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Not
sure where you should intern? Take the lead from some folks
in-the-know, and you could be on your way to an exciting and
enriching experience.
Decisions,
Decisions, Decisions!
By
Paul D. Rosevear
February 2002
The
CollegeBound Network NewsClick -- Interning with a company
or organization is an excellent way to "get your foot
in the door" of the field you'd like to pursue after
college graduation. And, if you can impress the right people
as a student, potential employers could later be pressing
you to come aboard their team!
Most
schools have career services offices that specialize in helping
students find the right internship for them. While at Cal
State Fullerton, Fullerton, CA, Susan Henson was a public
relations intern at the Fullerton Aboretum in Southern California.
"I
had all kinds of responsibilities," Susan remembers.
"I helped set up special events, coordinated fundraisers,
wrote press releases, pitched stories to news editors, [and]
did some photography work."
Susan's
hands-on internship experience helped her land a job at Experian,
where she is now a public relations specialist for corporate
relations. "It's great to have straight As" she
says, "but top-notch grades plus experience in the field
is a deadly combo that employers can't resist."
Jawn Murray agrees. The entertainment editor for Black
Elegance, a New York-based African-American women's lifestyles
magazine, attributes his successful media career to an internship
he completed at a Washington, D.C, radio station -- although
he admits it wasn't a cakewalk.
"I
worked a day job from 6 a.m. until 2 p.m., then I'd race across
town to my internship -- which started at 3 p.m. and stay
until the wee hours of the morning," says Murray.
Murray's
station program director took notice of his hard work and
gave him some not-so-ordinary opportunities and assignments.
Before long, the then junior was hanging out with recording
artists, managers, producers, and celebrities. He eventually
developed solid friendships with them that surpassed his internship
stint. Murray whole-heartedly believes that networking is
essential and invaluable to your internship experience.
So
how do you get involved? Ask! The people in charge of internship
programs are more than willing to provide you with real-life
experience -- like Rance E. Huff. As founder and editor-in-chief
of Black Reign News, Huff facilitates an internship
program at his New York-based publication that's dedicated
to helping students lay the foundation for their future. Within
the publication is a page worked on exclusively by interns
called "It Takes A Village." The students report
on celebrities and write movie and music reviews, as well
as editorial commentaries. In addition, there's a
one-on-one mentoring aspect to Huff's program.
"We
want to take a little more responsibility for what happens
after our interns leave Black Reign News," Huff
explains. "We focus our energies on giving them job leads,
helping them establish contacts, and teaching them how to
get noticed."
With encouragement like that, what are you waiting for? Go
get your foot in the door!
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