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Let’s talk internships.
I wouldn’t have gotten my job without them.
But it wasn’t easy.
A thread.
(Especially for #CreComm students rn)
I wouldn’t have gotten my job without them.
But it wasn’t easy.
A thread.
(Especially for #CreComm students rn)
To be upfront and clear, none of this is to throw shade at anyone. It’s only an honest and (hopefully helpful) narrative of how my internship helped in ways I never imagined.
My journalism instructors, the amazing @JoanneMKelly & @heyjturner got me an internship with CBC Manitoba in December of 2016.
When I got there, I introduced myself to anyone who would listen. One person introduced themselves to me. One. Everyone was busy, I understood. They gave me a desk. And I sat there, feeling invisible, unsure of my next steps.
I had already bugged the producers. They said they’d get me to work later. Time ticked by. Valuable time.
I only had three weeks, and I couldn’t waste it waiting. I bugged the producers again. They told me to tail along with former CBC reporter and current CityNews supervising producer (my now boss) @CourtRutherford
So I did. I asked questions, watched her process, and took still photos as she already had a cameraman. She helped me learn their editing software and I later spent time with an editor to soak it in more.
The next day, I was back to the waiting game. So I got up, and just went to each reporter’s desks, one by one. I asked if I could do anything for them. Anything. Damn if I didn’t spend hours transcribing interview tape, but that’s okay.
Somewhere in between all this, I cultivated my list of story ideas. The first 4 or 5 were mercilessly shut down. My bad, they weren’t as good as young me thought. Then I had it.
I noticed in an old CBC article a promise made by the provincial government to open 550 new child care spaces—an investment many parents were counting on.
It was a promise they didn’t fulfill. I took the idea to Sean Kavanagh, who did not have to give me the time of day, but graciously did. He jumped at the story, and helped me track down audio recordings of the broken promise.
He guided me through it and helped me land a one-on-one in-person interview with the then-families minister. (Only now do I realize how rare this is). He let me take the reigns but stood behind me as I took my first stab at holding elected officials accountable.
It was my first TV story to air on a major outlet. After I got that one under my belt, CBC let me do a couple more TV and online stories for them. And I used them to land a job I love.
Moral of all this? Take from it what you want, but this is what I learned:
1. Do the grunt work. Yes it can be boring or tough at times but it can quickly lead to great things.
(Never be afraid of the hustle)
1. Do the grunt work. Yes it can be boring or tough at times but it can quickly lead to great things.
(Never be afraid of the hustle)
2. Spend time searching for good, enterprise story ideas. Producers have seen almost everything. What can you give them that’s new or different?
3. Don’t be afraid to “bug” people. Producers and reporters are busy, yes, but most will help you when they can.
3. Don’t be afraid to “bug” people. Producers and reporters are busy, yes, but most will help you when they can.
4. Be truly grateful for the experience you do get. At times, you may feel invisible or overwhelmed, but any learning experience is a good learning experience.
Even if your internship ends up showing you what you don’t want to do with your life, that is damn valuable.
Even if your internship ends up showing you what you don’t want to do with your life, that is damn valuable.
*i should also mention here, after I felt I was “bugging” her, the station’s managing editor spent time with me in the voicing booth, going over tone, inflection and energy, all of which was very kind of her. So
5. Don’t be afraid to ask and stay positive
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5. Don’t be afraid to ask and stay positive
