How to Become a Radio Intern

Being a radio intern is an invaluable experience for those planning a career in broadcasting.

If you are planning a career in radio broadcasting, landing an internship at a radio station will make getting a job in the field much easier. Aside from the valued practical experience you gain from interning at a local station, an internship is the first step in building professional connections in the industry. The combination of experience gained and connections formed will be invaluable when its time to apply for positions in broadcasting.

Instructions

1. Look up the business phone numbers for the local radio stations you would like to intern for. Call each radio station to inquire when the station will be accepting new applications for internships. Generally the application window opens toward the end of each semester at local colleges, as the station’s current interns wrap up their internships.

2. Ask the person you speak with at the radio station about the internship eligibility requirements and the application process. Generally, to be eligible for a radio internship, you have to be a current college student. To apply for a radio internship, you usually have to submit an internship application, resume and cover, or both. It depends on the radio station.

3. Fill out and submit the required application materials. Just as when you apply for a job, you will have to go through an interview for a radio internship. Someone within the department you are applying for an internship in -- such as programming, production, promotions or sales -- will contact you, if your application is being considered and they want to set up an interview.

4. Approach the interview for a radio internship the same way you would a job interview. Prepare yourself by researching background information on the station such as its target market, the programming, current promotions, and the hosts or "air staff." Also find out whatever you can about the person who will be conducting your interview. Radio stations often publish bios of their radio hosts and management personnel on their websites.

5. When dressing for the interview, consider the type/format of the station and the department the internship is in. For example, if you are applying for an internship within the programming department at a rock station, the atmosphere is usually pretty casual. Your interviewer will probably be dressed in jeans and a T-shirt. Under such circumstances, it is okay for you to be a little bit casual in your dress too, to an extent. It’s always better to be more dressed up than not.

Tips & Warnings

• If you are applying for an internship in a top radio market such as New York city or Los Angeles, it is often much easier to get an internship at a small or AM radio station as opposed to a large FM station. Large, powerhouse FM radio stations are sometimes inundated with internship applicants.

References

• NPR: Internships
• SirusXM: Internships
• WGNRadio: Internships