We hope, of course, you'll look at The Enquirer first. But with about 300 candidates competing for a dozen or so slots, we always have strong candidates we're unable to offer jobs. Here are some suggestions on how to focus your search:

Be open on size

Good doesn't necessarily mean big. It means a paper that covers breaking news well and gets ahead of the news, holding officials accountable, telling readers not only what happened in their lives, but what will happen and why they should care about it. Look for a range of coverage, for interesting stories, headlines, photos and an organized, well-designed look. You'll find that in small newspapers as well as large ones, and smaller newspapers can be terrific training grounds.

Real work

Are interns integrated into the staff or given special assignments like obits or typing up source lists? Expect to do some obits. But make sure you're in the trenches regularly, chasing fire engines, covering meetings, profiling interesting people. The key is to keep using your skills; that's the best way to improve them.

Feedback

Independence is great, but not in an internship. Daily, ongoing supervision from story assignment to the final draft will make you a stronger journalist.

Opportunities to grow

Look for a newsroom where you will be stretched, both with increasingly challenging assignments and professional development opportunities.

Extras

Look for a comfortable community, where there's more to do than work. Remember, readers don't spend their lives in newsrooms, and you shouldn't either!