Before you apply, get clear about your expectations and interests. A journalism internship can take many forms: arts or politics desk, television or online journalism, local paper or international magazine. Do you want to write, take photos, film or create social media content? Are you drawn to investigative research, daily news reporting or digital storytelling?

‘First you should ask yourself: what can I do and what do I already know? And then take the second, brave step and say: I’m not doing that again!’ says Köpke. ‘We always like doing what we can already do, because it brings quick success. But the exciting thing is actually getting to know something new.’

Prof. Christoph Bangert, photojournalist and internship coordinator on the Visual Journalism and Documentary Photography programme, stresses: ‘Look for an environment where you can take on responsibility. That’s challenging – but that’s exactly what makes you grow.’

Student Monja Nagel agrees: ‘I learned most when I was thrown in at the deep end – but had the chance to grow into the tasks.’

Your journalism internship should suit you – in terms of content, organisation and personality. Think about it: which formats do you regularly read, listen to or watch? Which editorial teams work the way you can imagine working yourself? Where do you find exciting subjects, clear positions and good stories?

‘The very first step is to find out what you read and watch yourself. Which publications interest me? Are there publications or editorial teams where I’d say, they do great work, I can identify with that?’ explains Christoph Bangert. Questions Wilfried Köpke also thinks you should definitely ask yourself: ‘What are the media I’d actually like to work for? Just dream a little: where would I like to go? In my experience, it then works out.’

Large media companies usually offer structured internship programmes, clear contacts and professional workflows. Smaller editorial teams often allow you to work more independently, with flat hierarchies and more direct access to decisions.

Platforms such as newsroom.de or the careers pages of media companies can help you search. Speculative applications also make sense – especially to leading media outlets that don’t advertise internships publicly.

Partnerships with the F.A.Z. and the LVZ

The Visual Journalism and Documentary Photography programme at Hochschule Hannover has long-standing partnerships with renowned media outlets such as the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung and the Leipziger Volkszeitung. Felix Posner, who did his journalism internship in Leipzig, says: ‘I was able to take pictures every day – that moved me on a lot in a short time.’

Student Jasper Hill at work for the F.A.Z.

Editorial teams are looking for committed interns – and you are looking for an environment in which you can learn. Both sides have expectations. ‘One thing is what you want. The other is what the editorial team wants,’ stresses Köpke. Being aware of this is important if you want to be happy with the internship in the end. ‘Choosing an internship isn’t a Tinder date. You’ll never have a 100 per cent match between your own expectations and what a company offers. If you notice that the differences are too great, it’s a good idea to simply ask again what’s possible.’

Many people rightly ask when they should apply for a journalism internship. Not so easy to answer, says Wilfried Köpke: ‘Before Covid, we always said: apply a year in advance. But Covid pretty much torpedoed that, because all editorial teams planned at such short notice. We notice that this short-term approach is still an issue.’ So it’s hard to give a concrete answer at the moment. But better too early than too late!

The most important thing is that your application makes clear you have really engaged with the editorial team’s content. ‘You have to show that you really want it by having looked very closely at the publication and your future employer. That you know what they do, what their style is, who writes and takes photos for them,’ says Bangert. Köpke agrees: ‘As an editorial team, I need to be able to see that this person has really looked into what we actually do here.’

So: ‘Beware of copy and paste!’ stresses Köpke. ‘It doesn’t look good if you apply first to the fashion magazine and then send the same application – with only the address at the top changed – to the football people, leaving the fashion references in.’

Monja always highlights direct references to the work of the editorial team in her applications. ‘I also always describe my motivation – why I in particular want the position and why I’d fit in well with the team.’ So think about what you can offer the editorial team and state it clearly in your cover letter. ‘That shows someone has thought not only about what they want but also about what the editorial team wants and how they can contribute to it. That lifts you above the average application,’ says Köpke.

An important part of every application: meaningful samples of your work. Three well-chosen texts, photo essays or pieces are better than ten unstructured projects. Pay attention to relevance, formal quality and variety.

Once your application is ready, of course, it still has to be sent – from a professional-looking email address. Ideally, send your application not only to the HR department but also to the editor-in-chief or head of the desk. Make sure you address the recipients by name. That comes across as much more personal than ‘Dear Sir or Madam’.

Once that’s done, it can take a while to get an answer. After ten days, you can call the editorial office and ask about your application. ‘A certain persistence and bite count in your favour, because the people in the newsroom then know that you’ll deal with people the same way when you’re researching on the ground. It won’t be held against you,’ explains Köpke.

Photography students often have too much material in their portfolios. You really should cut it down. Fewer projects, which can then be more extensive – in our case, that means 30 to 40 pictures per project. Put together a portfolio that is compact, precise and intense.

Portfolio review with Prof. Christoph Bangert. Photo: Vladislav Laptev

If your application is successful, an interview usually follows. It’s the perfect opportunity to find out more about what to expect during your journalism internship. Pay, responsibilities, working hours? Now is the time to clarify the conditions properly.

‘The most important thing is that the placement offers a clear structure,’ stresses Köpke. ‘The editorial team has to know what it wants from you. And if they can put that into words, you can also say whether you want it or not.’ Working at weekends, the occasional 60-hour week or a two-week filming trip – ‘not a problem at all, as long as it’s clearly defined in advance.’

To shine at interview, it’s important – as in your application – to show: ‘I know who you are.’ The first question is often: ‘How did you like yesterday’s programme, or yesterday’s issue?’ So it helps to have an answer ready. Having a view on the content, voicing criticism if need be and suggesting your own ideas are also important, according to Köpke.

‘In my experience, the interview and how I presented myself were even more important than the application,’ says Felix. His tip: ‘Don’t beat about the bush – show clearly who you are and what you can do, so people get a clear impression of you.’

Bangert’s tip for journalism interviews: ‘Feel free to ask questions, too. Sometimes you forget that when you’re nervous. But the people you’re dealing with are often interesting, and you can ask them a few questions as well.’

Monja also advises getting to know your own CV well. Sounds obvious, but think again beforehand about what you want to say about each stage you’ve been through so far. What have you already learned that you can bring to this company? What do you still want to learn? ‘They like to bring up everything that’s on your CV. So you should be able to say something about it.’