Have
You Done Your Homework?
The days of homework do not end when students leave the
classroom in pursuit of professional occupations.
A panel of experts from various mass communication recruiting
fields told a crowd of 30 at the 2006 AEJMC Convention that
preparation is vital when applying for internships.
During the Professional Freedom and Responsibility panel
session entitled “Interns and Beginners – What
Employers Want,” five guest speakers discussed ways
for professors to help students research and apply for internships
and entry-level jobs.
The panel featured human resource managers LanAnh Hoang
from KQED-TV and Sondra Lewis from KRON-TV. Other panelists
included Victoria Mauleon, producer of “The California
Report” on KQED-FM, Bob Nishizaki, assistant managing
editor of the Contra Costa Times, and Leslie Guevarra, deputy
managing editor for the San Francisco Chronicle. The discussion
was moderated by Gerald McNulty, director of the communications
internship program at Marist College.
Panelists shared their insights into how students should
begin looking for internships, what companies look for, and
how to write good cover letters.
“It’s imperative applicants do their research
beforehand to find out who their contacts are for specific
jobs,” Nishizaki said. “There are handfuls of
people who apply that do not have a clear focus. For the
most part, those people may have to come back to us later
and convince us they know what they want to do.”
However, the panel made it clear that different employers
look for varying skills and qualifications.
“If they’ve got enthusiasm and a good cover
letter, that will at least get them an interview,” Lewis
said, referring to the internships KRON-TV offers.
“We like to see students who have at least two internships
before they graduate college,” Nishizaki said. “Rarely
would we hire an applicant without a previous internship
in the field.”
The panelists tended to agree on certain qualities that
help an individual stand out against the competition.
“We look for someone with solid writing skills … someone
who has the ability to talk with people. They need journalistic
instincts because these interns produce material that goes
on the air,” Mauleon said.
“The best advice I can give on writing a standout
cover letter is to write what you like about the publication.
It makes us feel good when applicants like and know the product,” Lewis
said.
The panelists evaluate their interns on their abilities
to think critically, solve problems, make decisions and communicate
effectively.
“We look for on-the-job performance. It’s about
more than just promptness,” Guevarra said.
According to McNulty, students need to understand what each
institution requires to get an internship because there are
more candidates today than there have been in the past.
“You have to know what you want,” he said. “You
have to have a plan.”
by Jessica Wong, staff writer.
Reprinted from the AEJMC Reporter.
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