5 Ways to Stand Out To Your Editor

Beginning your first magazine internship can be pretty intimidating. I’ve started to get the hang of things at the Mag—with all this fact-checking, proofreading, and photo-organizing, my days are always pretty full. But not to worry, Edsters! Here, for your enjoyment, are some tips I’ve picked up so far:

1. Be thorough. You might not always be excited about the tasks you’re given to do. Lots of exciting things happen at magazines, but you’re not necessarily going to be doing super glamorous things all the time. The best way to impress editors, though, is doing the less exciting stuff without hesitation, and doing them well. Double and triple check the spelling of tough words. Double and triple check that phone numbers and addresses are printed correctly. Communicate well with publicists and your coworkers, and don’t leave any task half-done. That little extra work goes a long way, and you’ll be sure to impress your editors with your determination. 

How To Stay Recognized--And Score A Freelance Gig Even AFter Your Internship

So by boss invited me to her house two nights in a row this week.
Then on Friday, the editor gave me his direct cell phone number.

I've been scoring left and right, Edsters—okay, maybe not like THAT. But this week has been pretty fantastic. We're under deadline again at the magazine, and two new interns have started working with us. One of them is my replacement, but let's not think about that for right now. We're working on the September issue, which is the biggest issue for most magazines, and on top of it, we're launching a special half-issue this month, so there's plenty to do.

We've been hustling pretty hard, and just looking around the office is enough to see the stress across everyone's faces. Editors are weighed down with decisions and delayed copy. Writers are burned out from preparing two issues at once. The printer is dying becaue we've used so much ink, and there's just never enough coffee to sustain us all. And from the back off the office in our little alcove, I've been noticing it all.

I started coming in to work an hour earlier this week just to get a head start on the day's work. I packed my lunch so I could stay at my desk, and I've been trying to anticipate anything that could help the Web process run smoother for the bosses. Now that I've worked through a couple issues, I have a feel for what needs done, so I can work ahead instead of waiting to be told what to do. And to try to help my direct boss a little more, I've been showing the newest interns how our CSS works by having them watch/help me and the other interns while we run through this issue.

I know I've made progress since I've begun working this summer, but it surprised me again to be recognized for my efforts. I've accomplished three things this week, and I have to say, I'm pretty proud of them.