I’m going to be honest; I’ve never been much of a book reader. What I have always loved is a good magazine. I can read the same magazine over and over, and it never gets old. When I was little, waiting for the new issue of Seventeen magazine was like waiting for Christmas morning to arrive. The second I saw it in the mailbox I would run into the house, throw myself on the couch and begin reading. Then after I read it front to back, I would sprint across the street to my best friend’s house where we would share our thoughts on the new issue.
When applying for a summer internship, I knew Seventeen was my ultimate goal. Not only had it been my dream to walk into the fashion closet of Seventeen, but to actually work there would be a dream come true. After finding the ad on Ed2010.com, I sent an email with a resume and cover letter. After a few days went by, I started getting nervous because I hadn’t heard anything back. A week went by and still nothing. So, I sent a follow up email and boom, 30 minutes later I got a response. In the email the fashion assistant apologized for the delay and said it had been a crazy week at the office. Then the next line had 10 magical words, “We would like you to come in for an interview.” I was over the moon! I flew up a month later for the interview and the rest is history.
As a fashion closet intern, everyday tasks consisted of check-ins and check-outs of the clothing, jewelry and accessory samples lent to Seventeen, as well as keeping the closet neat and organized. We also went to showrooms and corporate offices to pick up samples. This usually happened if the items were valuable or we needed them quickly. It didn’t take me long to realize the editorial world is always on the go.
Our other main responsibilities included contacting the public relations representatives and requesting information for credits in the magazine. A credit is the description under an item listing the product name, price and where the reader can purchase the item. The credit is important because if the magazine publishes incorrect information, the readers will not be able to buy the product.
What about the fun stuff? While we were little busy bees most days, throughout the summer each intern got to shadow one of our bosses on a photo shoot or market appointment. I had the amazing opportunity of attending a photo shoot. Seeing the models, stylists and photographers in their element was so much fun. Other interns got to go on market appointments, where the market assistant goes to a showroom and picks the samples he feels have the Seventeenlook. Then the company sends over the pieces for the stylists to consider for photo shoots.
This is just a small snippet into what it was like as a Seventeen intern. It was the most amazing summer of my life!
Now I’m sure you’re thinking, “How can I get my dream internship?”
Here are my top three websites to get you started:
- Ed2010.com – Ed2010 is my favorite internship website. They list amazing internships at companies like Vogue, Harper’s Bazaar and Food Network and post articles filled with advice about making it in the editorial, fashion and photography industries. Want to know what to wear to at a fashion interview or what you should write in your thank you card? Ed2010 has it all. They also have a section called WhisperJobs where recent college grads can go to see who is hiring.
- InternQueen.com – Lauren Berger the “Intern Queen” participated in 15 internships during her undergrad with huge companies like MTV, FOX and NBC. This girl can definitely help you nail your dream internship! Interested in fashion, social media, graphic design or journalism? She has internship listings for huge companies all over the country. She also has a blog on her site that gives tons of insider advice like how to having a stand out resume and networking tips.
- LinkedIn.com – LinkedIn is your ultimate networking site. Not only can it help you land your dream internship, but it can also help to get your name out there before graduation. It is completely free and lets you connect with professionals in your industry from all the country. They also have a job and internship section with listings at major companies like Coca-Cola, Google and Johnson & Johnson.
Good luck with your internship search! Working for Seventeen magazine was a dream come true, and I hope next summer you land your ultimate internship.