I suggest browsing jobs every day to give you an idea of what’s out there. Plus, the qualification requirements can inspire you to learn new tools.
Here’s a list of local TV stations and production houses you can intern and work at in the Tampa Bay area:
TV Stations
- WFTS (ABC) – Tampa
- WTSP (CBS) – St. Pete
- WFLA (NBC) / WTTA (Great38)- Tampa
- WTVT (FOX)- Tampa
- Bay News 9 – St. Pete
- WEDU (PBS) – Tampa
- HSN (Home Shopping Network) – Clearwater
- SNN – Sarasota
- WWSB – Sarasota
Newspapers
Radio
- WUSF (NPR) – Tampa
Production Houses & Ad Agencies
22squared – Tampa
22squared is a full-service, 100% employee-owned advertising agency with fierce beliefs and a unifying culture. With nearly 350 employees across two offices, our clients describe us as “happily feisty” because we work tirelessly to make them successful. We deliver amazing creative ideas, but we also get in the trenches with our clients, using strategic expertise and well-educated points of view to help them achieve their business goals.
Spark – Tampa
We believe in the power of unforgettable moments. Through brand engagements we fuel passion and ignite advocacy for your brand.
Blue Water Media – Clearwater
We are a brand focused creative group that utilizes branded direct response, brand integration and traditional advertising methods to introduce product to market.
Lite Wave Studio – St. Pete
Our full-service video studio and soundstage offer everything you’ll need for a successful video or photography production in Tampa Bay. With a full array of lighting and grip equipment, audio gear, and camera rental packages, you’ll be well equipped to tackle any production need. Litewave Studios also features a sound booth on-site for voice over, a make-up room, and plenty of office and meeting space to complement the 1600 square foot cyc at our St. Petersburg video studio.
Three Chairs Production – Tampa
Storytelling is a timeless human activity. Before written words, people would shape cultures by telling elaborate stories full of morals and life lessons. At Three Chairs we continue to practice the art by crafting stories that visually captivate your viewers. We tell the stories of the things you are most passionate about – Your business, your products and your services. Strong creative, state-of-the-art production and YOU, our client. That’s Three Chairs Productions – So, pull up a chair and tell us your story.
Lot 1901 – Tampa
4,000 sqft. film studio, located in Ybor, offers a fully lit corner infinity wall, permanent sets and multiple backdrops that can be modified.
PP+K – Tampa
We have collected the essential “Elements” that are required to identify and develop Brand Solutions into one unit, which works together seamlessly on a daily basis. By creating this in-house collective, we are able to create and execute every piece of the puzzle, rather than parceling out projects to extraneous partners who don’t know your brand, or goals, as intimately as we do. What this means to our clients is not only a campaign that cohesively solves business needs, but also makes the most out of our clients’ budgets. Brand Elements is the future of our industry and PP+K is leading the collective movement.
Company Man Studios – Tampa
Where businesses, marketing departments and ad agencies come to get things done. We’re a talented group of people who bring a variety of skills but share a common goal: Create work that makes our clients and our moms proud.
Connectivity Agency – Tampa
At Connectivity Agency, we provide national strength with a localized approach to media. You WON’T get the same template for every market or a big call log of billable hours. You WILL get a customized approach that takes into account people still want to buy from brands they know, like and trust – what’s changed is how you connect to them!
Freelance Production Work
If you’re looking for flexible fast money and experience in a variety of production environments, I suggest you check out Staff Me Up. This site lists a variety of freelance production assistant jobs which are usually the most entry level. This is great for students who are still learning. It’s also a great way to fill up your resume. I worked on several different TV shows and music video sets while I was in college and it helped me network and learn a lot about different types of production environments.
My advice for freelance work:
- No one is above getting coffee and taking out the trash.
- A positive and energized attitude will help you get called back.
- Don’t let your inexperience scare you into being quiet. Get to know people while you work, but don’t waste their time or your own time just socializing.
- Pay attention to areas where you can help and don’t wait to be asked.
- Read StaffMeUp’s article about 7 Things Not to Do on Set
Job Search Site
One of the best resources for job searches is Glassdoor. The app includes helpful pros and cons from employees so you get a better idea of what you’re getting yourself into. It also shows salary information for different positions.
Want to stay in the Tampa Bay area? The Tampa Bay Business Journal has a job board that lists media careers from TV to social media and marketing.
