We had our fall intern panel last night, featuring Alyssa Bailey (Cosmopolitan intern), Dasha Menafee (Interview intern) and Brittany Bass (O: The Oprah Magazine intern). See below to find out what they had to say on summer internships, New York City and more!
How they got the internship:
Alyssa: Alyssa applied for the Cosmo internship in January after she saw a posting for it at Ed2010.com. She applied for more than 20 internships and didn't hear from any of them. She met with someone at SELF magazine for an informational interview in March, and she told Alyssa to not give up. Alyssa followed-up by sending an email to Cosmo, and she was asked to take an edit test. After she sent back the test, she was offered the intern position.
Dasha: Dasha applied to more than 30 internships, and she also didn't hear from any of them. After she went to CAFME's spring intern panel, she learned that some magazines will offer you an interview if you will be in NYC. She went to NYC for a day and sent emails to certain publications telling them that she would be there. She was offered three interviews, one being at Interview. After her interview, she was asked to come back for a trial day to see how she fit in at Interview. She flew back to NYC for the trial day, and the night of the trial day, she found out she got the internship.
Brittany: Brittany said she lived on Ed2010.com, constantly checking for new internship listings. She turned in over 35 applications, not limiting herself to just one department (editorial, photo, etc.). She heard back from three publications and interviewed at O. She says to keep emailing people (but not obnoxiously) because it's the people who "annoy" the internship coordinators who are remembered. She also says to make sure you put in the correct names of people and magazines when you are emailing people.
What they did as an intern:
Alyssa: Alyssa worked with the books and did certain editorial duties as an intern, which included pitching ideas, researching stories and fact checking. She also made copies and did anything else her bosses needed her to do. She says that you have to be willing to go above and beyond for your job; for example, Alyssa came in to work on her day off each week.
Dasha: Dasha worked for the fashion closet at Interview, where she managed clothes and accessories, picked up clothes from fashion houses and returned clothes to fashion houses. She says that she worked a lot (the days are unpredictable -- you could work from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. or 9 a.m. to 11 p.m.), so you have to immerse yourself in what you're doing.
Brittany: Brittany worked in the closet at O. One of her responsibilities was to sort clothing samples and pick out clothes to show editors. She also got to go to a photo shoot of Jennifer Lopez! Brittany says you have to stand out at your internship; one way you can do this is by showing up early to your job. She also recommends doing any task that the editor needs you to do. "Make the most of it," Brittany says.
Housing in New York City
Alyssa: Alyssa didn't find out she got the internship at Cosmo until late in the semester. She was worried about housing, but she started looking at universities that offered housing, and she eventually found housing at Columbia University.
Dasha: Dasha found out about her internship in April, and by that time, a lot of the housing in New York City was full. She searched for housing online and eventually found a place to stay.
Brittany: Brittany lived at New York University with three other girls from UNC-Chapel Hill. She says to apply early before housing fills up. She also suggests looking into Educational Housing Services, which offers housing strictly for NYC interns.
Thursday, October 27, 2011
Thursday, October 13, 2011
CAFME Recap for Oct. 12: University Career Services Interview Workshop
Hi, CAFME members! This week, University Career Services came and talked to us about interviewing. If you missed it or need a reminder, check out the tips they gave us below!
Introduction to University Career Services (UCS)
A. Who/What/When/Where
-University Career Services
-UCS Mission: To help students clarify and attain their goals
-Hanes Hall, 2nd floor (NOT Hanes Art Center)
-careers.unc.edu
-Mobile: m.unc.edu/ucs
-Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/uncucs
-Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/uncucs
-10+ career counselors
-25 career peers
-Services for students at any point
-Career counseling (It's easy to meet with counselors!)
-Appointments are 30 minutes (1 hour for practice interviews)
-Schedule an appointment online or by calling 919-962-6507, or go during the daily walk-in hours from 1 p.m.-4 p.m.
B. Reasons to come? They will help you...
-Choose a major
-Clarify your goals
-Explore careers
-Write "career documents"
C. UCS Resources
-Exploration/Career Research: What can I do with this major?, Career Search, Vault
-Self-Assessment: Tests to see what your interests are, what your major should/could be, etc.
