These days, it seems like everyone’s an expert. Whether it’s a fitness editor who just completed her third half-marathon or the food editor who’s an all-star baker by night, editors tend to have a thing. When it comes to finding a job, landing the right position covering the perfect subject matter can seem impossible. We asked four editors for their best tips on how to discover your niche.
Find your passion. What do you like to do in your free time? That could be a clue to what topics you’ll want to delve into. Danielle McNally, senior editor at Cosmopolitan, started out in food, but knew that cooking wasn’t what she spent her spare time doing. “I had just run the NYC Marathon,” she says. A friend suggested she apply for a job at Shape—and sure enough, that’s where McNally ended up next.
Test it out. If you think you’ve finally found your thing, try it! Pitch story ideas to fitness editors about your race training. Look for beauty internships if you hoard mascara like it’s your job (it could be!). And if all else fails, DIY. Chloe Metzger, associate editor at Allure, landed her dream job with zero beauty internships. Instead, she created her own beauty website. “I was able to use that venture—which included some basic coding, SEO, and branding—as relatively credible experience when looking for a job,” she says.
Be open to new experiences. Even if you’ve always been a diehard print-lover, honing digital skills is a marketable thing. Alexis Hobbs, associate social media editor at Brides.com, never dreamed she’d be in digital when she first started out. After getting laid off from a print internship though, she took on a web internship at the same company, and ended up learning about building stories in CMS, SEO, and social media. “I’m so enamored with it now,” she says.
Ask for work. Editors aren’t mind-readers, so if you want to take on a new role or try your hand at a new section of the magazine, just ask! “You need to make your interests loud and clear,” says Devin Tomb, deputy editor at GoodHousekeeping.com and HouseBeautiful.com. When she started out at Seventeen, she covered love and relationships, but wanted to become more involved with news and features. Her editors were all for it, which in turn made her resume even more diverse and marketable.
Consider your writing style. If you’re still stumped when it comes to subject matter, think about how you like to write. Do you love servicey pieces that have clear reader takeaways? Or are you more into reporting and getting the scoop that no one else will? “Start with how you like to create content,” suggests Tomb. Your ideal subject matter will come naturally.
T.K. Brady is the associate editor at Food Network Magazine. Follow her at @tk_brady on Instagram and Twitter.
Beauty Products That Work as Hard as You at the Office