your article to be nominated for a SPANC award. A nomination or even a win is a great bargaining chip to use in your internship search.
Mediargh
Mediargh is a independent and pretty comprehensive job board for media internships in general. Still, there’s plenty to find if you’re looking for a journalism internship too. They’ve had opportunities available from the likes of MTV, The Telegraph, Buzzfeed, Channel 4 and more. There’s also a ton of content from experienced journos talking about how to deal with various hurdles in the industry, including life as an intern. A vital resource.
NewsAssociates
NewsAssociates has a stream of lessons and top tips for young people trying to get into the industry. They also list internships on their site. Not only that, but there’s also plenty of info about postgraduate study and free workshops for student journalists. Definitely worth a look if that’s an area you’re interested in.
JournoResources
The clue’s in the name really, isn’t it. JournoResources is – you guessed it – chock full of amazing resources for journos. There you’ll find a frequently updated list of graduate schemes and traineeships and when they open. Also, extremely useful for those looking to land a journalism internship is their list of freelancing rates. If you’re looking to improve your chances of getting an internship by freelancing, check here so you know what to charge for your work. You don’t wanna be shortchanged!
GoThinkBig
GoThinkBig is more of a general internship site, but it’s super comprehensive. With its detailed search engine, you can smash in the keyword ‘journalism’, and get a whole bunch of opportunities. There’s also a lot of general info designed to help you with your early career too. When it comes to placements, internships, programmes and events though, these guys have you covered.
Check back soon for more updates!
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