Now that summer’s almost here, that means one thing: the return of Ed’s Intern Diaries! That’s right—Ed’s Edit, Fashion, Lifestyle, Regional, and Entertainment Magazine Interns are wifi’ed and ready to share all the inner workings of their summer gigs. Warning: reading this blog could turn into a behind-the-scenes addiction. Check out your first sneak peak below, then head on over to Ed’s Intern Diaries for daily updates!
Follow Your Passions
“When I was four, I insisted on always dressing myself because I told my mom I had better fashion sense than her (I needed that creative freedom. Sorry for insulting you, Mom). From there, my passion for fashion only flourished with age. I would, and still do, sit for hours watching all the red carpet events for award shows and judge each celebrity’s outfit. I never even thought my love for clothes, shoes, handbags, jewelry, and beyond could ever be turned into a lifelong career. It’s a fast-paced, cut-throat, competitive world and even though interns are at the bottom of the very well-dressed food chain, you need to bring your A-game everyday.—Ed’s Fashion Intern
Get Involved On Campus
“I’m a junior in college studying magazine journalism and new media. I’m also the editor in chief of the campus magazine, which means I’m constantly juggling academic and magazine obligations. That’s nothing new, though I joined the newspaper staff at my high school as a freshman and was named editor as a junior, just in time to facilitate the paper’s transition to a newsmagazine. I’ve been hooked on magazines ever since. Edsters, I can’t tell you how many opportunities have come from my involvement with campus media, not to mention friends and future industry contacts. If you aren’t involved with campus journalism, consider it. For now, that’s my biggest piece of advice.” —Ed’s Edit Intern
Get An Informational Interview
“I hit the ground running and started emailing editors all over the city in hopes of scheduling informational interviews, just hoping to get my name and resume out into the open. By the end of January, I was applying for summer internships, customizing my cover letter and following up every week like clockwork. It was exhausting going weeks with no word back, feeling as if my efforts were never going to pay off, until… The interviews came. There were 3 in total. One that was a result of an informational interview, one that was a total flop, and one that ultimately led to me finalizing my summer plans.”—Ed’s Lifestyle Intern
Fake It On Your Edit Test
“I had pretty much given up on finding a magazine internship until I stumbled upon the listing on Ed. I e-mailed the editor with my resume and cover letter and heard back within a few hours. The catch? They wanted me to do a fact-check test and a 150-word restaurant write-up by the following week. I had never done fact-checking before, but I went ahead and wrote up the best questions I could think of, like she had asked me to. I also happened to be leaving town the next day for a weekend trip, but somehow it got done. I had one more Skype interview, and there ya go—hired!”—Ed’s Regional Intern
Pay Your Dues…Even If You’re a Recent Grad
“On my first day, I politely greeted the employees that started to trickle in the office. Suddenly, one walking by stopped and went up to me. To my amazement, she hugged me, and I recognized her immediately as a former classmate. I felt so elated to see her after losing touch so long ago, yet a tinge of shame and embarrassment at being recognized coming in to the fold as a mere intern. It was weird that we started off from the same school, on equal footing, but now she’s the established successful one while I’m the one who’s on the bottom of the totem pole. I just hope I can shrug off my awkwardness and prove myself worthy enough to earn a permanent spot at the magazine; I’m ready and willing to pay my dues.” —Ed’s Entertainment Intern
Already hooked? To learn more about their exploits, be sure to follow Ed’s Intern Diaries.
Gennifer Delman
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