Chatting with Brooke Shunatona of Cosmopolitan.com

Cosmopolitan.com’s Assistant Fashion and Beauty Editor redefines hustle.

What is your career backstory? I’ve known I wanted to work in magazines since I was in elementary school. Before I was even a teenager, I’d beg my parents every month to buy me Seventeen, Teen People, CosmoGirl, YM, and Teen Vogue at the grocery store because it took too long for the subscription issues to get to my home in Texas. I’ve always been interested in women’s magazines, mainly the fashion and beauty spreads. I went to school for journalism at Mizzou (University of Missouri) with an emphasis in magazine editing, interned at magazines and websites in both fashion and beauty, then moved to New York after I landed an editorial assistant position at Marie Claire. Now I’m the assistant fashion and beauty editor at Cosmopolitan.com, and I couldn’t be happier. Twelve-year-old me would be so psyched.

What is an industry pet peeve of yours? No pet peeves, really. That’s why I chose this industry. Even parts that are slightly annoying are way more fun than what most of my friends do all day.

What is a must-have on the job? An iPhone. I’m always taking pictures for Cosmo’s Instagram.

What is your favorite work perk? As a fashion assistant, I love having the freedom to wear just about whatever I want (within reason). Editor-in-Chief, Joanna Coles, even complimented me on my crop top one day in the elevator. The Cosmopolitan.com environment is super fun and cool, which makes going to work every day that much better.

I also get to meet amazing people, coordinate photo shoots, do fashion market research, and try out all kinds of new beauty products and techniques. My job is full of perks for people who like fashion, beauty, and writing.

What was it about being a magazine editor that attracted you to the industry? Getting to create something that a lot of people would read and enjoy.

You attended one of the most notable journalism schools in the country: University of Missouri (Mizzou). How did the media-focused college culture help you in the industry? People underestimate Mizzou sometimes because it’s in the Midwest and not in New York, but one of the greatest things Mizzou can provide its journalism students that other universities can’t is actual work experience. They make you work at different kinds of publications (aside from internships), so every magazine student graduates with a portfolio full of published clips. Having that at an interview is invaluable in this industry.

How did you make the transition from college to a career in New York?My advice is to not spend too much time in that transition stage between graduation and moving to New York (if moving here is your goal). It’s easy to think of excuses of why you need to wait, but don’t. I flew in from Dallas for an informational meeting with Chandra Turner (executive editor of Parents and founder of Ed2010), and she point-blank told me not to wait until I have enough money saved to move to New York because I’d never actually have enough money. If you want a job in magazines, you have to move to New York and figure out how you’re going to make it work financially once you’re here. I walked out of that meeting and bought a one-way ticket to New York on my phone outside the Meredith building.

You tweeted (just before New York Fashion Week last month) a screenshot of your phone with 9,797 unread emails; what are your tips for staying level-headed, organized, and on top of your tasks? Haha! That screenshot was of my personal email inbox, which definitely suffers from neglect most days (especially during NYFW). I stay pretty on top of my work emails though. For my job, organization and time management are everything. My advice is to focus on the important things, don’t stress over anything, and learn how to problem-solve and work efficiently. That’s honestly 75% of any job I’ve had.

Since you graduated two years ago you’ve worked at some amazing publications. What is your advice for applying and getting editor’s attention during the application process? Get to know people in the industry. If you don’t know anyone, reach out to your friends and see if they do. Every job I’ve had so far has been because someone passed my info along to a friend. If you show you’re passionate and you have genuine interest in the position at the publication you’re applying to, people in this industry are more than willing to help you out and pass your resume along to someone they know.

You’re now at Cosmopolitan, which has undergone a lot of changes since Joanna Coles took over about two years ago. What is it like being at a magazine that is drastically evolving its tone and direction? It’s exciting to be a working at a publication that has so many eyes in the industry watching to see what we’re doing. Cosmopolitan.com is always thinking of new ways to reach more women and change their perceptions of what a women’s magazine is. Why should only men’s magazines include articles about politics and news in addition to their entertainment content? In the past, you probably would’ve only picked up a copy of Cosmo or visited Cosmopolitan.com just to read the sex tips. And although Cosmo still has great tips and hilarious sex & relationship writers, Joanna Coles and online editor Amy Odell both strive to include pieces and posts that appeal to all the aspects of being a woman — not just sex. I work for online, so I can really only speak for the website, but Cosmopolitan.com now has thorough feature pieces on serious women’s issues, excellent career advice, and, my personal favorites, original fashion and beauty content. If you haven’t visited the site within the last year, you definitely should.

What is a favorite published piece that you’ve written? It’s called “20 Life-Changing Ways to Use Bobby Pins.” It was the first post I wrote at Cosmopolitan.com that also included original photos, not just stock images. I asked all my coworkers if I could play with their hair and had our photo editor take pictures for the post. It has 250,000 shares now, which still blows my mind.

What is some advice you have for others trying to break into the industry? First, move to New York. Then work really hard. Get to know anyone who’s already in the industry, and take advantage of every opportunity. You’re never too good for any job when you’re just starting out. Also, always be kind and write thank you cards.

Twitter: @brookeshunatona

Instagram: @brookebighorse 

Brooke was photographed in the Cosmopolitan offices by Kathleen Kamphausen.

Amanda Jean Black is a guest blogger at Ed2010, sharing stories from her site onthemasthead.com. When not hunting down publishing’s elite for an interview, you can find the native New Yorker obsessing about style and culture, shopping for designer streetwear, and jamming out to 90′s alt rock.