Guido is hiring paid summer interns. We are looking to try out people who are considering becoming journalists, not people who just fancy a few weeks interning in SW1 on their CV. It also helps if you are not a politics ingénue.
Being a Guido reporter does not suit shy introverts who would be uneasy about calling up a cabinet minister to ask some embarrassing questions. Former interns at Guido now occupy senior editorial roles in the broadsheets and tabloids, some have gone over to the dark side to work in government and Downing Street, others you see on your screens every day. The reason Guido alumni go on to further success is because working at Guido puts you in at the deep end of the Westminster politics shark tank. This year we will be looking by the end of the summer to hire a trainee reporter and a data journalist who understands statistics, we want to “try before we buy” over 3 week terms a number of interns with a view to hiring.
To apply for an internship, complete all four tasks below:
- Write an amusing 300-word article about Graham Brady and the 1922 Committee in the Guido house style.
- Tell us what was your favourite “Guido Exclusive” in 2022 and why?
- Find a grammatical or factual error in a Guido article.
- Draft a properly framed Freedom of Information request for something that would form the basis of a news story.
In addition if you are applying for the data journalist internship:
- Tell us your inflation expectations for the next year and the following decade with your reasoning. Feel free to use chart graphics.
In addition if you are applying for the reporter internship:
- Produce and present a light-hearted, short Abba-themed video with brief profiles of at least six members of the Labour Shadow Cabinet. Produce and edit it using Adobe Premiere software (free trial).
You are welcome to apply for both internships. We will interview by phone successful applicants and whittle down a shortlist to come in for a face-to-face interview and make offers to probably six applicants. There is some flexibility over which 3 week period you can work over the summer. Finally, we welcome applications from everyone whatever your background and we will consider non-graduates, however:-
- If you are not considering or available to work at Guido after the summer, don’t apply.
- The position is based in Westminster.
Send your completed tasks with a covering letter to team@order-order.com with “internship” in the subject line. Applications first received, will be first considered.
Labour’s flagship human rights campaign – which has attacked low-wage jobs and argued in favour of banning zero-hours contracts – is using unpaid volunteer interns to carry out its work. Labour Campaign for Human Rights has recruited dozens of ‘volunteers’ over the past five years. Despite the roles being unpaid, the ‘volunteers’ are required to commit 2-3 hours per week, and there are only a limited number of positions available. LCHR’s advisory board includes Sadiq Khan, Keir Starmer (who has appeared as their guest of honour), Stephen Twigg, Andy Slaughter, Catherine West, Clive Lewis and Corbyn adviser Katy Clark.
Work undertaken by unpaid ‘volunteers’ includes roles advertised as ‘Communications Officer’ and ‘Activism Coordinator’. This February six were taken on to “help us run our campaign on Brexit & human rights”. In January two ‘recent graduates or students’ were asked to help with events, write articles and liaise with MPs. These are clearly jobs that merit payment. Apparently the Labour Campaign for Human Rights isn’t so big on the right to be paid for your work…
The Guardian is offering an internship to Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic wannabe journos – but it won’t pay them. An advert states:
“The Guardian believes there should be a better representation of our diverse society in journalism, and each summer offers up to 12 two-week placements for students or graduates from BAME backgrounds… The scheme is unpaid, though reasonable daily travel expenses will be reimbursed.”
The following Guardian pieces will make good introductory reading for its lucky new interns:
- ‘Join the fight against unpaid internships’
- ‘Unpaid internships and a culture of privilege are ruining journalism’
- ‘The power of the intern’
- ‘We shouldn’t have to work for free’
- ‘Are you rich enough to bid for a City AM internship?’
- Unpaid internships rig the system. Curb them now
- The young are paying for the privilege of unpaid work and it’s further entrenching inequality
- The Guardian view on social mobility: the class ceiling
- Interns: all work, no play
Campaign group Intern Aware tell Guido: “For this scheme to be successful, The Guardian needs to ensure it’s affordable, particularly for people who don’t live in London.” Easy day one task: “Find me a story on unpaid internships!”
