Job & Internship

Aug 2009 Internship Spotlight

Name: Ross Boettcher
Major: Journalism
Company: The Omaha World-Herald

Duties: When I learned in late April that I was going to be interning as a business reporter for the World-Herald, I was more than a bit anxious. I didn't have any previous experience writing business stories or reporting on financial news; However, I knew layoffs and budget crunches had hit the "Money" section of the paper hard and that my services would be put to good use. During my 12 weeks in Omaha I was responsible for pitching business story ideas, reporting and writing, in addition to shooting much of the art that ran with my written content. My stories were primarily features with a business angle, but I also helped cover the College World Series, where I wrote short features and shot photos for daily publication.

The World-Herald internship was a great experience because my editors and fellow reporters treated me as an equal, not "just an intern." I worked hard and brought fresh ideas to the table while also doing my best to absorb skills and techniques from veteran reporters and colleagues. As someone who had not written many business or feature stories before the summer, I learned a lot about descriptive writing, simplifying financial terminology, and extracting specific, ornate details from sources.

Most Memorable Experience: In mid-July the beat reporter who covers Union Pacific, Con Agra Foods, and online brokerage firm TD Ameritrade for the World-Herald was on vacation, so I was chosen to report on TD Ameritrade's third-quarter earnings statement. I listened in on a conference call with the company's CEO Fred Tomczyk and Chief Financial Officer Bill Gerber, then interviewed both officials immediately after the call. Since I hadn't had a lot of time translating financial jargon before that, the experience was a bit nerve-racking. But, as my editor put it, reporting on those stories becomes a right of passage for young reporters.

Other worthwhile experiences: being on the field at Johnny Roseblatt Stadium reporting after LSU beat Texas for the College World Series title, interviewing Miami Heat star Dwyane Wade, and any time one of my stories ran on the front page of the World-Herald or was featured on omaha.com.

Special Contribution: At big newspapers it's quite rare for reporters to also shoot photos that highlight their stories, especially when the stories are planned as centerpieces. In most cases, reporters fill out a budget line, file a photo request, then go from there. At the World-Herald I was able to demonstrate that I could report and shoot the photography for my pieces, and was given clearance from the director of photography and the director of design to shoot my own assignments instead of bogging down staff photographers who could be working on other stories and projects.

Advice to Future Interns: Yes, working at student publications like The Daily, Ethos, ISU TV, etc. are all important experiences to obtain, but when you're looking for a job immediately after graduation employers want to see that you've also had extensive experience in a professional setting. My internship this summer was the fourth I've completed and I can't begin to tell you how many different lessons and skills I've picked up simply from working in different newsrooms with extremely talented journalists.

With the newspaper business changing as much as it has in the past five years and with such an indefinite future, it's important that interns and young reporters learn the skills and techniques that have been proven by the veterans, in addition to picking up new skills that can be applied as newpapers become increasing electronic. Working with professionals on a daily basis provides the opportunity to establish a strong network that, in the long run, will help you find quality jobs in the industry. Finally, be well-rounded and flexible. The more skills you have and the more marketable you make yourself, the better chance you have at landing the job you desire.

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