Where to find advice on work experience in journalism

I had a quick roam round the web looking for some tips and thoughts on getting work experience - and making the most of it - for some journalism students I've been working with.       
    There's a note of caution on spending too long working for free, written by a press gazette intern. But short periods of unpaid work experience is still invaluable for newcomers and is a great way of getting that first break.

    Here's some of the most useful-looking links I've found. They're not brand new, but the advice is still helpful and relevant:

• The Wannabehacks site is always a useful place to start. It has list of top placements from 2011. 

• Bauer Media has a site dedicated to work experience and internships on its brands

• There's some interesting advice on Using twitter to get work experience from The Guardian

• Tips and tricks on how to impress on your work experience placemen

• This journalism.co.uk forum on work experience and opportunities for new journalists has some recent comments and other entries.

• Rhian Jones offers a blaggers’guide to getting journalism work experience.

• Plus there's a few tips from Alison Gow, from a couple of years ago that still look relevant.

My own tips are:

Clarify what titles mean by work experience.

Some titles have you just doing admin; some give you more meaty stuff to do.

Try the less well-known titles too. 

Try the big name newspapers, magazines and websites by all means, but they can be over-subscribed. Some of the smaller set-ups, including trade magazines and websites, can sometimes find you a space - and can often give you a great chance to get a byline.

Volunteer and be willing to help. 

It might sound obvious but always offer to help out and ask "is there anything else you'd like me to do?" rather than just twiddling your thumbs.

What you need to know about journalism work experience

Photo: Bisgovuk

Work experience is in the minds of some of the journalism students I've been working with so here's a quick look at some of the info and advice I found after a bit of web trawling.

The journalism.co.uk tip of the day section is an obvious first stop. It's a fantastic resource for all manner of info, including Catherine May's account of finding work experience via Twitter

There's also a guest post by journalism.co.uk's John Thompson on Sun trainee journalist Andy Hall's blog offers some work experience tips from the employer's point of view.

Andy also lists eight tips to make the most of work experience based on what he found out on his own placements.

Over at Fleet Street Blues the advice includes be prepared by reading the site/magazine/paper and be aware of what it covers and who reads it. Other tips include 'don't be shy' and, importantly, 'make the tea'.

There's also more general advice and tips on internships and getting into journalism in the Guardian careers section from Wannabehacks' Alice Vincent. And on the Wannabe blog itself you'll find some handy insights from journalists and journalism students.

A colleague I used to work with always recommends buying the first round down the pub too. That's because the student or wannabe journalist who can do the job and who also fits in well is the one who might get the call if a permanent job comes up.

Any other advice you want to offer here for new journalists is warmly welcomed.

Advice on journalism jobs, work experience and opportunities for students and other newcomers.

There's plenty of info and advice about work and opportunities for journalism newcomers and student journalists around right now.

• The Independent has launched a competition to find student columnists.
• And there's an interesting guest post on the poor standard of journalism job applications over at Fleet Street Blues.
• And Jon Slattery has stumbled across Dole House Blues, a new blog from an unemployed student journalist.
• Meanwhile, there's also some tips on interviewing from students at Journalist Works that are worth a scan.

My advice to newcomers applying for work and jobs in journalism is:

Getting work experience and opportunities:

• Work experience pays off.  It's a bit like doing a week-long interview.
• Don't just aim for the big names you've always read.  Niche brands offer loads of opportunities - and you can often get stuff published.
• Actively blog and tweet about your interest areas. You might get noticed.
• When doing work experience volunteer for everything. Make the most of every opportunity.

Applications:

• Get the basics right: spell names correctly and double-check everything.
• Take a look at the title and/or site you're applying for.
• Tailor your application and CV to what the ad is actually asking for.
• Don't say 'I have very little experience'. Tell them what you have done and tell them why it's relevant to the role on offer.
• Include or link to any relevant cuttings/articles/blog posts.