Q. I have finished my second year of college and am getting ready for my first summer sports writing internship at a daily newspaper.
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I wanted to know if you could give me any advice before I leave and go on this 12-week journey working for a daily newspaper.
l am very excited about this opportunity, and I hope this can propel my career. Any advice you could give me would be appreciated.
Ready
A. With so many people starting internships, this is a timely question. I recently answered
a similar one.
I'll be more concrete here.
Interns often set numerical goals, such as how many page one stories they want to write, or how many stories they want to write altogether. Measurable goals can be very helpful, but let me suggest another approach.
Rather than setting a quantitative goal, think about qualitative ones.
At the completion of your internship, you will want to have a supervisor who can be a good reference for you. These are some of the best things a reference can say about you:
- Hard worker
- Has initiative or hustle
- Resourceful
- Fast learner
- Street-smart
- Team player
- Careful and accurate
Choose three or four attributes -- these or others -- that best reflect your traits. Demonstrate them during your internship. Make sure the supervisor you have selected as a reference knows how you have demonstrated them. Don't play games or politics. Be direct. "I came in here believing I am someone who learns fast, and I have worked to make sure that no one ever has to tell me anything twice."
With this strategy, you will have identified some of your best qualities, honed them and cultivated someone who can back you up on them.
I have a whole chapter on acing your internship in
"Breaking In: The JobsPage.com Guide to Newspaper Internships."
Coming Monday: Financial and family issues knocked her out of a new-media program at school, and she now works for a print weekly. How can she go digital?
