Unlike other industries such as Education or Medicine where there is a strong history of fostering young graduates, Journalism is notorious for being a tricky field to break into. There are many reasons for the obstacles, but for the most part it is simply the sort of work which is rarely trusted to students who have yet to prove their experience and ability. However, just as the old adage reminds us "you can't get a job without any experience, and you can't get a chance to get experience without a job," trying to get your foot into the proverbial Journalism door can seem like a vicious cycle of rejection and failure. Despite this, there is hope for Journalism students who are determined to make their career in the industry; just follow these tips to give yourself the best chance for success.
Think Big, Look Smaller
There is nothing wrong with dreaming big and if it is your ambition to host the evening news or be the next award winning foreign correspondent, there should be nothing you will let stand in your way. However, when it comes to climbing the metaphorical ladders of the workforce in order to get there, the bottom rung is where you need to start. It is unrealistic to believe your first work experience or internship will be at a multi-million dollar television station or the best newspaper in the country.
This is not to say you shouldn't try; by all means contact them and try your luck, but it is vital to remember these are huge companies who receive hundreds, if not thousands, of applications and will only take on a few, if any. Every famous journalist had to start somewhere and this is where you look to the smaller media organisations which are much more willing to take on new talent. In fact, these might even be better for gaining real life experience, as smaller companies will have the time, and resources, to give you more of a free rein for experimenting and learning. Scout through the phone book and look for any smaller companies which may be linked to Journalism and contact them as well – you never know what it might lead you to.
Don't Take No for an Answer
I'm not in any way trying to encourage you to become a pesky college student and harass organisations for their time. On the contrary, it is important to know when you have done all that you could to try and secure some experience, but that perhaps this is just not a good time for the company, or they may already have too many students on at once. Having said this though, two admirable qualities of a first grade Journalist are determination and persistence and these should both be put to use when contacting possible host organisations.
Already sent a letter of enquiry or an e-mail and have received no reply? Send another one, a week or so later, politely reminding them of your previous contact and that you are just checking if they have had the chance to think it over. Be positive about the situation and do not push it too hard. Of course, the reasons they haven't gotten back to you may be completely genuine, but it is also just as likely that they have your letter under a huge pile on their desk and needed you to remind them to take a look at it. The key to success is to be persistent.
Look Outside of the Box
Thought that you had already exhausted all opportunities for Journalism work experience in your city or area? Look outside. There are many great organisations which offer the opportunity to undertake Journalism work placements in other parts of the country or abroad. Whilst these are costly and require you to be available on certain dates and periods of time, being able to say you have work experience in another country is almost invaluable for your resume and will be sure to impress future employees. Researching on the Internet should help you to find some of these companies, and many of them may offer something which fits in well with your lifestyle or future plans.
Don't Despair
There is no doubt Journalism is a very popular field with college students and this only creates more demand for work experience in a relatively small industry. However, there are ways to find and secure opportunities for real life experience if you remain persistent, realistic and think outside of the normal.
Sarah Bown - Sarah Bown is a 21 year old student in the fourth and final year of a Double Degree in Media/Arts at the University of Adelaide in ...
Join the Conversation