For the Editors/Managers - Finding Interns?

[AndrewPaPreps]

Last year, I posted an inquiry looking for college interns to contribute to the Rivals site I run. I had some mild success, and with the football season a couple months off, I'm going to start searching for the latest crop.

But I have a question: For the sports editors (or even news editors) on the site, how do you traditionally find interns? By establishing contacts with colleges and universities? By advertising everywhere you can, including sites like this one?

Any tips and suggestions to finding interns would be extremely helpful. I can give my interns a chance to write and report their fingers off in a football mad state, so I'd like to cast as wide of a net as possible.

 

[Versatile]

If you're looking for summer interns, post the openings at every place you can. Post them here, on journalismjobs.com and with every reputable journalism school you know. Don't just stick with your region -- there are great journalism programs all over the country, and you don't know where the most qualified applicant will come from.

If you're looking for a fall intern, which is what it seems you are out for, you can still do all that posting. But it could also be a good idea to talk with journalism professors at the university your site covers as well as, and perhaps more importantly, the sports editor at the student paper. That assumes the student paper is at least decent.

 

[AndrewPaPreps]

I actually run the Pennsylvania high school site, so I don't have just a particular college to work with. I have an entire state. Hence the issue of not just looking for localized interns in a particular city or at a particular university. I would like to find prospective help located throughout the state.

 

[SeanKennedy]

I know we usually try to establish good relations with local colleges, and feed from their j-schools/english/college newspapers.

The college (non-daily) newspapers often have weekly meetings that you may be able to attend and talk about real-life journalism and answer questions. And then talk about internship opportunities.

 

[Versatile]

I actually run the Pennsylvania high school site, so I don't have just a particular college to work with. I have an entire state. Hence the issue of not just looking for localized interns in a particular city or at a particular university. I would like to find prospective help located throughout the state.

I should have gathered that, but didn't see the user name. You shouldn't have any problems finding qualified candidates, especially if you pay. I would go right to the best journalism schools in the state -- Penn State and UPenn (which lacks a journalism school) have great student papers -- and try to dig up candidates that way. Talk to their advisors. I'd bet many of the journalism schools have internship advisors who can circulate the openings.

 

[Stitch]

I actually run the Pennsylvania high school site, so I don't have just a particular college to work with. I have an entire state. Hence the issue of not just looking for localized interns in a particular city or at a particular university. I would like to find prospective help located throughout the state.

I should have gathered that, but didn't see the user name. You shouldn't have any problems finding qualified candidates, especially if you pay. I would go right to the best journalism schools in the state -- Penn State and UPenn (which lacks a journalism school) have great student papers -- and try to dig up candidates that way. Talk to their advisors. I'd bet many of the journalism schools have internship advisors who can circulate the openings.

The quality of interns you get may depend on what type of quality organization you run. What will interns do writing? If they work from home, where are the teaching moments? Emphasize in any listing what you're willing to do to help an intern learn the business.

 

[fishwrapper]

With us, resumes, histories and examples are filed to a recruitment coordinator. We give the coordinator a detailed idea of the fit/qualities we're looking for.
They hand me/us a small stack back, call them in. Pick two or three.
That's about it.

 

[BYH]

Contact dkphxf.

 

[AndrewPaPreps]

With us, resumes, histories and examples are filed to a recruitment coordinator. We give the coordinator a detailed idea of the fit/qualities we're looking for.
They hand me/us a small stack back, call them in. Pick two or three.
That's about it.

Interesting. Is the coordinator you work with part of a certain academic department (English, Communications, etc.) or part of the school's employment/help/academic services office?

 

[Ice9]

We do interns for the fall and spring, and we always advertise to the local colleges and universities. I spell out what exactly the duties will entail, deadlines, clips and resumes, etc.

 

[fishwrapper]

With us, resumes, histories and examples are filed to a recruitment coordinator. We give the coordinator a detailed idea of the fit/qualities we're looking for.
They hand me/us a small stack back, call them in. Pick two or three.
That's about it.

Interesting. Is the coordinator you work with part of a certain academic department (English, Communications, etc.) or part of the school's employment/help/academic services office?

No. The talent acquisition coordinator works for us.
How's that for a title?