March 16 Recap: Skype with LaToya Evans

About LaToya:

·         Graduated from UNC in 2008

·         Always enjoyed writing, was inspired by Andre Talley of Vogue to work in magazines.

·         Got an internship at a magazine that closed before her internship started and was put at Cosmopolitan instead.

·         Met the editor in chief of Cosmopolitan, Kate White who took her from the fashion closet to the features desk

·         Never took a journalism class before her Cosmopolitan internship but was gutsy and proactive

·         Started a freelance career after her freshman year, became a freelance writer for Glamour

·         Went on the JAFA trip as a sophomore

·         Got an internship at Vogue after meeting them on the JAFA trip

·         Also interned at CosmoGirl the same summer

·         ASME intern at Real Simple in 2007

·         Interned at Vanity Fair after talking to the editor for a year

·         Now does PR at IBM

Tips:

·         Be proactive but be smart about it. LaToya cold-emailed editors for magazines that she was interested in and had informational interviews every week. But be aware. You think these are great opportunities, but be smart about it and use tact and think about it in the sense that magazines are competitors.

·         Be humble and be a team player. Even if you want to benefit yourself, be conscious of how you come off. You want to work toward the success of the publication.

·         Make as many friends and contacts as you can. You’ll go further with this than with bylines and resume builders.

·         Freelance in college—even if it’s local, even if you don’t get paid a lot.

Questions:

How did the transition go from magazines to IBM?

I really started considering my options as a real adult and considering bills. I started applying for PR jobs…I just simply changed my mind from magazines. IBM was a better offer. It gave me the chance to do something I hadn’t done. My dad said to me, “what is the point of doing something forever if you’ve already mastered it?”

Out of your internships, what was your most memorable experience, good or bad?

Vogue would be my most memorable because it really was the opportunity and the internship of a lifetime. To have that amazing experience and see a world that you’ve never seen before is something you never forget. Even today, I think, “Wow I worked at Vogue.” Cosmopolitan was the biggest learning experience because it was the first.

What is your advice to us as far as diversifying our skills but not spreading ourselves too thin?

Don’t get all of your experience in one area. You don’t know yet what you’ll do later. I never had experience in PR. Use the local agencies and publications, do those internships in the different areas you’re not sure about. Do them during the year or do virtual internships so you can dedicate your summers to what you’re really interested in. Be more focused. Don’t just go for the resume fillers. If you’re in an organization that takes up a lot of time but doesn’t have a lot of benefits, drop it. The most meaningful things and the things that benefit you (like freelancing) are what should take up your time.

How do you talk to and network with people or alums?

Mentoring is a mutual relationship. Each party has to benefit each other. Ask questions, ask for contact information. But don’t be just about getting the business card, have a conversation with them. Relationships require maintenance.