The HSPA Foundation encourages newspapers to register to host an advertising intern in 2015.
The advertising internship program enters its second year after last year’s pilot project worked well for the majority of newspapers, and some even hired their intern permanently.
The deadline to apply has been extended to Jan. 16.
Click here to register online to host an advertising intern in 2015.
The Foundation’s role includes recruiting qualified students from the Midwest region, setting up the application and selection process, and providing sales training for the students before they begin.
Newspapers that sign up for the program agree to offer at least minimum wage ($7.25 per hour) to the selected student, cover the student’s FICA and Medicare taxes that they cannot recover, and offer a commission of at least 1 percent (5 percent preferable) for a minimum of eight 40-hour weeks.
Although this involves a cost for newspapers, an advertising intern means an additional salesperson or designer – and increased revenue – for the host paper during the summer.
The Foundation will notify business and journalism schools of the openings available and ask students to rank those newspapers where they could work and find housing.
Ad directors who select the students will chose from the applicant pool.
Pamela Lego, advertising director for Midwest Advertising Placements, HSPA’s advertising arm, will provide a training session for the interns before they head to the newspapers.
Recruiting of students will begin as soon as the Foundation knows which papers to list. The search will target school newspaper sales staffs and business majors.
Newspapers may apply by completing a simple electronic registration form found at www.hspafoundation.org/registration/. Click on Advertising interns, then Newspapers.
