We are starting an internship spotlight here at HCSC this summer, so if you landed yourslef an amazing job, let us know! Seriously, share how you landed it, what you’re doing there and any tips you’ve picked up along the way!
I’m not shy to acknowledge that I have a dream internship. Landing a position as an art intern at Cosmopolitan Magazine, the largest women’s media brand in the world, is nothing to scoff at, and I will wear this accomplishment with pride for the rest of my life. Each morning as I walk into work, I take a moment to look up at the Hearst Tower, give myself a figurative pat on the back, and think, “I did it.”
For me, interning at a fashion magazine has been nearly a decade-old dream. I remember watching the Devil Wears Prada as a middle schooler and wanting to live in that world. While Anne Hathaway’s character was an assistant to the editor-in-chief instead of a designer in the art department, I knew that I so badly wanted to dive into the realm of editorial fashion. Discovering graphic design was the perfect pathway for me to get there.
Source: Rachel Johnson
Entering USC as a Visual Communications major, I had a path set out for myself. I was to pursue design in as many avenues as possible, and I’d apply for more internships than any sane person would ever think necessary. A magazine in New York was forever the hopeful dream, but it always felt slightly out of reach. Even when I walked out the doors of Cosmopolitan after a successful interview, I couldn’t quite grasp what I had potentially earned for myself. The offer email came on the last day of March, and I was still in disbelief until I walked in the door and went up the elevator on my first day. Almost an entire summer later, I still haven’t gotten used to the view from the 38th floor.
Cosmopolitan is a whirlwind, and there’s never seems to be a dull moment. Everyone hears horror stories about interning at a fashion magazine: endless coffee runs, dreadfully long hours, and acting as everyone’s slave and human coatrack. But from my personal experience, that isn’t even the slightest bit true. I’m not a decoration on the walls of the art department – I’m actually a part of it. I started designing a page for the magazine on my first day, and I’ve been working on a page or a project every day in the office since.
This summer has been a learning experience more than anything else. In a few short months, my perspective on design, professionalism, and my future have all shifted dramatically. I would like to share with you a few of the most important things I’ve learned.
Source: Rachel Johnson
First, work ethic is everything. To quote Editor-in-Chief Joanna Coles from an intern Q&A session the other day, “However hard you think you’re working, double it, and then work even harder still.” If you want to be the best #GirlBoss you know you can be, the only person standing in your way is you. If you know what you want, work hard now and don’t stop until you get it. Keep your eye on the prize, and never stop pushing yourself.
Second, your attitude is as important as your skillset. Every employer is going to be more likely to hire someone they enjoy working with who has room for growth, than they are a crazy-skilled person with a sour attitude. Be pleasant, be open, and be memorable. Impressions and connections are everything, and most industries are smaller social circles than you may think.
The bottom line: if you have a big dream, tell yourself you can achieve it and go do it. Nothing is stopping you, and I promise it’ll be worth it.