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The pitch: How would you like to learn new media skills while having a positive impact on the college media environment? Join us for a semester of new media opportunity as the intern for the Center for Innovation in College Media for Fall 2009.

Who you are: A bright, dedicated college journalist who wants to help lead the discussion of how technology and online media can improve college media. Internship is open to international students as well (i.e., those outside the United States).

What you’ll do: Help maintain the Innovation in College Media weblog by producing relevant content that highlights what college media are doing in a changing media environment. The possibilities for editorial production are limited only by your imagination and energy. Some of the possibilities:

• Podcast interviews with media movers and shakers.
• Reviews of college media online initiatives.
• Maps and databases of college media online sites.
• Live video streams of conferences and/or interviews.
• Round-ups of relevant new media writing.
• And more.

Skills: Social media savvy (Twitter, friendfeed, etc.), video and audio (soundslides, mogulus or ustream), blogging (WordPress), college journalism (worked as a college journalist, familiar with college media environment).

Location: Wherever you are. I operate from Charleston, IL, Chris Carroll operates from Nashville, TN, but you can operate from anywhere you have a computer and Internet access.

Start/End Dates: Start date is Feb. 8. End date is end of May, 2010.

Hours: As far as hours, it’s really open-ended. You can do some awesome work with minimal hours, or a lot of hours and a minimum of ROI (return on investment). Seriously, it’s all up to you. My goal is for you to succeed.

Pay: We don’t have a lot of money, but we can offer a $500 stipend and a heckuva recommendation letter from yours truly when you’ve finished the race. We’ll make a badge available as well that you can post on your blog or web site.

About the site: ICM is part of the non-profit Center for Innovation in College Media, and is read by numerous college journalists, advisers, and industry folks.

How to apply: Send a copy of your resume and a 250-word essay (or post on your weblog or web site, even better) explaining what ideas you have for the site to me at scmurley@gmail.com. Include links to any multimedia you have produced in the past.

Be forewarned – I will be posting a poll for readers to vote on who is the best potential intern (results will be viewable only by me). However, the ultimate decision on the intern is made by the CICM directors. The winner’s name will be posted after they have been notified and accepted the internship.

Deadline for applications: Monday, Feb. 1, 2010

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Think of it this way — it’s a bit more complicated than just sending out a resume and hard-copy portfolio.

New media guru David Spinks says college journalists on a job search must develop a social media strategy to help separate themselves from droves of others on the prowl for a particular position. Spinks serves as the community manager for Scribnia.com, an online platform for both bloggers and readers, as well as the co-moderator of young professionals Twitter chat #u30pro.

“Social media provides a huge opportunity, ” Spinks said. “It provides an opportunity to build those connections that you wouldn’t have otherwise.”

A personal blog or portfolio site is a must-have for any aspiring journalist entering the job market. (Check out 10000words.net’s list of outstanding journalist portfolios).

“A blog has many values — you can write about anything, but it’s all about how you engage and connect with readers,” Spinks said. “It allows you to establish yourself and tell people about who your are.”

“It’s the differentiator between you and everyone else,” Spinks added.

Blogging frequently and with specific headlines to enhance search engine optimization is one key to attracting readers, but be sure to ask for reader feedback and to enable commenting on the site to create a dialogue.

A personal blog or portfolio site can serve as the corner stone to the online image that new journalists must shape, said Spinks.

“It’s really important that you shape a that image of yourself — that image that comes up when people seek you online,” Spinks said. “It’s up to you personally how you present yourself. Part of blogging and social networking is showing more of your personality and being more transparent. But then there’s the saying that you shouldn’t have anything online that you wouldn’t show your mother.”

Spinks advises that job seekers not to  overlook the networking aspect of social networking, using sites such as Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn to build relationships.

“You should purposely seek out those relationships,” Spinks said. “When I was out looking for a job after college I would seek out the people who worked for the company through social networking before I applied, before I sent out my paper resume and cover letter.”

For more professional new media tips check out Spinks’ blog at davidspinks.com or the #u30pro Twitter chat at 8 p.m. EST on Thursday.

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Via Will Sullivan, STLToday/St. Louis Post-Dispatch is looking for PAID spring and summer interns. The description is below the fold. NOTE: The Journerdist wants you to be sure to understand that all print resumes and clips will be recycled, so show your multimedia/online skills for this one. Deadline is Nov. 28.

The St. Louis Post-Dispatch and STLToday.com is looking for Multimedia Interns for the Spring and Summer of 2010. This evolving, 15th-largest newspaper in the United States was a Pulitzer finalist this year for Breaking News as well as the winner of two ONA Online Journalism Awards for Breaking News and Best Multimedia Feature and a Mid America Regional Emmy for Advanced Media Interactivity in 2008. The PD is looking for an enthusiastic, multidisciplined, creative and flexible multimedia journalist with a sense of humor, curiosity and adventure who can generate and execute multimedia ideas professionally and efficiently.

• Exceptional visual and audio content gathering and editing skills A
• gifted storyteller – no matter what form the content takes Final Cut Pro or iMovie Audacity (or other multi-track audio editing programs)
• Soundslides Ability to turn high-quality projects quickly
• Ability to write cleanly and create engaging, informative blog entries, captions, web teases and headlines
• Firm grasp of best practices for social media promotion and search engine optimization techniques

• Provide a brief biographical cover letter stating which internship you are interested in (Spring and/or Summer, you can apply to both, but will only be eligible to be selected for one)
• A resume
• A link to your website, blog or links to your previous multimedia work (Sorry, no CDs or print portfolios will be accepted.)
• Contact information for three references (Your references should include the name, title and phone number of the person who supervised/trained you)

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Also, National Geographic is looking for two summer interns. Details are below the fold.

2010 NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC MAGAZINE PHOTOGRAPHY INTERNSHIPS

The National Geographic magazine will offer two photography internships during the summer or fall of 2010.  The program is an opportunity for young photographers to experience first-hand the rigors of life in the professional world.  It is also an opportunity for us at the Geographic to scrutinize the work of those in whom we may have further interest.  We are proud that many of our regular “shooters” are former summer interns.

One internship is automatically offered to the winner of the College Photographer of the Year contest administered by the University of Missouri, Columbia.  For information go to www.cpoy.org.

The other internship is awarded based on a portfolio.  It is primarily for college students – undergraduate or graduate—but we will also consider someone not currently in school.  The purpose of the internship is experience and encouragement to those who aspire to be a photojournalist.  Interns must be at least 21 years of age and U.S. citizens, or have appropriate student work documents.

Both internships are for fourteen weeks at a salary of $480 a week.  When on assignment away from the city, the Geographic pays all expenses.  Transportation expenses to and from Washington at the start and conclusion of the internship are covered by the Society.  The interns are responsible for their own housing.

To apply, send us a single package that includes a portfolio of recent work (no more than 30 images), a resume, and a letter of recommendation from a photography teacher or established photojournalist.  We are interested in strong photojournalism, your ability to produce a visual narrative, and original story ideas.   CDs or DVDs are the preferred method of submission but portfolios may also be in the form of slides, prints or clippings of any combination, in color and/or black and white.  Digital images should be JPEGs, sized to approximately 1600 wide, 72 dpi.

We will accept portfolios in early January and all must be postmarked by January 30, 2010. Send to Susan Smith, Deputy Director of Photography, National Geographic Magazine, 1145 17^th Street, NW, Washington, DC 20036.  Please clearly label your envelope, “NGM Photography Internship,” and if you would like for us to return your portfolio, you must include a self-addressed stamped envelope.

We will notify all applicants by email in early March 2010.   Please share this information with anyone who may be interested and eligible.

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