Almost every woman loves reading magazines, but few get to work for one. Breaking into the magazine industry may be considered a daunting task but some freshly minted editors say there are certain steps you can take to get your foot in the door at a New York magazine.
Ed@TCNJ, a magazine networking group on campus, recently hosted a panel of four TCNJ graduates who have just begun their careers in the magazine industry. Kaitlin Tambuscio, Katerina Gkionis, Kelli Plasket, and Josephine Cusumano are all fresh out of college and new on the job scene.
The four women offered educated advice for those of us who intend on pursuing a career in magazine writing, editing, or publishing.
Get the Résumé and Cover Letters in order!
When done correctly, the résumé and cover letter can unlock future opportunities that may not have existed otherwise.
“The cover letter is where you really show your personality,” said Katerina Gkionis, editorial assistant at Weight Watchers Magazine. “Put some sort of fun anecdote in the first two lines. For example mine said, ‘My parents didn’t believe in makeup, so I had to go to magazines to find beauty tips.’ Just personalize everything you can!”
For résumés, include as much as possible in the skills section. Employers in this industry want to see if you know the web.
“Sometimes what you don’t consider a skill, an editor will. When I was an intern, my editors didn’t know how to use Twitter!” says Kaitlin Tambuscio, SEO specialist at Hearst Digital.
Specifics cannot be ignored. Numbers, facts, some clear accomplishment, and percentages are huge clinchers for future employers.
“In resumes it is important to include numbers and percentages. It shows what you have done specifically,” said Kelli Plasket, News Correspondent for Time For Kids. For example, include something like ‘Web traffic increased 300% during my time at ‘xxx’ Magazine.’”
“Also, put your résumé into a PDF before you send it in. Sometimes when you send files via e-mail the formatting may become altered and impossible to read,” said Gkionis
Land the Internship
If you don’t already have one, get one. Internships are the best and easiest way to get hands-on experience whichever field most interests you. There are so many different avenues in the magazine industry, but you won’t know until you try them all.
Finding an internship is also a lot easier than it seems. Ed@TCNJ is a fabulous resource to locate internships. It is also a wonderful talking point. All of these women were members of ED during their tenure at TCNJ and used this on-campus organization to land internships at publications ranging from Good Housekeeping to Time Magazine and Seventeen Magazine.
“There are a lot of great summer programs, you just have to go on the websites and look. Some places will pay you, but not all. My advice? Get a side job, I worked at a diner!” said Gkionis
Also, be sure to land quality internships. Sometimes, the smaller the publication, the more “hands on” the internship. While loading up on internships pads the experience section on the résumé, getting a lot of exposure to writing and editing in the field is key!
“It’s the quality of the internship, not the number. Interning at Vogue but doing nothing of substance is not as helpful in the long run as working for a smaller corporation.” said Gkionis.
Stand out
It is easy to arrive on time and stay until the day is completed, but it is hard to make your presence known to your bosses and internship advisors. Always try to go the extra mile. “Stand out as an intern,” says Gkionis. “Don’t look bored. Always have a smile on your face! And ask questions… just not the same one over and over again,” she explained.
Being remembered as an intern is helpful because when your previous internship administrators are seeking full time employers, where will they look first? Their previous interns.
Network
Be sure to develop some sort of lasting relationship with your colleagues. Oftentimes, the people you work with as an intern will advance in their business and will be seeking out new hires.
“Keep in touch with your internship advisors,” said Kelli Plasket, staff reporter for Time for Kids who interned with Scholastic and Time for Kids as a student at TCNJ. “Magazines are in cubicles and you will hear everything around you. You can learn the most from your colleagues in the field.”
Finally, Stay Positive
“If you don’t have a job after you graduate, you may feel like you’re in limbo, but you do what you can until you can get your foot in the door. It might be tough, but you can always intern!” said Gkionis, who was a freelance writer for Weight Watchers Magazine upon graduation.
Reading this, you are already one step closer to making it in the field of your dreams. And the best piece of advice the four women gave the room of jealous college students?
“Enjoy your college experience. Go out! Go to Kat on Thursdays– Have fun! It will be over before you know it.”