Everyone has a vivid image of what it’s like to work in the magazine industry – I mean, how could you not after the release of The Devil Wears Prada? The competitive nature of the field is well known and, at times, fairly intimidating – but does it necessarily imply having Meryl Strip’s fur coats tossed on your perfectly see-through, polished, glass desk?
Luckily for us collegiates, ED2010 answered our questions. This past Tuesday evening, the student-run group hosted #InternConfessionals, in which six interns gave us the ins and outs of what it’s like to work in the industry. Rachel Allen (COM ’15), Virginia Ashe (COM ’14), Kelsey Mulvey (COM ’14), Kira Cole (COM ’14), Yasmeen Gharnit (COM ’14), and Carrie Hatand (COM ’14).
Whether they ended up at Marie Claire or Cheese & Wine, all of them were driven by one thing: Passion. From calling the offices, to submitting online applications, to inviting editors for an informational coffee session, to having their fathers post a Facebook status begging friends for contacts in the magazine world, the six students did not take no for an answer.
While working in this business may convey images of glamour and status, these were internships after all. This meant: lots and lots and lots of transcribing, researching, and running errands. But this isn’t necessarily a negative. All of them shared that a lot of transcribing was interesting (one even transcribed an interview with Dakota Fanning!). And who doesn’t like digging up dirt and celebrity gossip!?
And at the end of the day, they all agree: it’s the people you meet and the experiences you have that make interning in magazines an unforgettable summer.
Want to be like them and land an internship? Already have one, but struggling to succeed in it? Here’s a couple of tips and advice they had to offer:
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Be aggressive, but not a stalker
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Put a lot of effort into everything you do! From picking out cupcakes to transcribing the word “cough”.
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Cultivate your contacts! Keep your eyes open at all times
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Say yes to everything!
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Get down in the mud!
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Don’t just be professional, be likeable too
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Keep in touch with everyone after leaving; the magazine industry works fast, you never know where those contacts may end up, which means, more connections for you