Note: A version of this Q&A originally appeared in the weekly newsletter Journalism jobs and a photo of my dog.
The Dow Jones News Fund “has prepared thousands of journalists and journalism educators who have gone on to prestigious careers” through paid internships (apply in the fall) and other programs.
Linda Shockley, managing director of the Dow Jones News Fund, recently answered some questions via email to help early-career journalists.
Mandy Hofmockel: What advice would you share with student journalists who just graduated from college and are hoping to find jobs this summer?
Linda Shockley: Pursue all job search resources including university career services, trusted mentors and professors. Draw upon previous internship supervisors and colleagues for good recommendations. Build and strengthen your network.
You may be able to showcase your skills whether at news media or nonprofit organizations, particularly those that need skilled storytellers. Many foundations need strong communicators to reach their audiences, clients, donors and stakeholders. Writing, reporting, audio, video, data and visual communication skills will make you an attractive prospect.
Hofmockel: How can students applying for some of the more prestigious internships and fellowships this fall make their applications stand out?
Shockley: Your applications will stand out by listing the journalistic work you’ve done during, about and in spite of the pandemic. Clips from campus media, remote internships, freelancing, enterprising journalism and unique story perspectives make you notable.
By all means, make it easy for your good journalism to be found on your own website and other platforms like Medium and LinkedIn.
Hofmockel: If an early-career journalist secured an internship or job that they then lost due to a company’s coronavirus-related financial hardships, should they include that on their resume? If so, what’s the best way to do that?
Shockley: You were a competitive candidate to have been selected so list that selection on your resume. State what happened simply and directly, for example: “Selected January 2020 as summer intern at ‘NewsNewsNews’ before the program was canceled because of COVID-19.”
Full disclosure: Hofmockel was a DJNF intern with California Watch, a project of the Center for Investigative Reporting, in 2010.
Mandy Hofmockel is Hearst Connecticut Media Group’s Managing Editor of Audience and she writes a weekly newsletter, Journalism jobs and a photo of my dog. Reach her at mandy.hofmockel@gmail.com or on Twitter at @mandyhofmockel.
