Post Classifieds
Looking for internships? Keep your options open
By Brian Alexander
On August 17, 2012
Come junior and senior year, most college students are beginning to look for the perfect
internship so they can land a job they can be happy with.
I used to think that would mean applying to a number of large journalistic entities, getting
some experience and riding name recognition all the way to the bank. I've learned,
however, that this is not the case.
This summer I was fortunate enough to land a paid internship with WETM-TV, the local
NBC affiliate news station in my hometown of Elmira. At first, working for a small
station in a small town might sound like settling for second best, but it turned out to be
one of the best experiences I could hope for.
I came to WETM at a time when they happened to be short-staffed, as many small places
often become when their employees move on to bigger and better things. For the station,
it meant finding people to fill the gaps. For me, it was a chance to prove myself.
My very first day at WETM, I was already granted access to the station's online
producing system to help edit broadcast scripts. By my second, an anchor was already
reading news stories I had reported on and written myself.
From there I moved on to shooting my own video, doing voice-overs and finally a small
taste of on-camera work. Yeah, the intern getting a chance to strut his stuff in front of
thousands of people! I doubt they would let me do that at CNN.
All the while, I got to work alongside professionals who graduated from places like Penn
State and Syracuse, two of the most respected journalism schools in the country. I learned
from their experience, like when a veteran photographer or two gave me a crash course in
keeping my composure under pressure.
And they weren't just good reporters, they were good people, too.
There's such a close-knit feeling when you work at a small place that you begin to
enjoy going to work every day. Rather than a large corporate setting where there's a
very established hierarchy, there's this feeling that you're all in it together. So, your co-
workers start to become your friends.
Add in the opportunity to work with the issues relative to the place you grew up and get
to know the people who keep the community going, and it makes all your hard work
worthwhile.
Most importantly, though, it taught me a much-needed lesson in humility and
perspective.
Sure, an internship with a small place isn't going to impress anyone who's not in the
business but that doesn't matter. Getting an internship, any internship, is crucial to your
learning experience, and the little guy's going to be more appreciative of your work and
help you get the most out of your time.
Not to mention, they'll respond to you in a timely manner. Eight months after I applied, I
heard back from NBC Universal. They're going to consider my application. Gee, thanks
guys.
So bear in mind that although the little company or organization may not be the one you
look to first, it could end up being the one that teaches you the most, about the industry
and about yourself.
Brian Alexander can be reached by email at alexander.record@live.com.
Get Top Stories Delivered Weekly
Recent The Record News Articles
Kids give new outlook on college
I think I speak for many college students, male or female, when I say that being a college student is hard, but balancing school with ...
Kerry's comments carry credibility issues
It appears as though John Kerry needs a vocal filter. In his first address to a foreign nation since assuming his current role as S...
Bathroom messages inspire hope in hard times
I have always struggled to understand the "bathroom stall graffiti" phase. Like most things that seem to be exciting for everyone ...
Discuss This Article
GET TOP STORIES DELIVERED WEEKLY
FOLLOW OUR NEWSPAPER
LATEST THE RECORD NEWS
- We've Moved to www.buffstaterecord.com!
- Obama divulges new higher education initiative during visit to UB
- Ailing Podolefsky steps down as president
- SUNY appoints Cohen interim president
- President Podolefsky announces leave to fight cancer
- Rappers put Pepsi in a bind
- Congrats to grads: take next step with gratitude
RECENT THE RECORD CLASSIFIEDS
OUTSIDE THE LINES
- A Story To Sing About
- The Gap in Gum Care: Why Caring For Your Teeth’s F...
- Top Tips for Signature Scents and Better-Smelling Laundry
- A Dog Trainer’s Top Tips to Support Pets Through Life S...
- Clear the Air of Indoor Pollutants This Spring
- Stroke & Dementia in Black Men: Tips for Staying Healthy...
- Hispanics and African Americans at Higher Risk for Eye...
- African Americans at Higher Risk for Eye Disease
- Infinity Kings: Final Book In A Favorite Fantasy Series
- What You Need To Know About Keratoconus and the iLink...
FROM AROUND THE WEB
- Don’t Let Diabetes Shortchange Your Golden Years
- No Child is Forgotten By Marine Toys for Tots
- Sweeten Your Springtime Salads With Healthy Chilean Grapes
- Young Author Translates 4,000-Year-Old Text to Reveal...
- Keeping Cool and Energy-efficient Amid America’s “...
- Addressing Sarcopenia with a Healthy Diet
- Subway’s New Wraps Elevate Eating on the Go
- Family Teacher Conference Topics Beyond Academics
- Youth Take Down Tobacco
- BookTrib’s Bites: Four Reads to Kickoff Spring
COLLEGE PRESS RELEASES
- Shoff Promotions Comic Book & Sports Card Show
- Semiconductor Research Corp unveils 2024 Research Call, $13.8M Funding
- Charles River Associates Opens Second Scholarship Cycle, Expands to the UK
- BLUMHOUSE AND AMC THEATRES LAUNCH FIRST-EVER HALFWAY TO HALLOWEEN FILM FESTIVAL
- THE GEN Z IMPERATIVE: LISTEN TO FEELINGS AND GIVE GEN Z A VOICE
