At lunch today, while exchanging email addresses, business cards and tearful goodbyes with the interns who are heading back to school, I was struck by how far we’ve all come in the past few months. Many of us had never had an editorial internship before this summer and now we’re all interview-transcribing, fact-checking, photo-copying experts. We’ve become such experts that I was at a little bit of a loss as to what to write about this week. What advice can I give to fellow interns who’ve spent all summer learning the ropes and are now completely in their element?
What skill haven’t Her Campus readers already mastered? Then I thought of something that I’ll be doing (hopefully!) often in the next two weeks: scheduling informational interviews with the staff members I’ve been working with (and maybe even a few I haven’t). Here are the steps to setting up these important meetings that you should never leave any internship without!
1. Know what an informational interview is – An informational is a quick meeting (around 15 minutes) that interns can set up with people they work with to get a little info about the industry and possible career paths and strategies.
2. Know how to ask – A quick email is the best way to set up an informational. While face-to-face interaction with your bosses is always encouraged, it’s better to give them time to check their schedules and see when they can fit you in. Suggest meeting in their office for a few minutes or grabbing coffee (editors rarely ever turn down coffee).
3. Know that flattery will get you everywhere – Particularly in the magazine industry, you can never be too polite or amazed by the success of your superiors. While not every editor has time to “discuss career advice and planning for the future,” almost everyone has time to “discuss how they managed to excel so quickly in such a competitive industry.”
4. Know that a “no” isn’t the end of the world – This is an important thing to remember in every aspect of your career, from asking for recommendations to asking if there’s anything else your boss needs. If someone says no, don’t be discouraged.
5. Know how to rock an informational interview – This is the easiest part. Once you have a date and time set up, simply go in with something to write with and something to write on and ask away! Ask any questions you have, you’d be surprised how willing people are to open up when they know that you are genuinely interested in their careers. Don’t worry about sounding professional or super smart. Informational meetings exist so that you can become professional; for the time being, it’s okay for you to be wide-eyed and eager.
Have any ideas for a final few Intern Diaries posts you’d love to read? Shoot me an email at amberrambharose@hercampus.com and share your suggestions, or follow me on twitter @amberdeexterous. I’d love to hear from you!