Episode 11 - Freelancing & Internships

Host: David DesRoches, Quinnipiac University

Guests: Derek Amrosi, National Emmy Award-Winning Editor / Gary Cohen, Executive Director, Triple Threat Television

"Select+CT" is a Digital Media Connecticut (DMCT) podcast series dedicated to Connecticut's Digital Media industry!

What makes a good intern? Better yet, how do you even become one? 

With an internship, you get to prove yourself and perform at a high standard, that's what can move your career forward. You have to have self respect for your work, but you also need to take criticism and improve it in order to move up in the industry you seek. A good intern is someone who is bound to get hired for an even slightly bigger role in the company.  Interns who outreach typically excel. If that outreach is a certain level of creativity, ingenuity, and ambition, you will rise above the others. Sometimes if you’re too good, you can earn the title of being an Emmy award winner!

“You need to be your own advocate, your own agent, your own corporation,” said Derek.  

Takeaways from Gary & Derek: 

• It helps to make a portfolio of items you’ve created in the last decade or so, of course, if you think they are of quality. Use the criticism from your internship to look at those projects differently. 
• Have self respect for your work, but also need to take criticism and improve it in order to move up in the industry you seek. 
• You have to prove yourself and perform at a high standard during an internship, that's what can move your career forward. The more effort you put into your work, the more effort the company will put into you succeeding with them.