Finding internships as Literature students

Literature majors make great writers and communicators, are able to grasp complicated ideas, and analyze concepts in depth. They are also creative thinkers who are able to present persuasive arguments to defend their opinions, but at the same time are flexible in connecting with and understanding people. This wide range of unique skills and talents makes literature students useful in a great many fields. 

Although the number of career options for a literature major are limited compared to other streams, there is no doubt that within the options that are available, there are plenty of interesting and exciting professions to pick from. Doing an additional internship is even better to improve your qualifications and skill set in various areas. It gives you the opportunity to explore new possibilities with your degree, and experiment with different fields to see which one you like. 

Here are some great places that Literature students can intern at:

1. Magazine Company – interning for a literary magazine would involve transcribing interviews, editing manuscripts, and proofreading. You may also be required to write articles or press releases sometimes. Working with a magazine would expose you to how the editing and compiling process works, and also provide you with knowledge on how to practically apply the various writing and reading skills your literature degree may have already taught you.

2. Newspaper agency – your daily tasks as an intern in a newspaper agency may be similar to a magazine company in some aspects, but their overall functioning and processes are rather different. Newspapers are meant to be printed and published everyday, so there is a lot more report writing, editing, fact checking, proofreading, and printing work involved. As an intern in a newspaper agency you may be required to perform some report writing, researching, or proofreading tasks. 

3. Publishing company – publishing companies are a great option if you’re interested in learning the overall process of editing, compiling, printing, and publishing a book. Here, you would get to proof read books before they are published, or fact check information, arrange public book signing meetings, and write press releases. You would get to be involved with various authors and editors and learn the details of what goes into finishing a publication.           

4. Advertising and media – as an intern for a media company, you could be writing articles, copies, press releases, and also get to manage social media accounts and blogs. Although the exposure and work could be slightly different from a proper literature related career, you’d still be putting your reading and writing skills to good use, and learning new things along the way. 

5. Radio station – among the popular media related fields in which you can intern, a radio station is another interesting option. Here, you would get to help producers run various radio programs, and help with the logistics and editing work that goes into it. As an intern you would also get to do some research, edit and proofread scripts, and even write transcriptions. 

While not all of these places would be directly related to your major, they do involve some form of reading or writing related work that is connected to your field of study. Among other options, you could also intern in an academic or educational setting as a teaching assistant or as a content developer and writer for various corporate companies.