-Job and Internship Support Tools: Optimal Resume (resume builder), InterviewStream (webcam interview)
-Locating Opportunities: Careerolina, Going Global, Internships.com
-Locating People: Networking, Informational Interviewing, Alumni Advisor Network (7,200 aluumni), e-Leads, Careerolina "Employers" Tab
-Other: Interfolio, Blog, Website, Videos, Social Media
D. Events
-Fall Career Expo (already happened) and Spring Career Expo ("the big fairs")
-Industry Fair (January)
-Industry of Area Fairs (Master's/Ph.D., Nursing, Education, Graduate School, etc.)
-Networking Nights and Industry (panels, professionals from targeted fields come onto campus)
-Workshops and Seminars
Introduction to University Career Services (UCS)
A. Who/What/When/Where
-University Career Services
-UCS Mission: To help students clarify and attain their goals
-Hanes Hall, 2nd floor (NOT Hanes Art Center)
-careers.unc.edu
-Mobile: m.unc.edu/ucs
-Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/uncucs
-Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/uncucs
-10+ career counselors
-25 career peers
-Services for students at any point
-Career counseling (It's easy to meet with counselors!)
-Appointments are 30 minutes (1 hour for practice interviews)
-Schedule an appointment online or by calling 919-962-6507, or go during the daily walk-in hours from 1 p.m.-4 p.m.
B. Reasons to come? They will help you...
-Choose a major
-Clarify your goals
-Explore careers
-Write "career documents"
C. UCS Resources
-Exploration/Career Research: What can I do with this major?, Career Search, Vault
-Self-Assessment: Tests to see what your interests are, what your major should/could be, etc.
-Job and Internship Support Tools: Optimal Resume (resume builder), InterviewStream (webcam interview)
-Locating Opportunities: Careerolina, Going Global, Internships.com
-Locating People: Networking, Informational Interviewing, Alumni Advisor Network (7,200 aluumni), e-Leads, Careerolina "Employers" Tab
-Other: Interfolio, Blog, Website, Videos, Social Media
D. Events
-Fall Career Expo (already happened) and Spring Career Expo ("the big fairs")
-Industry Fair (January)
-Industry of Area Fairs (Master's/Ph.D., Nursing, Education, Graduate School, etc.)
-Networking Nights and Industry (panels, professionals from targeted fields come onto campus)
-Workshops and Seminars
Monday, October 10, 2011
CAFME Recap for Oct. 5: Resume Workshop with Jay Eubank
The J-school's director of career services, Jay Eubank, stopped by CAFME last week to talk about resumes and internships with us! Keep reading to see the great tips he gave us on how to make our resumes stand out!
Key points Jay shared with us:
1. The resume is still useful in the electronic age.
2. A resume is a strategic document. You should not list everything you have ever done on a resume; instead, pick and choose your most important and relative experience depending on the internship you're applying for.
3. Try to limit your resume to one page.
4. Be professional!
-Not only should your resume look and sound professional, but you should list a professional email address (not an email like, "iluvsoccer98@gmail.com").
-Your voicemail should also be professional in case a potential employer has to leave a message.
-Make sure the names of companies are spelled correctly on your resume!
5. Important information to include on your resume:
-Say "The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill"
-Put down the name of the J-school because it's a brand
-Include your specialization and expected graduation date
6. What not to include on your resume:
-High school accomplishments
-GPA
7. The meat of your resume: Experience
-Emphasize your relevant journalism experience in this section
-Under each experience, list (with bullet points) what you learned/accomplished and why it's relevant to the position you're applying for. Be as specific as you can.
-Start each bullet point with an action verb.
-List the start and end date of each experience.
-Don't be afraid to use jargon in this section.
8. Include an activities section (clubs, etc.) and a skills section on your resume
-Under the skills section, you can include such things as Twitter, Blogger, Wordpress, InDesign and InCopy.
-Don't include Word, Excel or PowerPoint because most people know how to use these.
Key points Jay shared with us:
1. The resume is still useful in the electronic age.
2. A resume is a strategic document. You should not list everything you have ever done on a resume; instead, pick and choose your most important and relative experience depending on the internship you're applying for.
3. Try to limit your resume to one page.
4. Be professional!
-Not only should your resume look and sound professional, but you should list a professional email address (not an email like, "iluvsoccer98@gmail.com").
-Your voicemail should also be professional in case a potential employer has to leave a message.
-Make sure the names of companies are spelled correctly on your resume!
5. Important information to include on your resume:
-Say "The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill"
-Put down the name of the J-school because it's a brand
-Include your specialization and expected graduation date
6. What not to include on your resume:
-High school accomplishments
-GPA
7. The meat of your resume: Experience
-Emphasize your relevant journalism experience in this section
-Under each experience, list (with bullet points) what you learned/accomplished and why it's relevant to the position you're applying for. Be as specific as you can.
-Start each bullet point with an action verb.
-List the start and end date of each experience.
-Don't be afraid to use jargon in this section.
8. Include an activities section (clubs, etc.) and a skills section on your resume
-Under the skills section, you can include such things as Twitter, Blogger, Wordpress, InDesign and InCopy.
-Don't include Word, Excel or PowerPoint because most people know how to use these.
Wednesday, October 5, 2011
CAFME Recap for the Week of Sept. 28: Whitney Wilkerson, Jason Zengerle and First Amendment Day!
Hey, everyone! CAFME had a really busy but fantastic week last week! Not only did we hold our regular weekly meeting, featuring guest speaker Jason Zengerle, but we also held a workshop with NEXT for Women’s Whitney Wilkerson and participated in UNC’s First Amendment Day! Take a look at the highlights from a great week of events!
NEXT for Women Workshop with Founder and CEO Whitney Wilkerson
NEXT for Women is an online community based in Durham that serves as a trusted source for young women to learn, engage and succeed in their professional lives. It is a national organization, but it will soon be an international organization. Whitney gave us great advice for how to succeed in the magazine industry!
Q: What should I do when my job search has stalled?
A: Whitney has three tips to get through a stalled job search:
1. Schedule time every other day to keep up on your search.
2. Don’t be everything to everybody – know your specialty
-Whitney suggests limiting your job search to some specific titles of jobs that you would be interested in
3. Do a resume tune-up
-Whitney says to keep your resume short but give specific proof of what you’ve achieved
-Promote any experience you have, including campus jobs, research jobs and/or internships!
Whitney says to also go through your resume and eliminate the most overused terms used in resumes: extensive experience, innovative, motivated, results-oriented, dynamic, proven track record, team player, fast-paced, problem solver, entrepreneurial.
Whitney also suggests that you research industry resume trends and use resources such as professors, the writing center and university career services. She also says that when sending out resumes, be organized by keeping an excel chart that tracks what businesses you’ve sent resumes to, the contact information from those businesses, responses and all relevant dates (when you sent out the resume, when you received a response, etc.).
NEXT for Women Workshop with Founder and CEO Whitney Wilkerson
NEXT for Women is an online community based in Durham that serves as a trusted source for young women to learn, engage and succeed in their professional lives. It is a national organization, but it will soon be an international organization. Whitney gave us great advice for how to succeed in the magazine industry!
Q: What should I do when my job search has stalled?
A: Whitney has three tips to get through a stalled job search:
1. Schedule time every other day to keep up on your search.
2. Don’t be everything to everybody – know your specialty
-Whitney suggests limiting your job search to some specific titles of jobs that you would be interested in
3. Do a resume tune-up
-Whitney says to keep your resume short but give specific proof of what you’ve achieved
-Promote any experience you have, including campus jobs, research jobs and/or internships!
Whitney says to also go through your resume and eliminate the most overused terms used in resumes: extensive experience, innovative, motivated, results-oriented, dynamic, proven track record, team player, fast-paced, problem solver, entrepreneurial.
Whitney also suggests that you research industry resume trends and use resources such as professors, the writing center and university career services. She also says that when sending out resumes, be organized by keeping an excel chart that tracks what businesses you’ve sent resumes to, the contact information from those businesses, responses and all relevant dates (when you sent out the resume, when you received a response, etc.).
CAFME Recap for Sept. 21: Independent Weekly Editor Lisa Sorg
On Sept. 21, we had Lisa Sorg, the editor of Independent Weekly come and speak to us. It was a great meeting, so make sure to check out the recap below if you missed it!
Lisa’s Background:
Lisa grew up in a tiny Indiana town of about 200 people, and she was the first person in her family to complete college. After she graduated, she worked in the music business for a bit before she found her true calling at 29 years old: journalism.
Lisa originally wrote about music for a Bloomington, Ind., entertainment rag and then worked as a general assignments reporter for a daily newspaper. During her first years on the job, “I’d never turn down an assignment,” she says.
The more Lisa settled into her position, however, the more she began to see signs that the work of a daily reporter didn't fit her. She recalls one assignment, an article comparing school supplies prices, when she was approached by a store's security while taking notes on prices. They wanted her notes and forbid her to leave until she handed them over. She refused on principle. “Your notes are like your arm," she says. "You don’t give them up for anything." Her editor had a different view, agreeing the paper wouldn't publish any of the information Lisa had taken notes on in exchange for her release.
As her disenchantment with the daily paper augmented, Lisa took an opportunity when it arose. She left to work for an alternative weekly publication, a weekly newspaper that features more investigative pieces, analysis and art coverage. She hasn't regretted the decision since.
Q: What is a typical week like at an alt weekly?
A: Lisa loves the environment at an alt weekly because it is smaller, and you have more of a creative license. The writing for an alt weekly differs substantially to that at a daily newspaper. For example, Lisa won't publish pieces written in the inverted pyramid style, she says. It's antiquated and unappealing to readers.
Alt weekly writing requires an embrace of the narrative. The articles challenge the status quo and are more sassy. “It’s my calling," she says. "If it’s yours, you should be in this field."
Q: How do you write a controversial story?
A: “Once you write it, you can’t really control what happens,” Lisa says of controversial stories. She maintains it's also important to remember ultimately that the sources you're dealing with are human. “They're not to be used,” she says.
Lisa’s Background:
Lisa grew up in a tiny Indiana town of about 200 people, and she was the first person in her family to complete college. After she graduated, she worked in the music business for a bit before she found her true calling at 29 years old: journalism.
Lisa originally wrote about music for a Bloomington, Ind., entertainment rag and then worked as a general assignments reporter for a daily newspaper. During her first years on the job, “I’d never turn down an assignment,” she says.
The more Lisa settled into her position, however, the more she began to see signs that the work of a daily reporter didn't fit her. She recalls one assignment, an article comparing school supplies prices, when she was approached by a store's security while taking notes on prices. They wanted her notes and forbid her to leave until she handed them over. She refused on principle. “Your notes are like your arm," she says. "You don’t give them up for anything." Her editor had a different view, agreeing the paper wouldn't publish any of the information Lisa had taken notes on in exchange for her release.
As her disenchantment with the daily paper augmented, Lisa took an opportunity when it arose. She left to work for an alternative weekly publication, a weekly newspaper that features more investigative pieces, analysis and art coverage. She hasn't regretted the decision since.
Q: What is a typical week like at an alt weekly?
A: Lisa loves the environment at an alt weekly because it is smaller, and you have more of a creative license. The writing for an alt weekly differs substantially to that at a daily newspaper. For example, Lisa won't publish pieces written in the inverted pyramid style, she says. It's antiquated and unappealing to readers.
Alt weekly writing requires an embrace of the narrative. The articles challenge the status quo and are more sassy. “It’s my calling," she says. "If it’s yours, you should be in this field."
Q: How do you write a controversial story?
A: “Once you write it, you can’t really control what happens,” Lisa says of controversial stories. She maintains it's also important to remember ultimately that the sources you're dealing with are human. “They're not to be used,” she says.
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