Wanna Make it at the Mag? Learn to Multitask

I faced my first full week of work at the Mag and came out virtually unscathed. At the end of the week, I can tell you that one thing about life in the magazine world is certain: hard work. There are usually a million things going on at once, and mistakes aren’t an option. Before I get into that, though, I’ll tell you a little bit about my week. 

My first full day was much more difficult and tedious than expected. The other interns and I spent the entire day reading pages line by line to make sure all of the names and brands were spelled right. Our task was to verify spellings, phone numbers and addresses and cite our sources so everything would be 100% accurate. It’s pretty tough to sit there and read the same things all day long, and I found myself daydreaming out the window more often than I’d like to admit. 

I tried not to get discouraged by the dullness of the day, and I was glad to find that the next few days were busier.

Fake It ‘Til You Make It: An Ode To Multitasking

Hey Edsters,

So I’m weeks and weeks deep into my internship, silently loathing the approaching time when I have to move home, and soaking up as much information as I possibly can on how to succeed.

If I’m picking up one thing more than anything else, it’s the importance of being able to multitask. We’re in a tough major, Edsters. I think we can all agree on that. We’re in a time when huge magazines would rather outsource freelancers than hire staffers, when one week of bad reviews can get you fired and sent back to school for a new career. It’s hitting hard for me, as I just saw someone fired yesterday. The person came into the office, went out to coffee with the boss, and then never came back. In that switch of a moment, his life was drastically different. He woke up with a life plan and went home with a box.

I started to think about my future in magazines. After having a real talk with my boss, I was much more than reassured.

Here’s what I learned: