The In-Crowd

Today I heard back from the interview I went on last week.

I was at work when I received a call from the HR director that originally interviewed me. The call was right on schedule, exactly one week from the interview date. How efficient.

Unfortunately, I missed it.

Now I was in a predicament. How could I return the call without letting anyone know I was applying for other jobs?

I was dying to know, my stomach was already feeling queasy. Could I escape on the pretense of a coffee run? Coffee runs at 12:30 seem somewhat suspicious. Hmmm.

Today happened to be a bug office potluck, so I dropped off my golden brown and bubbly, breadcrumb-crusted eggplant and spinach lasagna in the conference hall and headed back to my office while no one was looking. Très stealth.

Okay, I really don’t like being sneaky, but my destiny was just a phone call away. Can you blame me?

So I called on my cell phone. The very nice HR director picked up, and promptly put me on hold. Oh my goodness, just relax. Why was I feeling like a criminal?

When she returned, she asked me for my feedback on my interviews. I interviewed with three people, so I gave her my comments. The whole time I was thinking: this is not good. I want feedback from you. Obviously, I wasn’t going to tell the HR director that I was quite certain I blew the interview, especially considering that wasn’t the case.

So she told me that everyone that met me enjoyed speaking with me. (Not good.) The feedback was very positive. (And?) They had selected a finalist. (Okay?) They have decided to go with someone from inside.

No! I felt like I was in a Wonder Years episode. Inside I released a huge scream of anguish, outside I said I understood and calmly thanked her for interviewing me. I reinforced that I would like to be kept in mind for any future openings. I shall further reinforce this in the thank you notes I will be sending to all the involved parties.

Wow. I had rearranged my work schedule to attend two interviews. I had almost gotten caught when I arrived at work wearing a suit; fortunately, I had a big meeting at the office that afternoon. (My co-worker didn’t seem to buy my explanation.) I had agonized over e-mail versus hand-written thank you notes. I had bought a new suit. The weeks of preparation, interviewing and anticipation were summed up, concluded and tied with a bow in the span of 3 minutes and 43 seconds—according to my phone clock.

I guess if they had to select someone instead of me, there is a small measure of reassurance in the knowledge that it was someone from inside. It is pretty hard to compete with someone the employer knows and has witnessed in the work environment. At the same time, when will I be on the inside?

Fortunately, a glass or two of wine and a good friend goes a long way to soothe the dejected soul. It’s time to stick my chin out and try again.

You make WHAT?

One of my friends recently got a position in broadcast journalism. Way to go. However, when she mentioned her salary, I had to gasp, “You make what?” Low 20’s? Is that even minimum wage?

I definitely feel her pain. My entry-level salary keeps my budget stretched to the limit. On the other hand, I am lucky enough to live in the greatest city on earth, so I might as well enjoy it with the occasional nice dinner out, drink or two at a celeb-studded hot spots, and a trip out of the city to visit friends every so often.

In order to make these indulgences happen, I have found ways to stretch a buck without sacrificing my quality of life.

My father is the type to bring his own cups to fast food restaurants with open soda fountains, so I know all about extreme saving tactics—and I’ll spare you.

Here are a few tips for savvy savings in the city:

1.) First Friday’s. There is no shortage of free culture in New York. From coffee shop concerts to free film screenings to Target Free Friday’s at the MoMa, you’ll never run out of shows to see or up-and-coming bands to hear. One of my favorite finds is First Fridays. The first Friday of every month, many of the big museums in the city have great events at a discounted price. Starry Nights at the Museum of Natural History lets you gaze at the stars of the Hayden Planetarium while enjoying a live jazz performance, all for a mere suggested donation—a dollar will do ya.

2.) Tailoring. I do not have a ready-to-wear body type. Almost everything I buy needs to be altered; fortunately, the flagship stores of most major clothing retailers (Banana Republic, Club Monaco, Express, etc.) offer free tailoring. It doesn’t matter where you buy your outfit, just ask the sales clerk which locations make the adjustments and head over with your purchase. Oh, and never forget to save your receipt, if your item goes on sale within two weeks most stores will refund you the difference in cost from what you paid and the reduced price.

3.) Stick to the special. Your best bet is to bring your lunch to work—this saves about $40 a week. However, the second best option is to stick to the special. It's easy to be enticed by upgrades, additions, yummy desserts...pretty much anything that is not going to save you money. But harness your willpower and stick to your plan. For example, one of my favorite cafes offers a great vegetarian soup special. It includes soup, a huge hunk of crusty homemade bread, fruit and a cookie for only $4. If I select a soup with meat my bill soars to $6.50.

4.) Comparison shop. There are a plethora of delis in New York that offer almost exactly the same thing. After spending a few days shopping around my office for my salads, I found a deli that sold me my spinach with avocado, broccoli, carrot and cucumber for $5, when the place next door charged me over $7 for the exact same salad.
Super saver tip for those who aren’t afraid of extreme measures: some companies offer subsidized lunch deals—that anyone can cash in on. One of my friends heads to the Viacom Building in Times Square to grab wallet friendly fare and has never once been asked for company ID.

5.) Anywhere but here. The Chinatown Bus is one of the greatest modes of transportation of all time. Contrary to popular belief, livestock is not included. There will be no chickens on your bus. For $15 I have taken the bus to Boston, Albany and Washington DC, and have never once regretted it. In fact, I find them much more spacious than Greyhound buses, which often leave me fighting for the territorial integrity of my seat. Another tip, they don’t all leave from Chinatown, you can often hop on at Penn Station or Herald Square. Leave from the same location for a fifth the cost of Amtrak!

6.) Fit For Less: My first summer out of college I worked out almost everyday without ever paying for a gym membership. I just kept signing up for complementary two-week or one month trials at different gyms. It’s a great way to try out some pretty swanky clubs. Once you’ve exhausted this method, buy the Fitness Passport or Yoga Passport. These booklets give you coupons for visits to over 175 health clubs/yoga studios in the city. Some passes are good for few visits at one locations others are good for an entire month. The book cost around $70 and is worth almost 600 visits. Bonus: If you join one of the gyms, you get the price of the book back!

7.) Food on Demand. I don’t know why, but getting groceries delivered in NY is often cheaper than buying them at the store. I get my organic produce delivered from Urban Organic every week. While it sounds very pretentious, it costs me a third of what it costs to haul my leafy greens and fresh fruits home from Whole Foods. Plus, I have no excuse to not get my recommended 5-9 servings a day!

8.) Tapas Style Dining: Stores, restaurants and green markets are practically throwing food at people everyday. You can hit up the Union Square Green Market for some goat cheese, apple, jelly and pretzel samples before moving onto whole foods for some chips and guac, round out this nice snack by trying a few flavors at Tasti-D-Lite, and then indulge with a chocolate sample from the Max Brenner shop. If you end up at Union Square Wine & Spirits for a free wine tasting, your escapade almost qualifies as happy hour.

9.) Keep the Latte Factor in Check: This is probably the most valuable (and obvious) point I have. Those 20 oz. sodas, packs of gum, the afternoon java and magazines to read on the subway ride home really add up. If left unchecked, I find myself buying a magazine a day. This adds up to roughly $24 a week. The price of two full-year subscriptions! Learning to keep these habits under control saves me at least $125 a month. Rather than give everything up, I subscribe to magazines or read them at Barnes & Noble, buy gum in bulk, and I’ve become quite good at flirting with the barista for a free cup of joe.

Going the distance

“Prepare for an interview like you are training for a marathon.” This is the advice the internship coordinator at my school gave me.

So in effort to channel my inner Michael Johnson before interviews, I research like a John Hopkins neurology student.

I read every back issue of the magazine I can find, noting tone, visual style, audience and department titles. I learn as much about the editors I will be meeting as possible, and of course, I take care to read many of the articles they have written.

In addition to really taking the time to research the magazine's history, as well as its publisher, I consider my thoughts on the magazine, its readership, and why I feel I am a good match for the publication. This is always the fun part of the training phase.

Finally, I make sure to "prepare" for all the standard interview questions. I nail down intelligent responses for my strengths and weaknesses. I think about where I want to be in 5 years, in 10 years, heck, in 15 years.
The list goes on.

However, in the midst of all of this glorious preparation, I often manage to overlook the subject I should know the most about: me!

Pretty crazy, right?

In an interview over the summer I was asked, "What newspapers do you read?"
I suddenly drew a blank. Then every newspaper I have ever read came flooding into my mind in succession.

I subscribe to the New York Times crossword and the Sunday Times. I read Google News daily. These seem fairly respectable. But these are not the initial publications that enter my realm of thought. Suddenly all the times I accepted a free copy of The Metro or AM New York at the entrance to the subway are on the tip of my tongue. Then those occasions when I buy the 25 cent NY Post to indulge in Page Six gossip. Can I admit this? Is it too trashy?
Will they think I am an airhead?

No, they are wondering why I am taking so long to figure out what I read!

So recently, I have put my sneakers in the closet, and concentrated on keeping the process organic. I still plan my course, but I don’t memorize every bump in the road and prepare for every possible question. My legs are kind of on the short side, so maybe long-distance running is just not inherent.

Impression and personality are crucial. I wouldn't have made it to the interview level, if I didn't have the skills. In fact, most candidates interviewing for entry-level positions are probably quite qualified, so setting yourself apart in the entry-years is really about being genuine, enthusiastic and likeable.

In my most recent interview, I remembered to be myself (on my best day), answer the question before me, and above all, keep it natural. We’ll see what happens.

The EdTeam welcomes a new member: Chandra's baby!

Please join Ed in congratulating Ed2010 founder and president Chandra Czape Turner and her husband, Paul, on the arrival of beautiful little Madelyn Molly!



GORGEOUS!


XO,
Ed

(Ed'll forward any congrats comments to her for you!)

Qualifications? These can be a problem.

There is nothing I find more exciting than logging onto Mediabistro or Ed2010 in the morning and finding a slew of new postings. Each listing practically screams job opportunity potential. Potential is the keyword. Let’s take a look at how two very different postings can be equally disappointing.

(Note: the postings below are not real.)

Posting #1: The Dream Job

Assistant Fitness Editor
National Women’s Magazine

My initial response, Woo-hoo! If I could have my pick of jobs, working at a health and fitness magazine would be one of my top choices.

So I click on the posting to see the details…

National women’s lifestyle magazine seeks a dynamic, detail-oriented person with excellent written and verbal skills.

That’s me!

The assistant editor will assist the features editor in research, contacting sources, writing, and administrative duties.

Fabulous! I love research--history was my second major. And I have no problem with administrative work. This sounds like the perfect position. Where do I apply?

And then I see…

Candidate must have a minimum of 2-3 years experience working at a national consumer magazine.

Darn. Do internships count?

This is where I’m not sure whether I should apply or not.

I just want to say, “If you could only see my passion for yogalites, maximizing strength training workouts with cardio intervals, and finding moisture-wicking workout wear, you would have no reservations about my qualifications!”

At this point it usually comes down to the tone the posting conveys. If I see, MINIMUM of 2-3 years experience, it’s definitely back to the drawing board.

Posting #2: The Trade Publication

I scroll down to learn more…

National trade publication seeks an editorial assistant to support staff. Position will entail administrative duties, as well as writing, editing and reporting.

Okay, great. Sounds like the perfect way to get hands-on experience. I will even have the opportunity to write!

Previous internship experience at a magazine is required.

Check.

Journalism degree is preferred. Knowledge of Quark a plus.

I’m all set.

And then I scroll further to see this:

The ideal candidate will demonstrate a passion for fishing, and will have a strong knowledge and understanding of this topic.

Well, I could probably learn a lot about fishing, if I holed myself up in Barnes and Noble for 72 hours or so, but gusto? That could be a stretch.

Strike two.

Moral of the story: you can’t judge a posting by its title. The job’s true potential is all in the details.

A little bit of luck

Some days I just can’t wait for that something to click and for everything to start happening. I have been getting up at around 5:30 to write my post, going to work, and arriving home to write cover letters. Bed, alarm, repeat. You may have noticed that these early morning updates have led to some very unnecessary mistakes, so I am going to shift my posting schedule to clear up those easily avoidable issues—much more on that later. Anyways, I was starting to get antsy when a series of serendipitous events occurred.

Yesterday got off to a great start when I logged into my g-mail account, and I had received a reply from an editor that I had almost given up on. See that folks, good things come to those who wait. No hot job offers on the table, but hooray for a response!

Bing

Then I went to an Ed2010 event. I was actually kind of nervous for the evening, so I started preparing early.

On my lunch hour I went to the salon on the corner to try threading for the first time. Honestly, it seemed fairly similar to waxing pain-wise, although it took a bit longer. On the other hand, I didn’t leave the salon looking like I had a serious case of pink eye. So guess what, waxing? You’re out. Auf Wiedersehen.

The rest of the day rolled along smoothly. I left the office with a fair chunk of time to kill before the event. I decided to stop by Sephora to touch up my make-up—and to seek solace in my house of worship.

Then I got a snack, so I wouldn’t be too hungry—or tipsy. Gosh time passes slowly when you are trying to be fashionably late.

Rather than heading up Madison, I took a long stroll up Lexington to check out the cornucopia of Indian restaurants between 23rd and 36th. Curry in a Hurry…Yum!

When I was certain that I was in no danger of being the first person to arrive, I did an about face and started toward Vapor. A few blocks before the entrance, I dug through my bag to find the tin of Altoids I had purchased for an interview earlier in the month. After one curiously strong mint and deep breath, I was ready to go.

The bar was packed, making it very easy to introduce myself to fellow Edsters. For those of you not sure what to expect at these networking happy hours, it’s pretty safe to assume that there will be: people with jobs, people looking for jobs, people you know and people you don’t know. It isn’t a bad idea to bring your card or a pen and pad to get names and e-mails.

While I didn’t win a meeting with Daniel Peres, the über hot EIC of Details, I did meet lots of great people—many of them living proof that people do get jobs.

Bam

When I arrived home, the new issue of Time Out was waiting on the table and my roommates had left a big pot of homemade soup on the stove for me.

Boom

So until next time, keep the comments coming and feel free to e-mail me at edsgirl@ed2010.com

XO,

Ed’s Girl #4

Ed's PR Pet Peeves, Part Trois: Lying

"GREAT STORY IDEA!" read the subject line of a pitch email Ed got this morn'. Oh, really?! Since when is a topic that just about every magazine on the face of the earth covered two years ago when it was actually news a GREAT STORY IDEA?

Can't blame someone for trying just about anything to get a busy, jaded editor to actually open unsolicited email, but, still. As GOB would say...COME ON.

XO,
Ed

Thinking is easy...

"Thinking is easy, acting is difficult, and putting one's thoughts into action is the most difficult thing in the world."

This lovely quote by Johann Wolfgang Van Goethe seems fitting to describe my job search of late.

Searching for a job has quickly become a life consuming endeavor. I think about it on the treadmill, lying away in bed, and I have recently stopped listening to my mp3 player on the subway in order to have more time to think about it.

Who else do I know? What other publishing companies are out there? How else can I acquire contacts? Why isn’t anyone getting back to me? Where else can I find job listings? When is this going to happen for me?

So yesterday I had an exceptional amount of time to ponder these questions on the New York City subway system. I thought about on the way into the office, on the way to a meeting in Queens, and while journeying to pick something up in Midtown. On the way out to a final meeting in Flushing, I took a brief break to browse the latest issue of Time Out and to flip through my roommate’s new issue of EW—hey, I’m a magazine junkie, you can’t just leave them lying around…or in the mailbox. I’ll put it on the table today and he’ll never know the difference. On the way back home, I had a mini breakthrough.

I realized that I have a group of contacts in the industry, I have been forgetting entirely. My professors. They had hundreds of amazing editors come speak in my classes over the years. I may be one of thousands of students, but I did fairly well and never missed a class my entire college career, so I developed a good relationship with most of my professors. So they are my next target; I could use a good mentor and some great advice.

When I don’t have access to a computer, I think about applying for jobs. If I am anywhere near a computer, I am searching for jobs, writing cover letters and checking my e-mail obsessively. I hear this is quite common.

So far, not too much luck. I had a few fake outs from automatic response systems. I opened my box, see the magazine company listed as the sender and take a deep breathe and click on the “conversation” in eager expectation. And… “Thank you for applying,” yada yada, “human resources is currently reviewing your application,” more yada, “we will keep your resume on file for one year,” closing yada.” Bullocks.

Well, at least they received it. And, ha-ha, nowhere in the e-mail does it say no phone calls! Great, I will follow up with them in a few days.

All right, I am off to work.

The thin line between fiction and reality

Okay, I have to admit I saw the “Devil Wears Prada”…twice, and then I forced my friend to sneak into it after the movie we were seeing had ended. So I have now seen it three times. This is surprising to me because I lost interest in the book halfway through—I’m more of a classic lit kind of girl. But somehow the movie brought to life the clothes, the glamour (and lack there of), and oh yeah, my own struggle to capture the job that a million girls would kill to have.

So by my second viewing, I started to take the movie far too literally. I began analyzing Andy Sach’s interviews. I thought to myself, she is not a great interviewer. Even by the end of the movie, her interview skills actually kind of sucked! Why did she get two jobs, and I can’t even get one? I would happily work all hours of the night. Glue my (future) blackberry to my side. I would give up carbs—okay, there’s a fantasy.

I realize that the chances of having an Andy Sachs transition to the journalism world is about as likely as getting asked out by Adrian Grenier. (Sigh, dark hair with blue eyes is so sexy.) Nevertheless, I can’t help to take into consideration that Andy got her job through...Human Resources!

I have always considered HR the place where resumes go to die, or as it is more affectionately called, the black hole. I find something about these massive brassring application systems, which truncate and standardize the format of my perfectly polished cover letters and meticulously constructed resumes, very disheartening. But the fact is: the people in HR are employed to give other people jobs! Someone must be getting jobs through them.

And so begins Operation Harassment.

After reading the experiences of several former Girls on the Hunt, I have learned the trick to HR is making the process as interactive as possible. I am going to give the HR route a real shot. My strategy is the tried and true method: send (via e-mail and snail mail) cover letter and resume, and call, call again. If I can find an insider source whom is willing to give me the name and e-mail of their HR person, all the better. I figure if I can just nail down the informational interviews, make fabulous impressions and follow-up diligently, I can be in the forefront of the HR staff’s minds when any EA, assistant to the EIC or even assistant to the ME jobs open up.

Of course, I am still applying to every promising posting I see and working to build up my contact base, but trying to break in through HR marks a new effort in my crusade. I feel like I am truly attacking the media world on all fronts, it is only a matter of time until victory… or at least a definite turning point in the battle.

From "shudder" to sigh (of relief)

Okay, here’s the scoop on what happened with my contacts.

Most of them got back to me!

The people I was most nervous about contacting were my journalism mentors. I was so worried they would be disappointed in me, but actually everyone was extremely encouraging! And now they know that I am looking and applying again, so there is a far better chance that they will keep me in mind if any openings or potential job leads come up. This isn’t so bad after all.

All of my friends were really great about promising to talk to their contacts. In case anyone out there is feeling shy about letting their friends know they could use a little help on the job hunt, don’t be! I don’t whether it's pride or fear of inconveniencing people that makes asking for help from friends so hard for me, but people are often flattered to be asked. Helping people feels good. Plus, you can always promise to use your super editing skills to read over their cover letters or med school applications!

Now like I said, most of them got back to me. But hey, I did fall off the planet for a while, so I guess it’s fair if people take a few days (or weeks) to get back to me—or, tear, not get back to me at all.

So far things are off to a promising start! I also really appreciate all your encouraging comments. I am so relieved to hear that it is totally possible to get a job even after a few years out of college. I got locked into thinking that there was a six month window in which you must obtain your first magazine gig to have any hope of making it in the business. All hope is not lost!

Oh, I am going to leave you with a HOT CONTACT TIP that I forgot to mention before: people you intern with can turn out to be amazing contacts. Case in point: over the summer one of the girls I interned with in college e-mailed me, out of the blue, about a position at the magazine she was working at.

Unfortunately, that is where the good news ended. After a three-part interview and three sleepless days laboring over a grueling edit test, I did not get the job. I was so mortified and guilty that she had recommended me and I had clearly not impressed her bosses that I totally fell out of contact with her. Not one a very professional or considerate action on my part. I really owe her a very large (and weak) thank you, as well as an apology. Now that I have revealed this gross slip-up to the world, I vow to learn from my mistakes and conduct myself with dignity from here on out!

12-hour Tuesdays and that crazy world of work

Oh my goodness, I have been so busy at work the days seem to fly by. This is particularly great considering I am working three 12-hour days in a row. Followed by a glorious Thursday and all of Friday morning off! I am all set to get up early, head to the coffee shop and scour the web for job postings, apply and network my heart away.


Yup, part of the beauty of the non-profit sector is they often can’t pay you over time, so you are only supposed to work your salaried 35 hours. However, another common feature of the non-profit sector is that it is under-staffed, so the workload requires way more than 35 hours—I don’t care how amazing your multitasking skills. My job is almost impossible to squeeze into 35 hours, and with night meetings lasting long into the night and working weekends. I often exceed my 35 hours, but no successful New Yorker works less than 60 right? However, right now, I am trying to remember that this is my day job, and I try to take advantage of my comp days in order to pursue my try passion. Oh, the life of a struggling EA.

So anyways, I have been overloaded with meetings, meetings, meetings: meetings in the office, meetings in the field, meetings with community contacts and association meetings.

And reports: expense reports (cha ching), monthly reports and staff committee reports.

And events and programs: sleepovers, marathons, day events, ongoing events, shows, concerts, fund-raising dinners, and so much more. Okay, I actually love this stuff!

And paperwork: did I ever mention how much I loved red tape?

Seriously though, having to be organized has really taught me my way around a file folder. My binders, notebooks, logs, file cabinets and program supplies happily coexist in a categorized, alphabetized fashion. I admit that I’ll never be one to panic if a paperclip or two find their way out of a drawer compartment. But having a highly functioning desk and relatively orderly office keeps my stress level down and creates a semblance of professionalism.

While I don’t actually mind meetings, events, reports, etc., they do distract from, oh right, my actual job. Fortunately, no one realized that our office was open Monday, so I sailed through meetings , event prep, reports, paper work, scheduling programs, filing (why bother the department assistant?), recruiting and making follow-up calls almost uninterrupted by the tidal wave of phone calls that normally flood the office. Feeling quite dry and very efficient, I went home to continue my j-job search. Whoever said there are 24 usable hours in every day may have be right.

While I was a temp, I seemed to find myself bored out of mind at some reception job (If there are any temps out there who manage to abide by the no personal use of the computer rule, I take my hat off to them.) or holding jobs that seemed absolutely absurd.

I had one job where I was supposed to get 300 copies of the same Jimmy Carter biography signed by Jimmy Carter--at the same Barnes and Noble book signing.

Then there was a time when I had to tell Beyoncé that she could not get into her apartment because the building’s ID card maker was broken. I mean I could barely eek out an, “Can I get you anything to drink?”

And then I got my “real” job, which often makes those jobs seem run of the mill. Working in youth development is never boring.

This weekend, Friday the 13th, I will be in the woods scaring the bejesus out of a bunch of tweens. In an elaborately decorated hill top haunted house, I will be standing in a bathtub, dressed as a character from “The Ring,” combing my hair in the mirror, nasty wig, white face make-up and full costume to boot. This will be just one room in house full of fun room mirrors, chain saws, Jason’s on the loose, blood curdling screams emerging from behind locked doors and bunks turned into coffins with cadavers springing to life. This jovial journey will be followed by a midnight hike around the lake and ghost stories around a campfire. As if being in surrounded by trees in the darkness of upstate New York wasn’t scary enough for city kids!

Oh blogs, how far you've come

This is actually not my first blog. I was first introduced to blogging when blogs were still called weblogs! I was in this crazy online journalism class, which had a Webzine about “new media and Net culture.” How I found myself in this 4 ½ class that met on Fridays, I do not know. But it would actually prove quite useful in later years. I learned how to look up basically anything and anyone—public records, reverse telephone look ups, website owner’s contact information—I felt like I was an FBI agent whizzing through cyber world with a wireless mouse as my compass. My professor also introduced us to Google, which he insisted we use exclusively as our search engine. This was shortly before Google took over the world and the web; in fact, this was way before g-mail, let alone g-chat, existed! Wow, I feel like I am really dating myself. Don’t worry, I’m not completely out of the EA age range yet!

Anyways, to move toward the point of my story, we had to keep a class “weblog.” At the time, I had no idea what a weblog was, and my professor was not impressed with my first attempt. He returned a printed out copy of my first post—about custom-blended lipstick—covered with so much red, I was pretty sure he must have suffered a near fatal paper cut while grading it. Apparently, the fact that blogging journalists were well on their way to taking over the presidential election escaped my notice. At that point, I learned that weblog posts were supposed to ooze with snark (my professor’s favorite word), punch and irreverence.

Since this class, I have become a huge fan of blogs (which I find much sassier now that they have dropped the “we”). In fact, it seems like all the cool magazines these days have staff blogging. And let’s face it, Laguna Beach wouldn’t be worth watching without the wonderful commentary from B-side on TVgasm.

As much as I love reading blogs to catch up on my celeb gossip, I actually find them very useful sources of information.

During my million-job period, I was working in a fabulous raw restaurant and read every raw blog on the planet to maintain my enzyme-induced high. Whilst I only lasted so long before three very important men came back into my life (Ben, Jerry and Mister Softee), I still like to read what my favorite raw foodists have to say. Just so you know, the raw food police will soon pick up on that ice cream comment and come to take me away. (Good thing I didn’t mention my undying love of Diet Coke.)

Then Ed introduced “Girl on the Hunt,” which renewed my hope that finding a gig in the magazine business may indeed be possible. From, “I went on an interview, and yada yada yada...,” I was instantly hooked, and considerably renewed with the spirit to pursue my dream. The pangs of failure, I felt every time one of Ed’s wacky, but uplifting subject lines appeared in my inbox didn’t hurt either. Yes, there are definitely days when the job search seems like mission impossible, but Ed’s Girls 1, 2 and 3 made it, so there must be hope for you and me.

P.S. A "Contacts" update is on the way.

The cLOVEr letter

I have spent the last few days writing cover letters. Whispers and postings have seemed somewhat slim lately, so I have tried some unconventional outlets and methods.

Thus, I wrote a Clover letter. One of my editors told me that if you are writing to apply for a position at a magazine you are interning at, the letter has to almost be a love letter to the magazine. I also decided to incorporate that technique into a letter to an executive editor at a magazine I would love to work for. It is one of the few shot in the dark, I would love to set up an informational interview with you, letters I have written. But after going over it in my head for weeks, and even sending it to a very smart friend for non-partisan review, I worked up enough confidence to go for it.

Still on the less conventional route, I also applied to few positions at magazines out by businesses and universities. While these types of magazines are often frowned upon for being too PR, any interview practice I can get will be worth it.

For me writing cover letters is no easy process. I never in my life imagined there could be anything as agonizing as writing a simple letter. The field of journalism rocks because you are encouraged to be creative and show your writing style rather than writing a boring form letter with about as much flavor as plain tofu.

However, with this afforded creativity, I find myself freaking out about the many balances you must achieve to create a letter that is reflective of your writing style, as well as in tune with the magazine’s; friendly, but not too informal; enthusiastic without being over-the-top or artificial, and where possible being original, without being too risky. All of these elements must fit into a few brief paragraphs that convey that you love the magazine, you know the magazine (in fact, you read it so obsessively you often buy it off the stands because you can’t wait for subscription to arrive) and that you can bring ideas and talent to the office, while being humble enough to make as many Starbucks runs as needed to help the staff create a beautiful publication.

Yikes, sometimes I think it would be easier to be boring.

Cultivating my "contacts." *shudder*

At this point, the only word I dread hearing more than contacts is networking. While their meanings are very similar, I prefer contacts, it offers a more personal quality, whereas networking sounds like a virtual system of degrees of separation.

Nevertheless, they are both essential. In fact, many of my most promising interviews I landed through friends or people I met at internships and networking events.

Networking isn’t bad; it’s just so different from the educational system I spent most of my life in. In school you do your work, you study, you succeed. It is easy to be good at school. In the real world it is much more important to be likeable and to meets lots of people. If my school had told me that happy hour could have proven so integral to my future job prospects, I wouldn’t have wasted so many Thursday evenings in statistics lectures.

So today I started working my contacts, both close friends and causal acquaintances. I have found my contacts are often more that happy to help me network, breaking down those agonizing degrees of separation and opening new avenues and leads to explore.

However, I am in no ordinary contact situation. I have fallen painfully out of contact with many of my journalism buddies, and I have to hope they will find it in their hearts to forgive me and help me once again. For the record, I do not recommend the reestablish professional relationships route to anyone. Commit to maintaining your contacts like Kirstie Alley commit to maintaining her Jenny Craig diet plan. In fact, have you called them recently?

Anyways, I have decided to start with a few easy ones.

• My college roommate, who is close family friends with the EIC of a very popular magazine, perhaps a bit in left-field but worth a shot.

• An editorial assistant I met while interning that I noticed has recently been promoted to associate editor. She was very helpful to me as an intern and she has already made some awesome changes to her new sections!
Hot tip: An associate editor once told me that it is always a good idea to comment an article written or edited by the person you are contacting. Especially if you have never met them, it will help get their attention. Just passing along the information.

• Another associate editor turned freelancer I met while interning. She has always been extremely willing to mentor me, and as a very successful freelancer, is incredible at networking.

Here is what I find tricky about these e-mails. Clearly I have to nurture our relationship, not just flat out ask them for help. Besides, I genuinely like these women, respect their work, and what to know how they are doing and what they are up to. So I have my work cut out for me to craft well thought out e-mails, that are neither too expectant nor completely arbitrary to my purpose.
Hot tip #2: The same mentor mentioned in hot tip #1 told me to set a reasonable application goal (like three e-mail contacts a week or four cover letter/resume submissions a week) and stick to it. I think this may have been a huge problem my first time around. I would get too nervous or exhausted from my million jobs to reach my daunting weekly quotas. This time I am going to keep it real.

Here’s hoping that this may be the key to success on my renewed quest.

I’ll keep you posted.

Ed's Girl #4: Getting back in the game…of finding my first editorial assistant job

If "Ed's Girl on the Hunt" has proved anything, it's that finding a job in the magazine biz is hard work. It is all about perseverance, dedication, making connections, and the age old adage, try, try and try again.

So what happens when the strain of five jobs, ravaged self-esteem, and fear of failure set in?

Well, if you're like me, you chicken out. Almost.



Throughout college I did what any typical journalism (and history) major would do—I interned at a teen magazine, held a few newspaper internships, and wrote for tons of campus publications, even starting one of my own. By the time I graduated I had a decent stack of clips to start me on the path to my dream magazine job.

I had also lined up an internship at my favorite magazine of all time. I prayed that if I was the hardest working, most conscientious and friendly intern of all time, my three days of unpaid labor a week would turn into a job.

However, not to place all my eggs in one basket, I still applied to every ed2010, monster, mediabistro, yahoo, Time, Rodale, and craigslist job listing that looked like it could get me any where near the door to editorial assistanthood.

While I absolutely loved my internship and the senior staff writer I worked for, the unbelievable perks, freebies and never ending press events, weren't paying the rent. So I lifeguarded a few nights a week, temped on my free days, tutored a few evenings a week, and worked at a restaurant on weekends.

This left me burning the midnight oils to craft cover letters and apply for jobs from about 11:00pm to 5:00 am.

At the end of my internship my dream position opened up. Not only that, the person who had gotten me the internship in the first place was the person leaving, so I had all the insider hints. My editor even helped me with my cover letter and highly recommended me for the position. After 72 hours of meticulously polishing my edit test to a high gloss shine, all I could do was hand it in and wait for good news. My editor had temporarily left the magazine at the same time my internship ended, so my two closest contacts were gone.

After three grueling weeks, I received news—bad news. The editors decided to go with someone they had worked with before.

For another three months, I kept applying, interviewing and getting rejected. Hello, self-doubt.

Finally, I couldn't take the embarrassment of having my editor give me wonderful recommendations, and still not getting the jobs. I actually stopped telling my friends and family about anything I was applying to because it was so mortifying. I mean interviews are based on heavily on your personality, right? Not to mention, I was really feeling the burn of working miserable makeshift jobs seven days a week.

I accepted a full-time position at a non-profit that I truly believed.

For the last nine months, I have had the safety of a salaried stable job, but the personal disgrace of failing at what I had wanted most. I was good at school, why couldn't I be good at getting a job?

So I have decided to try again. At twenty-three, my days to get an EA job are numbered.

After being out of the game for nine months, with the occasional exception of front of book pieces in the magazine I interned at, I have another strike against me.

But I am not without a plan. And I want to prove that finding a magazine gig, even after leaving the scene for a brief hiatus, is possible.

Whoever said that finding a job was a full-time job was absolutely correct. But that person either didn't live in New York City or had a trust fund.

I have the luxury of a 35 hour work week and extremely flexible hours. This is half the hours I worked when I was originally job searching, and I have much more flexibility to schedule interviews.

So I leave you with the plan:
1.) Write letters to all the contacts given to me be those I have interned for and my magazine friends.

2.) Apply for every minutely appealing posting I see, the day or the hour I see it.

3.) Continue to hound the HR's of Condé Nast, Time, Hearst, Meredith and Rodale for interviews.

4.) Attend all Ed2010 events despite the embarrassment of not having a job.

5.) Freelance and pitch to all start up and smaller publications looking for writers.

6.) Wish, wait and hope.