Subscribe

free to biz newsletters

Bizcommunity.com - Daily Marketing & Media news
Newspapers forums

Internship stress

28 May 2007 14:0116 commentsBizLike
Internship for journalism students hard to find.
I'm a final year journalism student at Tshwane University of Technology, and in order for me to succesfuly finish my studies I'm required to have spent at least a year with a recognised media/communication organisation.

However finding placement in the mainstream media has been dreadfuly frastrating, I've been send from pillar to post by nearly all the top media organisation in the country none of them are interested in my services. And this is driving me nuts I can not tell why am I being turned down because I've already finished my theoretical part of my studies and what depletes my confidence the most is that I've passed all my subjects and have a bit of writing experience gained from reporting for our campus newspaper.

But that seems to me that it is never taken in to consideration at all.

I really love print media and I don't even imagine myself working anywhere except in print media. Yes one has to be patient but damn I can not understand why students who performed well in their studies should struggle to find internships, and I don't really see any reasons why they should be treated in this fashion.

Sowetan every year offers a scholarship, the so called Aggrey Klaaste scholarshhip for journalism gradutes I really don't see any good reasons why they should offer it to people who have already graduated, it seems to that Sowetan underestimate the training which institutions of higher learning are offering. To me there is no justification at all except that they lack confidence in our tertiary training.

My middle name has for the past seven months been apply, I've applied to countless organisations including government departments with no luck at all, not even one of them have called me for an interview, I wish if I could have at least been called for an interview and fail at the interview it would have been far better than failing to even be called for an interview.

Some time I spent quite a long time staring at my CV to find any fault with it but I cann't see anything wrong with it, what even makes things even more worse is that all my friends whom I constructed my CV with have all got placements.

And I have to be contend with everyone singing the old boring song its gonna be alright soon, just keep thinking positively and the doors will open for you.
Forum created by Thabo Bapela
 
More options
< Back 
travelwires.com
try online media-
Why not consider online media, since you've tried and failed with print? Posted on 28 May 2007 18:10
Believer
Try this-
Believe it or not, doing some ceremony for your ancestors works. I have been out of work for three full years, with no hope of ever going to get employed again. I have lost count of the number of CV I have sent out. Do some ceremony for your ancestors and have faith, you'll soon see a difference. Posted on 28 May 2007 21:59
happiness
internship stress-
i agree...hlabela amahlozi! sometimes we need to be still and acknowlegde them...you will see miracles. i am a product of the internship frustation but i'm now working. have faith...your time will come. Posted on 6 Jun 2007 12:31
old grumpy pants here
interns are a pain-
Simple as that. They take up more time than they're worth and think they know everything already. Just been through a particularly bad batch. But keep trying - not everyone is as bad tempered as me. Posted on 28 May 2007 22:44
spell check-
and maybe someone will take you seriously. just a thought. Posted on 29 May 2007 08:12
Suspicious
Try PR agencies-
Try sending your CV to PR agencies because a) there's more of them to go around than media houses b) they may be more tolerant of your spelling errors...not Posted on 29 May 2007 16:37
Simpleman
Contact SABC NEWS in AUCKLAND PARK-
Contact SABC NEWS in AUCKLAND PARK
011 714 9111 Posted on 4 Jun 2007 12:04
mbhinyination
journalist-
my baby's father is a final year journalist,he applied to diferent organizations for internships but no one gives him a chance to show his abilities.please help he needs a job so that he can be able to take care of his precious girl,contact us at 0732168036 & 0835225426 if you have a job for him Posted on 13 Aug 2008 13:29
REAL
STRESSED OUT-
You are not alone. in your case ,it is even more frustrating because you can't proceed to get your qualification. I got my National Diploma in Internal Auditing from the Tshwane University Of Technology in 2005.

I have been looking for an internship, and or job where i can gain experience, whichever comes first. I have made it a daily habit to look for and make job applications,but have not yet even made it to a single interview.

In the midst of my frustration on this issue, i tend to question the adequacy of the qualifications these institution is issuing. Tertiary education costs a fortune and no one can afford to go through the hardships that we encounter getting an education,to end up sitting at home with a qualification,to the extent where you are even ashamed to encourage our younger siblings to study further after matric. Faced with a situation of desperation, this result in a person to work as a teller,while trained as a Librarian,and it all doesn't make sense when there is a skills shortage outcry. Posted on 7 Sep 2007 14:43
Mells
Try Johnnic Communications-
They are running Internships in Journalism, Sales/Marketing and Finance. Visit their website and go to Careers, it will link you to Internship programmes for the above mentioned. Posted on 19 Sep 2007 11:01
Lol
You are not alone-
I am experiencing the very same thing and I'm so glad that someone has finally brought it up! Posted on 26 Aug 2008 11:41
touch
stress-
a cv is like a life audit. if u life looks empty with no potential u are not going to get employed.
have someone go through your cv and ask them if they can tell what u are all about.
If your cv loooks like that of the next guy u are in against stiff competition. Posted on 22 Sep 2008 10:25
journalism student
journalism internship stress-
I know how everybody is feeling about the internship thing, im also going thriugh the very same thing!!

