Friday was my last day as an editorial features intern in NYC with one of the best-selling women’s magazines in the world. I packed up my desk (the drawers were full of free samples from a beauty give-away) and passed out my thank you cards with a mixture of elation and sadness. I’m going to miss everyone I worked with, including the interns who were scattering off to their different corners of the country for school. Here are the four most important things I’ve learned as an editorial intern. I’ll take this lessons with me for the rest of my life.
1. Always reach out – Whether it’s to a boss or a fellow intern, you should always reach out to the people around you. Ask someone out to coffee, ask for assignments, ask for business cards and advice. I’ve made some fabulous connections – as my linkedin page will confirm – and I’ve made them all by being friendly and open.
2. Be Yourself, Seriously – There’s something special about you that makes you stand out from the pack. You might be super organized or bubbly or fantastic at interacting with strangers. Use the things that make you you to stand out. It’s important to have something that makes people remember you, especially in the magazine industry. I’m industrious to the point of obsessiveness. It might sound a little strange but it’s me and it’s why the editors always reached out to me with research assignments: they knew I would get the job done fast.
3. Do the Work – Don’t sit at your desk pretending to work. Get your work done because then you’ll be able to do more work, interact with more people and make more connections.
4. Stay Positive – A bad attitude can ruin a good internship. On days when I was negative my work suffered and the editors noticed and handed assignments to the interns who had better attitudes. Always remember that you’re lucky to be an intern and never stop being grateful!