Ed’s all about throwing cool events where whippersnappers and editors get to mingle together, which is why he hosts his the ever-popular Famous Speed Networking Event every year.
This year, it went down at the Wix Lounge on June 14. Junior editors and editorial wannabes got the chance to schmooze with pros from the likes of GQ, Cosmopolitan.com, Us Weekly and many other brands.
At the event, editors sat across from whippersnappers and were given five minutes for each pair to get acquainted — which everyone agreed was just enough time to ask the big questions and show off a few clips. “The [short amount of] time [spent talking to each editor] makes the event low pressure, but you still get a lot of out it! Plus, people are more willing to talk without the awkwardness of being in a full room,” said Desiree Browne, a freelance writer and social media manager who has attended Ed’s Famous Speed Networking Event the past two years. “It’s quick and just enough time to get face time because in this industry it’s so hard to meet up for coffee [since editors are generally very busy people],” added Rachel Chang, senior editor at Us Weekly.
And it’s not just the up-and-coming editors who gained something valuable. Senior editors also found Ed’s quick and easy approach to networking to be a helpful way to meet the rising stars of the editorial world. Chang said that over the years attending this event, she’s met future colleagues and made other great connections in the magazine industry that she still keeps in touch with years later! Christie Griffin, the site director at Eat This, Not That!, adds: “I think this event is a really valuable opportunity for someone like myself, because I can meet people who are ambitious in the editorial industry. These are people whom I might to hire someday or have freelance for me!” she explains.
For the next two hours, the featured senior editors swapped job advice, contact info and other helpful nuggets of wisdom with young editors and job seekers. One great piece of advice that job-seeker Jacqueline Sheppard learned was how to make herself stand out from the crowd. “I think the hard part when you recently graduate is trying to find the best way to promote yourself as a potentially fantastic employee,” Sheppard said. “From this event, I learned how to get myself — and my writing — out there, which will hopefully help me break into the magazine industry.”
As the event dwindled down, Ed found it very hard to kick people out! Editors were still mingling with one another and answering follow-up questions from whippersnappers, proving that every editor can always benefit from a little networking.
Missed it? Don’t fear! Ed has more fun events up his sleeves, like happy hours and his upcoming How to Start Your Own Newsletter, Podcast, or Other Social Media Project panel on July 12, plus happy hours and more.
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