The BBC is Britain’s largest television network, making it a company that many people want to work for. Those in the fields of journalism, acting, and communications will often apply for jobs with the BBC, but it can be surprisingly hard to get an internship there.
So how can you do it?
The competition is fierce
Did you know that the BBC receives more than 100,000 applications every year? Most of the applicants are younger than 25.
The BBC has a team that weeds out the best applications, shortening the list of potential employees/interns to about 20 per position. These names are passed on to the departments, each of which will then decide which employees they want to interview.
How to get the BBC Internship
First off, figure out which internship positions will be the best for you. There are hundreds of positions available with the BBC, and the number of internships is quite high. You’ll find that there are positions available in many fields, including:
- Technology, including science, digital media, technology research, and UX design.
- Production, which is all about producing quality movies and TV programs.
- Journalism, in the fields of reporting and on-air hosting.
- Business, including business management and leadership skills
There is a special type of position available called "Work Experience". This internship only lasts about two weeks, but it gives you a look into the world of the BBC. The purpose of this internship is to help students and graduates decide if they want to work at the BBC, and it gives them the experience they’ll need when they are actually hired to work at the company.
Once you have found the job that you think you are best suited for, it’s time to fill out the application. Every job position page on the BBC website comes with its own application link, which will make it easy for you to get to the form to fill out.
Perfect grammar and spelling are a MUST when filling out the applications for the BBC internships. There are so many people applying for the positions that you must be the best, so make sure that you write well, use proper language, and answer the questions sensibly and objectively.
When filling out the application, make sure to specify your goals of the internship, what your career dreams are, and how you believe you can complement the BBC team. Be thoughtful with your answers, and take your time filling out the application.
Once you are done, click "Submit" and cross your fingers. You can apply to as many internships in the BBC as you want, but you will only be able to submit once a month.
The number of applications received by the BBC drops during term times, so that’s the best time of the year to submit your application. As all of the other students are preparing for their mid-terms or final term exams, you may be able to snag that BBC internship!
Image source: yaf.org