<p>A publication in our area says to potential reviewers: We’ll give you something to review (book, CD, etc.). You write a review, and we’ll edit and publish it. We don’t pay you any money, but you get to keep the item in exchange for reviewing it.</p>
<p>How would you list this on a college app? Is it “employment” or “work experience,” even though the compensation is something other than cash?</p>
<p>I’d list it under ECs. My older S used to write and edit for a community newspaper without any compensation, and listed that under ECs.</p>
<p>Is there a spot for “publications”?</p>
<p>Is there any criteria to actually getting hired for this “job?” (like being a good writer, expertise into what actually comprises a good book or music, etc.)</p>
<p>It seems more like a marketing gimmick where companies send you free stuff in exchange for a review.</p>
<p>Getting chosen to write these reviews is very much like getting hired for a job. You’ll be interviewed, you need to demonstrate expertise, you need writing samples, and you need a plan for how you will cover this “beat.” The publication doesn’t just take reviews from anyone who comes along. They choose a reviewer, and that person may be the sole reviewer for his category of content. The reviewer is expected to stay informed in his field and submit reviews on a regular basis, such as one per week, depending on the category.</p>
<p>I wouldn’t characterize it as a marketing gimmick. I’m sure publishers of books, music, etc., send samples to newspapers and magazines across the country in hopes of getting a review, but the publications are the gatekeepers of their editorial content.</p>
<p>In some ways, this position is like an unpaid internship. People do it to get their foot in the door, to get clips from a major publication, to make contacts in the field, to gain credibility, to develop a following of readers, to get references, to get experience to list on their resumes. Would an unpaid internship be considered employment?</p>
<p>This is certainly a significant activity that you should highlight in your applications. It would not be stretching the truth to list it as employment, since you are getting compensated. I know kids who actually PAY to be camp “counselors in training”, and I’m sure they list that as their summer job.</p>
<p>unpaid internships are categorized as “employment” or “work experience”</p>