TIPS FOR FINDING YOUR FIRST NEWSPAPER JOB
Journalism Internships and Entry-level
News/Editorial Positions

Getting a newspaper job is a challenge.  There is competition for 
openings in every newsroom.  Yet, editors are eager to hear from 
applicants who have a solid education and who demonstrate the talents 
and skills of journalism.  Your chances of landing an internship or 
your first full-time job are enhanced if you prepare carefully.

Here are some things to consider as you plan your search for a 
newspaper job.

Evaluate yourself.  Go over your background to identify experiences 
that may strengthen your application.  Travel, educational 
specialties, work as a volunteer and knowledge of languages or 
different cultures are learning experiences that can contribute to 
preparation for journalism.  Be candid about your strengths and 
weaknesses.  An editor may ask you to talk about them.  Take a 
measure of your passion for newspaper work.

Know what you want.  Interview yourself about what you expect from 
your first job.  What kind of newspaper work interests you?  Is 
location or geography important  small town or metro area?  Where do 
you want to be five years from now?  What path do you want your 
career to follow: reporting, editing, photography, design/graphics, 
management?  Are you willing to travel?

Understand the market.  Smaller newspapers offer broader 
opportunities for beginning reporters. Larger newspapers typically 
are more interested in entry-level candidates with many internship 
experiences or specialty reporting skills. Young reporters often can 
benefit from the personal attention and close community contacts 
gained at smaller newspapers. ASNE offers additional insights on 
career opportunities at small newspapers in a free pamphlet, Thinking 
Big about Small Newspapers.

Read, read, read.  Being well-read is a characteristic of a good 
journalist.  In addition to the local newspaper, the campus newspaper 
and your hometown paper, develop the habit of reading news magazines, 
national newspapers, books on the press and trade magazines such as 
Quill, ASNE Bulletin, American Journalism Review, Columbia Journalism 
Review and Editor & Publisher.

Know the newspaper.  Before you apply, spend time with the newspaper.  
You might find copies in your college or journalism school library.  
You can get a one-month subscription by mail.  Read the paper, then 
study it.  Does it reflect the community?  Is it well organized?  Are 
features and sections easy to find?  Does it carry information that 
is useful to someone new to the community?  Are the stories 
interesting, informative, balanced?  Jot down your impressions on the 
paper's strengths and weaknesses.  Learn the basics about the paper: 
its major market, circulation, history and traditions.

Apply early.  Many newspapers select interns as early as December.  
You should be thinking about an internship during August and 
September, and be prepared to send your applications out during 
October.  The start of your senior year is the right time to begin 
looking for a full-time job.

Letter of application. The best way to introduce yourself to an 
editor is through a letter.  This is a chance to tell an editor who 
you are, what you have done, what you have to offer the newspaper.  
If you plan to call the newspaper to schedule an interview, say so in 
the letter.

Accuracy is important.  For many students, the letter of application 
can also reveal carelessness.  Make sure all of the information in 
the letter is correct, including names, titles, addresses.  
Misspellings, typos, inaccuracies and awkward phrasing in a letter 
will end your chances of being considered.

RESUME AND CLIPS

What to include.  In the resume, highlight your academic preparation, 
extracurricular activities, leadership skills and activities related 
to journalism.  Skill in a second language is important.  List your 
work experience, even if some jobs have no relationship to 
journalism.  Explain any gaps in your educational or job history.

Be easy to find.  Provide telephone and/or fax numbers, as well as 
current and permanent addresses, where you can be reached.  Explain 
when and where it is best to contact you.

Select references with care.  List people who know you well, rather 
than references with impressive titles who may have little personal 
contact with you.  Be sure you provide the name, title, place of 
employment, address and phone number of each of your references.  As 
a courtesy, ask each reference if he or she would be willing to talk 
to a prospective employer. 

Edit, edit, edit.  Your resume should be concise and well organized.  
If possible, keep it to one page.  Edit for meaning, clarity, 
grammar, and spelling.  Use good quality paper in white or neutral 
color.  Preserve the text on a computer disk, so you can make changes 
when needed.

Get your resume critiqued.  Ask other students, college counselors or 
business professionals to review the draft of your resume.  They can 
help you improve the presentation and correct errors.

Pick the most effective clips.  Samples of your work should show the 
range of what you can do, as well as your best work.  A selection 
that includes breaking news, enterprise, profiles, features, columns 
and backgrounders may make a stronger impression than a collection 
limited to spot news stories.  Clips of five or six stories are 
sufficient.  If you do not have published clips, provide samples of 
your writing for class assignments or free-lance projects that you 
have submitted for publication.

INTERVIEWS

How to get an interview. You should attempt to arrange an interview 
at your hometown paper or a paper where you might be visiting during 
a school break.  Call ahead or write to ask for an interview.  Walk-
in interviews rarely result in an opportunity to talk to the editors 
who do the hiring. A job fair also is a good place to meet recruiters 
from different news organizations.

Set goals. Your best immediate prospects may be at smaller 
newspapers. Larger papers like to track promising beginners for a few 
years.  Make arrangements to stay in touch and send samples of your 
work to a larger paper that interests you. At a job fair, you can 
talk to editors from larger papers and learn about their requirements 
and expectations.  This will give you an opportunity to think about 
long-term goals. Ask recruiters what you need to do to become 
competitive for a job. Discuss the comparative rewards of different 
newspaper career paths.

Dress appropriately.  Personal appearance is important.  Business 
attire is always appropriate.

Conduct yourself properly.  Make direct eye contact with the 
interviewer.  Maintain good posture.  Ask questions.  Give honest, 
concise answers.  Don't ramble.  Take notes.  Remember names of those 
you meet and use them in conversation.  Ask for a business card from 
the recruiter.  Discuss salary at the end of the interview.  Smile.

Learn from each interview.  Use a few minutes at the end of each 
interview for feedback from the recruiter.  One question to ask is, 
"What are my chances here?" If the response is not encouraging, ask 
for an assessment of your candidacy and for the interviewer's best 
advice and guidance.  Listen carefully but make up your own mind 
about your career objectives. 

Keep in touch.  Follow up an interview with a thank-you note to the 
editor or recruiter. Reinforce your interest in the paper.  Promise 
to stay in touch, even if there is no opening for you.  Follow 
through by corresponding regularly with the recruiter or editor. 
Discuss what you are doing, what you are learning.  Send a few clips 
from time to time.  It helps to call recruiters occasionally to 
remind them of your continuing interest