A2X Consulting

We wrote about the professional uses of social media for all types of internships in this post. But did you know that there are internships devoted to social and new media?  As more companies realize the value of spreading their message via Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Foursquare, they need more manpower to manage those accounts. How do you find social media internships? What is involved in them? What makes a good social media intern? We have some answers.

Finding Internships

• Be active on social media. Having a blog, Twitter account, etc. that you can show an interviewer gives you credibility. Many times, these internships are filled via virtual-word-of-mouth, so pay attention to what people post.
• Look everywhere. Social media doesn’t just belong to tech companies. You can find social media internships in non-profits, sports teams, Fortune 500 companies, magazines and newspapers, pretty much anywhere!

What is Involved?

• Listening.  Good social media is a conversation.  As a social media intern, you’ll monitor online conversations to see what people are saying about your company.  Engaging with them shows there’s a real person behind those corporate tweets and status updates.
• Sharing. Of course, a good part of your social media internship will be posting.  Providing interesting, relevant content to your audience will keep them coming back for more and hopefully, get your company new fans and followers.

What Makes a Good Social Media Intern?

• Strong writing skills. Social media is about persuasion. The ability to convey a message in 140 characters or less takes good communication skills.
• Quick thinking.  Social media is about reacting. Sure, it’s good to have a master plan but the ability to think on your feet and adjust to the latest happenings in your company and industry is important.

There’s much more to a social media internship than what’s outlined here. Every company has a different vision for their social media efforts.  The basics remain the same.  If you’re a good communicator who can think on your feet you might consider a social media internship. It’s a great resume builder and the skills you’ll learn can help you in many careers.

By Danielle Bullen. Danielle is a writer and a resident of the Philadelphia area. Danielle can be reached at Daniellebullen@comcast.net.