If you’re currently a student or have recently completed your studies, you’re ready to take the next big step: finding employment. However, finding a job is difficult, especially with zero experience in the real world. To land a good job, you need an internship first.
So here we are with this guide to help you find a video editing internship with or without experience. Here are some facts that tell you that this field is thriving.:
- Video editors’ employment is expected to grow by 12% by 2031.
- YouTube is the second most popular and used platform today.
- Over 500 hours of videos are edited and posted daily on YouTube
- Around 2.1 billion users visit the platform every month
- YouTubers stream around 694,000 hours of video every minute!
- People spend about 24 hours a month on the YouTube mobile app.
The good thing about this field is that it requires a lot of passion, creative skills, and enthusiasm, apart from experience. So if you have what it takes, a lack of experience won’t keep you from reaching your goals.
With that thought, let’s get you that dream internship; just follow this guide.
What Does a Video Editor Do?
A video editor places short clips or moving pictures together to form a complete storyline. A video editor is responsible for the visual aesthetic of a video, including the editing, color correction, and special effects.
In more complicated or high-end jobs, they often have a team of assistants who help with the technical aspects of the job.
Of course, the platform most widely used is YouTube, but today there can be video edits required for TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook.
It all depends on the client’s requirements and vision. You will be expected to be glued to your screen using video editing software like Final Cut Pro, Adobe Premiere Pro, iMovie, Adobe Creative Cloud, HitFilm Express, etc.
Finally, the working hours may be the usual 9-5 or may depend on your contract with the employer. You can also work as a freelance video editor.
How to Get a Video Editing Internship
Since it is a growing field, now is the best time to learn the basics and get started on video editing or vlogging. So here we’ve put together a few points to help you get your first video editing gig.
- Build Your Resume and Portfolio
Unfortunately, most youngsters and students make this mistake and think that just knowing about a specific niche or subject will land them their dream jobs. But today’s world is all about marketing, so you must put yourself out there.
Tell them what you have and what value you can bring to their company, and for that, you need an excellent promotional strategy; in your case, that’s your resume and portfolio.
Make your resume stand out and highlight the key points for the employer to see your strengths.
Source: Zety
Here’s how you can build a portfolio to increase the chances of your getting an internship:
Create Demo Reel(s)
To land a good job, you must show them how well you can get it done. Create a demo reel or reels showcasing your skills, techniques you’ve learned, and the kinds of projects you’ve worked on.
As a video editing internship candidate, your reel is your best chance to show off your skills and get the attention of potential employers. Here are some tips on how to make an impressive editing reel that will help you land the job:
- Your reel should be no longer than two minutes, ideally one minute and 30 seconds.
- It must be a compilation of your best work. Include only your most recent projects and those most relevant to the job you’re applying for.
- Use only professional-quality footage. If you don’t have any professional work to include, use footage from your projects or friends’ projects that you’ve edited.
- Edit the footage so that it flows well and is visually appealing.
Networking
Another thing that helps is networking. Remember, there’s a fine line between networking and pestering people. Make sure you do not overwhelm them in any way.
No over-enthusiastic dozen emails a day, no DMs or messages begging for jobs.
A better and, of course, more respectable way is as follows:
- First, look up LinkedIn, Twitter, Freelancer, and other platforms for jobs with the keywords ‘video editing’ and ‘video editor’.
- You can find direct jobs or projects this way.
- Else, find people under the exact search who aren’t necessarily offering jobs at the moment and connect with them.
- You may send a concise, personalized message asking them if you can help them in any way.
- Then just sit back; see if things go well and you get offered a job. If not, you’ve made a new connection without pestering a potential employer!
- Another great tip is that you can contact the corporate giants on platforms like Universal Studios and reach out to them, not for a job but for general advice too! How cool is that?
Make Use of Online Resources
YouTube is the best resource for literally anything! Makeup tutorials, how-to’s, career advice, product reviews, using an air fryer, grilling a steak, guitar lessons, you name it!
There’s something for everyone there. The same goes for learning and polishing your video editing skills.
The top names in the video editing world are Austin Newman and Justin Odisho. They give free advice and share their priceless experience; you just have to sit back and watch.
- Find Internships
You can search for internships on Indeed, Linkedin, and Craigslist. You can also search for internships by major or by location.
When using Linkedin to find video editing internships, set your filters correctly. You can search for internships by job title, location, and company size.
Video editing internships are usually unpaid, but they can offer college credit. Be sure to check the requirements of the internship before you apply.
These experiences and skills you learn here will become your USP, and people will come looking for you rather than the other way around. Plus, consider it as learning for free in the practical world!
Another benefit of starting at an office is you get several opportunities to learn. If you’re not getting any work, simply shadow the seniors, follow in their footsteps, and see how they do the job.
Source: Wework
You will learn much more with practical experience than from books and videos. Also, it helps you build connections, resulting in permanent employment opportunities in the long run.
- Look Up Freelance Opportunities
Next, get on to and make a solid profile on platforms like Upwork, Freelancer, Fiverr, etc. These can help you find direct clients offering remote work. So you get to work on your schedule in the comfort of your home and keep building experience.
However, it will take you some time to land some good clients or work gigs on these platforms. You can try to build a strong profile by completing some free or low-cost projects to get good reviews.
- Be Open to Different Opportunities
Unless, of course, necessary! Be open to all sorts of work and all sorts of clients. You are just starting your career, and it wouldn’t help to be picky at this point.
Even if you think you are not as qualified as a candidate they want for the job, still apply for it.
What are the odds? They are the ones who can decide who’s more suited for the position, and at times, skills and other aspects overpower the qualification points as well. So don’t limit your opportunities yourself.
- Work on Your Academics
Your GPA, extracurriculars, supporting academics, and course projects are a significant part of your resume. Make sure you do not only focus on learning video editing and acquiring the tools for it. Your academics and performance will also play a major part in your interview.
- Work With Your Career Department
Most colleges and universities have career centers that help students start on the professional path. Provide them with your updated resume and stay updated about the latest opportunities and work positions that open up.
- Look up Opportunities On-Campus
A great way to get started is to find work on campus. Stick to your premises and look up opportunities to work around the campus.
For example, if you’re looking for video editing internships, check if the campus has any video production or if the drama club needs someone to edit their performances. You can also join the campus social media team to help create video content.
Conclusion
Internships are a great way to gain work experience and learn new skills. At the same time, they can also be a great way to make some extra money.
As for video editing internships, you can get them even without experience. Look for opportunities online on websites like Indeed. You can also inquire about them at your community college or university.
If you have the passion, there’s an opportunity for you to create a wild, imaginative world straight out of your lens.