Looking for jobs you can do from anywhere? FlexJobs posts remote positions that include part-time, full-time, contract and freelance. You can work from home to take care of family or work on the road if you travel a lot. This site isn’t free, but it’s worth the money if you subscribe for a few months.
There are many opportunities to work from home part-time or full-time. I suggest checking the job board on Freelance Writing Jobs.
Glass Ceiling is also a job search site. Their focus is helping women get equal pay. They feature successful professionals and resume tips.
My Media Jobs has listings of TV jobs across the country.
It doesn’t hurt to be at the top of the resume pile, so sign up for daily notifications from MEO Jobs to find job listings as soon as they go up.
MEO Jobs also has a great Twitter account I encourage you to follow.
Journalism.com offers a ton of openings and also lists internships.
After you apply, don’t forget to reach out to the hiring manager to follow up on the status of your application and stress your interest in the role. Thank them for their consideration and get them chatting so they remember you. Oh and P.S. don’t forget to tell them your full name and what position you applied for.
Get Paid
https://twitter.com/JNetAbrahamsen/status/887079820051574784
Journalism isn’t going to make you rich unless you’re one of very few at the very top. You really have to love what you do because according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median annual wage for reporters and correspondents was $37,720 in May 2015.The median annual wage for producers and directors was $68,440 in May 2015. Pay generally goes up when you work in bigger markets like New York and Los Angeles, but so do the hours. The region also plays a large role in what you can expect to earn. The southeast generally pays less than the west coast for example.
CNN reporters Clare Sebastian and Samuel Burke did a pkg on how to ask for a raise once you get the job you want. This was on Equal Pay Day so the focus was on how women can adjust their pitch to increase their chances of decreasing the pay gap. But, the advice is great for both men and women, especially if you’re new to the negotiating table.
Interesting new article about the wage gap from VOX: Women negotiate for raises as much as men do. They just don’t get them.
Know a great place for media professionals? Please add it in the comment section.
Business Cards
I designed a really simple card in photoshop then uploaded it to VistaPrint. They printed it and sent it to my house. Or you can use their templates and images for your card. Either way, it’s important to always be ready in case someone asks for one.
Cover Letter Template
My Cover Letter
You should always start your cover letters with a specific reference to the job you’re applying for. Every cover letter should be a little different each time because it should be tailored to the requirements laid out in the job description. But you can create your own template that would go in the middle paragraphs. Here’s mine to give you an idea of what that would look like:
I earned my bachelor’s degree at the University of South Florida in broadcast news. I worked as a video lab assistant in the Mass Communications department. I was responsible for teaching students how to use camera and lighting equipment. I also helped students edit their video projects. At the same time, I worked as a videographer at the Museum of Science and Industry to research how people learn in engaging environments.
I then moved to San Diego where I produced news for an ABC affiliate. I was then offered the opportunity to build a television station from the ground up at one of the country’s most successful newspapers. I launched U-T TV, hired and managed 80 people, and oversaw a $5.5 million budget. I also trained the print sales and marketing department to sell and promote a wide variety of broadcast and digital programming. I assimilated 125 U-T San Diego print and digital journalists into broadcast platforms and directed an incredible innovation in media integration.
I returned to Tampa to be with my family in 2013. Though we are originally from Norway, this is the city we call home. I earned a master’s degree from USF St. Petersburg in digital journalism and web design to arm myself with the skills it will take to succeed in the quickly evolving media world.
From 2013-2016, I worked as a news producer at Tampa’s NBC affiliate WFLA and WTTA. I launched a weekend morning show, a Sunday morning political show, a Sunday midday show and an 8 p.m. nightly show.
I have been teaching at the University of South Florida as a broadcast news adjunct professor since 2015. I am incredibly passionate about creating engaging multimedia presentations to motivate and teach students.
Resume Example
Additional Resources:
Are you applying for internships and wondering how to actually get college credit for the internship? The process for registering for the internship course is outlined on this website:http://masscom.usf.edu/ug/intern/
The course is MMC 4945 Internship, but before a permit is given you must submit the paperwork and get approval, as outlined on the website listed above.
1 credit = 100 hours of work, 2 credits = 200 hours of work, and 3 credits = 300 hours of work over the course of the semester.
Popular ways to search for internships include the following:
- SMCInternships.com
- Handshake: https://www.usf.edu/career-services/handshake/hs-gen-handshake.aspx
*Remember that the department does not award retroactive credit; you must apply and register for the internship course prior to the start of the semester.*
https://twitter.com/JNetAbrahamsen/status/909463275334758400