My Experience with the Privila Internship
During my last semester in 2006 at Colombia College Chicago, I interned with Privila in house as a journalist. I was a full time student pursuing a BA in fiction writing.
I always knew I wanted to do an internship to gain real work experience, but I never knew I would actually enjoy the work as much as I did working with Privila.
I was assigned article topics to research and write about. I was encouraged to research all facets of the topic from books, magazines, to Internet information. The Privila articles are meant to be a quick read with interesting and pertinent information in 400 to 800 words. The amount I wrote often had to do with how many key words I had to use and the depth of the article topic.
The articles were assigned as best as they could be according to my interests. The articles varied in topics from airbrushing to rebuilding small engine carburetors. I was always interested in the topics, even the article on engines. I enjoy learning new things and found all of the topics to be of strong educational value and general interest.
What added to the experience of interning in house at Privila was the office space. The office has a very casual atmosphere. The walls are painted a calming green with a light maroon accent wall. There are couches, cushy chairs, desks, and tables to settle into wherever it is comfortable. There are Japanese accents with twisted bamboo plants on each table and cream colored paper lanterns hung in the corners and over the writing areas. I appreciated the use of those lights, as opposed to the traditional florescent lights found in most office spaces. A favorite of mine was the refrigerator. It was always well stocked with all kinds of drinks and pop imaginable. Privila also provided snacks, coffee, and lunch everyday.
What I learned at Privila will helped me in my writing career in more ways than I even realized. I learned to work independently with little or no supervision. Being able to meet my deadlines each week was something that I found to be challenging. Having looming deadlines taught me how to write fast, but still maintain quality. I did not have the time to debate between which adjective was the most perfect one. I had to learn how to make a decision and stick with it.
What I learned on the job was exceptionally valuable to my training in fiction writing as well as in my other classes. Being able to research and put all the information together so it makes sense is very much like writing a story.
Just as important, I learned how to work with an editor. This is an invaluable skill. Working with an editor helped me to better my writing beyond minor grammatical errors. I learned to ask questions, see things differently, and offer a fresh approach to a topic.
After graduation, I stayed on as an intern at Privila. I worked from home and in house. It kept me writing and focused during the difficult time of looking for job. With the help and support from the Privila staff, I was offered many interviews and landed a great job.
Everything that I learned from interning with Privila will stay with me throughout my writing career. Looking back, I wrote a total of eighty five articles. I feel like I have accomplished more than I ever thought I could in only five short months.
I would recommend this internship opportunity for all writers. As a friend and editor of Rosebud literary magazine once said to me, “work with words whenever you can.”
-- submitted by Kristin Breheim, Chicago, Illinois
(Journalist via in-house, Fall 2006-Spring 2007)
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