Well, here we are, dear reader. Over the course of my three-part blog series about my summer internship at the Albany Democrat-Herald, I've taken you through a storm of emotions, weaving in tales of success, failure, uncertainty and everything in between.
While I soaked in every moment of my summer experience, the 10 weeks of my internship transpired in a heartbeat. Now, as I write this from Allen Hall on campus, I feel it's my responsibility to tell you what I learned from my time at the Albany Democrat-Herald.
As a disclaimer, I don't claim to have a one-size-fits-all list of tips. Every internship is unique and varies depending on the environment, people around you and especially your own proactivity. This is simply what I considered most helpful for my own experience.
1. Build your multimedia toolkit: You don’t have to be an expert in audio, video or a communication medium other than your area of expertise. You just need to know the basics. At any point, you may have to double as a photographer and a reporter on assignment. Showing your editor that you’re multifaceted will not only result in a successful story but lead to more assignments; aka, a chance to buffer up your portfolio. Believe me, future employers will take notice.
2. Listen: I don't just mean listening to a cranky old subscriber spewing a novel about all the inconsistencies in your story (yes, this happened to me). Listen with intention to every conversation taking place around you. It might be your editor exchanging story ideas with a coworker. It could be a community group on Facebook, incensed about a scandal. It could even be a sweet little lady sharing why a theater restoration deserves a place on the front page. Regardless, listening with care and recognizing that you are there to learn from others will go a long way.
3. Not everything will run like clockwork: In fact, you may find the train falls off the tracks many more times than expected. Sources don't reply to you. A lead falls short of the needed context to make a pitch. Your story is published with errors that slipped under the radar. It happens. Take it in stride, learn from it and keep moving forward.
4. Grow your connections early: Don't take this one lightly. Near the end of my internship, I had multiple senior reporters in the newsroom offer recommendations for me because of the work they witnessed me do firsthand and through collaboration with them. As I look to apply to full-time positions, I know their letters will prove invaluable. Forging relationships with your editor and coworkers from an early point will soon pave the way to a massive network of potential employers and mentors. Take advantage of that!
5. Cover what you care about: Without purpose, a story is just text on a page. It goes nowhere and accomplishes nothing. Furthermore, without passion, chances are it won't inspire any feelings in its readers.
6. Trust your abilities: Out of a pool of applicants, you were the one selected. Your editor has faith that you are more than capable of performing the work set before you with ethicality, timeliness and enthusiasm. Show them why you are still the best candidate for the position as you work.
There you go. My six tips. Frankly, I feel these also describe what it means to be a storyteller. The SOJC trained me well.
Now open the door, seize your career and enjoy every moment. Good luck!
—By Kayla Nguyen, class of ’23
Kayla Nguyen, class of ’23, is a fourth-year journalism major and art minor working as a writing intern with the SOJC Communication Team.
This blog post is part three in a three-part series reflecting on Nguyen’s summer news reporting internship with the Albany-Democrat Herald. The following posts, How to land a summer internship when all seems lost, and A summer spent well: Interning with the Albany Democrat-Herald, chronicle her full experience.