When I first received an email about a writing internship from my school, my first thought was, "Hell, yes!" I didn't even look at the Odyssey website before submitting an application. Within hours, I received an email from my soon-to-be managing editor, Aaron. Within days, I was hired and published.
While I don't recommend going about things the way I did for a few reasons, I can honestly say I don't regret my choice. The Odyssey is such a wonderful opportunity for budding writers, and for those seeking experience. Hopefully, by the end of this article, I'll have convinced you to apply, too!
To start things off, The Odyssey is an online multimedia platform designed to service college students. In only two years, our platform has expanded to over 11,000 contributing writers.
1. Promotions available.
Everyone is hired as a writer, and everyone writes. Our minimum requirement is one 500 word article due every Friday, but if you show the ability to go above and beyond those duties, you can be eligible for a promotion at the Editor's discretion. Possible positions include Contributing Editor, Photographer, Social Media Chair, and more. These positions are rewarding, but as seen in the next step, extremely beneficial!
2. Resume booster.
Writing for the Odyssey means that you are currently holding one of the easiest and most fun internship opportunities ever. This counts as experience on your resume, and the only requirement is 500 words a week. Depending on what promotions you may receive, this experience you gain increases exponentially. I am now able to say that I have experience with writing weekly articles, but also managing social media and marketing, public relations and recruiting, and now I can say that I have interviewed and hired writers as well as promoting others. This also counts as a school activity, so if you need participation on campus for another activity (such as Greek life) you've got it here.
3. Make changes in your community.
Honestly, where else in college will you have the chance to make your voice heard? To talk about the things that interest you, and to represent your school and community. Being given this platform is an awesome opportunity for everyone, and we all see problems within our fields of study, at school, and in the world. You have the chance to be a catalyst for change by getting those issues in the spotlight, and getting people to talk about them.
4. Potential for pay.
Here, at the Odyssey, I joke with new hires to not quit their day jobs, because we are predominantly unpaid. However, there is a weekly competition to get the most shares for the week, and the writer who wins receives a Paypal link on Friday with their winnings. There is also a staggered pay scale for writers who have gone viral. So, the more you promote, the more page views and shares you can get, and the more money goes into your bank. As soon as you've received payment through the Odyssey, you can call yourself a professional writer!
5. Family.
We here at the Fresno branch are truly a team, and we are already networking within our ranks. We support one another, and every week there are congratulations sent out to the winning writer. We are still new to the Odyssey family, but as our team grows, our bonds do as well.
If this sounds like something that interests you, submit an application here. Use the option on the "write" side.
