AARP Illinois is looking for two undergraduate communications interns – one who will be based in our downtown Chicago office and another who will be based in our Springfield office.

Fair warning: You will not hone your coffee-making skills at AARP. Instead, we really work to provide our interns with valuable learning experiences, so this internship is highly customizable.

 

We are looking for someone who can:

• Monitor and improve our engagement on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Pinterest.
• Assist with traditional media relations activities, including press conferences, media pitching, research, and vetting.
• Assist with drafting press releases, media advisories, scripts, talking points and online articles.

 

Applicants must have the ability to work independently as well as collaboratively, exercise initiative, maintain a positive attitude, and be available to work a minimum of 10-12 hours a week.

Compensation:

The internship can be completed for academic credit and we believe in compensating our interns fairly. Pay will be determined based on your current level of academic achievement and experience.  We also cover travel and parking costs for AARP-related events/activities.

Required Skills:

We are looking for an undergraduate candidate who is digital/social media savvy and is also interested in honing their traditional communications/media relations skills with one of the nation’s largest advocacy organizations.  Applicant should be able to demonstrate writing skills, with course work in news and feature writing, and social media skills.

Basic knowledge of Microsoft applications, as well as Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram is required.  Bonus points for experience in Adobe Photoshop, PicMonkey, and Canva.

Time Frame:

This internship will run from March 1st to December 31 ^st, 2015.

If you’re interested in applying, please email your resume and writing samples to AARP Illinois Communications Manager, Gerardo Cardenas, at gfcardenas@aarp.org .  The deadline to apply is February 20, 2015.