none of these companies wanna try us out despite proving our qualifications and all... Its a hard knock life guys!!!

journalism student Posted on 6 Nov 2008 13:36
lenard
intern cause headeche-
I am varsity student who had try severals times to apply for internships i havin't got a call since i had started to apply you just need to be patient its tough especialy if you are a new comer in the media industry.any one whose willing to hire me i am available at this number 0736134940. Posted on 6 May 2009 12:20
Internships-
First of all, young graduates or students need to understand that no-one owes you an internship - it is not the media company's problem that you need to do an internship to get a degree. You also need to understand that there aren't many internships available - there are, in fact, very very few available in the mainstream print media. I don't know where students get the idea that newspapers and magazines have space for dozens of interns - most of them take maybe one or two a year.
Also, if your CV's and applications look anything like these comments, it's no wonder you aren't getting placements. SPELL CHECK. If there is one single spelling or grammar mistake on your CV, it gets thrown out immediately because you can't be taken seriously. It's that tough. If you really want to succeed, you need to work at it, no-one is going to hand you anything on a plate. Posted on 6 May 2009 14:51
Stumped
In their defense...-
Whilst one can criticise students frustrated with being unable to find internships in their chosen fields of study as being opinionated, big-headed or having an attitude, the fact still remains that there are only a handful of job opportunities available to these students. From my experience, almost all jobs advertised (no matter which industry you choose to go into) state at least 2 - 5 years work experience within that industry as a prerequisite. How then are students supposed to get this work experience if they cannot find work to give them that experience in the first place? Not to mention paid positions to cover the bills at the end of each month. Not everyone can afford to work as a free intern just to get their foot in the door. Posted on 14 Jan 2010 08:08
LEGAL DISCLAIMER: This Message Board accepts no liability of legal consequences that arise from the Message Boards (e.g. libel, slander, or other such crimes). All posted messages are the sole property of their respective authors. The maintainer does retain the right to remove any message posts for whatever reasons. People that post messages to this forum are not to libel/slander nor in any other way depict a company, entity, individual(s), or service in a false light; should they do so, the legal consequences are theirs alone. Bizcommunity.com will disclose authors' IP addresses to authorities if compelled to do so by a court of law.

Community activity

  • Marcel Rossouw Owner at Molasses created a profile
    1 hours, 28 minutes ago
  • Nhlanhla Brian Mdima teacher created a profile
    1 hours, 29 minutes ago
  • Samukelo Mahlalela Sound Engineer, Composer, Jingle writer created a profile
    1 hours, 35 minutes ago
  • lillian mohale HARD WORKING STUDENA AT THE UNIVERSITY OF LIMPOPO created a profile
    2 hours, 53 minutes ago
  • Dane Torode Dane Torode Multimedia Design & Illustration created a profile
    3 hours, 3 minutes ago
  • Sandy Mays Owner and founder of Blue Juice Design graphic design and communications agency created a profile
    3 hours, 12 minutes ago
  • Courtenay Carey Marketing and Brand Manager at Thiela Image created a profile
    4 hours, 7 minutes ago
  • Allana Widdison Event Management at Oakfield Farm created a profile
    4 hours, 9 minutes ago
  • sacha weber French Art Director&Supervisor, Illustrator&Designer created a profile
    4 hours, 18 minutes ago
  • Leon Marais Customs Expert at N.C. International Trade Corp. created a profile
    4 hours, 40 minutes ago
  • maxon gwijane Hotel Manager at Sun International created a profile
    4 hours, 42 minutes ago
  • Shaun Brickell Managing Director at Umlilo created a profile
    5 hours, 9 minutes ago
  • Thatelo Mahlatsi Student Assistant at University of the Free State created a profile
    5 hours, 18 minutes ago
  • Yarnall Rick Project Manager at FitSost created a profile
    5 hours, 45 minutes ago
  • titleseo service TitleSEO.Com created a profile
    5 hours, 52 minutes ago
  • Peter Veazey Air Ambulance and Air Ambulance repatriation at Air Ambulance Internationa created a profile
    6 hours, 10 minutes ago
  • karabo Phosa Intern Communications at Iphulomedia created a profile
    6 hours, 31 minutes ago
  • Cheryl Berger Executive Personal Assistant created a profile
    7 hours, 7 minutes ago
  • k p Mac Technician at B + B Sandton Garden Stay Over created a profile
    7 hours, 30 minutes ago
  • Deon van der Westhuizen created a profile
    7 hours, 47 minutes ago
  • Michael Cronje Sales executive,medical consultant at D6 Ad Sales created a profile
    8 hours, 27 minutes ago
  • Samantha du Plessis Kids Creations Art Studio created a profile
    8 hours, 30 minutes ago
  • Suzann Prinsloo Marketing and Digital Consultant created a profile
    9 hours, 32 minutes ago
  • Gwynne Searle General Manager at Phat Pak cc created a profile
    9 hours, 50 minutes ago
  • Kareema Jamie Media Strategist at Nota Bene created a profile
    10 hours, 30 minutes ago
Follow us:


Subscribe

Receive free email newsletter

Make us your homepageAdd us to your favoritesRSS feedGet biz on your phone

Invite

Tell a friend about us