Where Should I Intern, Ad Agency or Newspaper

proudterrier
Tue, 04 Aug 2015 07:58:31 +0000

Advertising agencies and newspapers are very different businesses! You would pick up potential work/life skills at either, but they’ll be vastly different experiences. Agency life is pretty tough, but I would lean towards the agency for your internship since you really are interested in copywriting. You’ll get an up close & personal glimpse at how it works and see if you really like it, and either way pick up some valuable skills. I would only do the newspaper internship if you’re really interested in pursuing traditional journalism (reporting, research, headlines, decks, ledes, etc.), which it doesn’t sound like you are. You might want to be very selective when you apply to schools, as well. Journalism and advertising are quite different–if you don’t want to learn reporting, etc. you may not want to major in journalism. I majored in journalism but now work in marketing, and there are many things I have to do–including copywriting!–that I had zero prep for in my journalism major (branding being a big one). There are schools with advertising majors, or communications majors that dovetail nicely into advertising/copywriting and are less heavy on reporting/journalism. BU has an advertising/PR major, for example.