When it comes to nabbing a job in the magazine industry, many try, but not everyone succeeds. So what makes one candidate stand out from the others? Ed asked his staffers what they did to seal the deal.
“This is totally unconventional, and I don’t necessarily suggest doing it, but when I was interviewing for an editorial assistant job I heard the staff was close-knit and often went to happy hours. In my thank you email, I suggested we all get together for a drink some time. I found myself at a happy hour with three staffers where I basically had an informal interview. It was scary-and probably a bad idea-but I got the job!”
-Lisa Freedman, Events Director
“At my first job interview at JANE, I brought five strong story ideas for the magazine on one sheet of paper. Even though I was applying for an editorial assistant job, and doubted I’d initially get to write much, I wanted to show I was excited about the position. I handed the editor my ideas with my resume and contacts, and she was very impressed that I went out of my way to put all my thoughts to paper. A wise person gave me this advice years ago (Hi Matt!), and I think it helps you stand out from other applicants. I mean, hey, I got the job!”
-Cheryl Brody, VP
“I landed my editorial assistant job after interning for a few months-every intern’s ideal situation, right? I treated my internship as a really long interview. Trying your best to be a star intern isn’t anything new, but I just made sure to always show interest and eagerness to help-and to smile. It must have worked because, when the EA spot opened, I got it.”
-Melissa Ward, Ed Assistant/Researcher
“I always turn in the edit test the next day-I stay up all night working on it and send it in. I always figure it can’t hurt, but it might help show my enthusiasm and prove I can work on deadline. I did that for my EA job at Family Circle and my current assistant editor job at Redbook.”
-Anna Davies, Deputy Cities Chapter Director
“My first and only job was and still is at All You. The magazine’s audience is on a budget and in the Midwest and South. I’m from Indiana so I really played up the fact that I knew what those women’s lives were like. I got the job as editorial assistant and now I’m associate editor.”
-Emily Hendricks, City Chapters Director
“One thing that really helped me when I was interviewing for my job at Entertainment Weekly was a quick Google search on the editors who I knew would be interviewing me. I found out that my editor had written a book and mentioned that during our chat. I think it really let her know that I was serious about the position and always did my homework-and that would be the case if I got the job, too. It’s such an easy thing to do, but I’m not sure everyone knows to do it beforehand.”
-Tanner Stransky, On Campus Director
Karen Snyder Duke
»