A little bit of work and a whole lot of Facebook creepin'.

For most college students, summer means one thing: an unpaid internship. We’ve been there and we feel your pain. Whether you’re making copies, making coffee runs, or just trying to make your mark on the industry of your dreams, it’s much easier to get through it all with a little help from your (CollegeCandy) friends. So come back every week to listen/sympathize with/vent with our anonymous intern as she does her thang at a big time magazine in New York City. Because let’s be honest, what else do you have to do in that cubicle all day?

Ah, the joys of working nine hour days for free, of basically being known as the office bitch, and of never knowing if your dedicated hard work will ever actually turn into the job of your dreams.

These are the joys of being an intern.

And I, being the lucky girl that I am, have been experiencing these joys for the last 5 months, and will continue to through the end of the summer. As the editorial intern for a very popular celebrity gossip magazine in the heart of Manhattan, I go through most of the stereotypical hardships you hear about when you think of the word ‘intern’. However, there are definitely some perks too. (Come on, I wouldn’t be here this long if there weren’t.) Not only do I get to attend VIP events throughout the city, and sometimes get the thrill of seeing my name in print in this well-known publication, but I also get to meet and interview celebs – and as a huge Hollywood junkie, that is a big deal for me.

When I first started at the magazine, I was excited and ready to learn about everything. Even though I graduated college last May and had expected to find a paying job already, I still felt lucky to have scored an internship at such a popular magazine. I assumed I would be busy all the time and quickly outshine the other interns, thus securing myself a full-time position.

And things have turned out a bit differently… Read More »

I learned a long time ago that if I want to break into magazine writing I would have to get some internships under my belt. And after searching high and low, I later learned those internships would most likely be unpaid. Did I want to make big money while working full time at a job? Of course, but if working my patootie off to pad my resume required a financial sacrifice, then I was more than willing to do it.

But some people don’t agree and actually want to make unpaid internships illegal! Worried that many companies are illegally using students for free labor, many officials in Oregon, California and other states want to change the rules and require companies to pay their interns.

Honestly, this is something I never really thought of before.  In my eyes, the benefit of my unpaid internships has been the experience gained on my resume. I always just accepted that unpaid internships were something everyone had to have if they wanted to move up the ladder. Sure, it wasn’t ideal, but that’s just the way things were, and if you were learning something about your future career then it was all worth it.

But then I started thinking about all those bullsh*t internships out there. You know, the ones where you’re making copies, fetching coffee and answering phones. The ones that have literally nothing to do with your future career interests, but you take because you think it will still look good on your resume. Like an NYU intern at a Manhattan children’s film company who was assigned to the facilities department to wipe the doorknobs each day to prevent Swine Flu from spreading through the office. I don’t know what the job listing was, but I’m pretty sure that student didn’t plan on adding “door knob cleaner” to their resume. How did he benefit from that? Read More »

The time has come.  The epic, (slightly short-lived) time of the year when applying for summer internships is at an ultimate high. Is it a coincidence this time hit during allergy season? Um, bummer.

But I have the remedy just for you that (in the long run) is better than Benedryl. It’s called Internships.com and it has over 20,000 internships listed, all of which are looking for a few good interns for this summer! Hollaaaa.

Since you’re sniffling and sneezing your way through the day, I thought I’d help you out and highlight some of the bomb-tastic positions Internships.com has to offer. This is only 5 of the coolest, but there are tons, meaning there is definitely an opportunity out there for you. Looking for a fun and educational way to spend your summer? Check out these bad boys: Read More »

As college students in the 21^st century, we all understand the importance of internships. Every job coach, job website and career center employee on campus will tell you that internships are the key to post-college success. They give you real world experience, teach you things you’d never learn in the classroom and look really (REALLY) good on resumes. And in a time when there is an abundance of college grads and a shortage of post-college jobs, an internship is more important than an A in that random science course.

The problem is, though, that many of us don’t know what sort of internship to get. It’s hard enough trying to choose a major, but how are we supposed to know exactly what we want to do in life?

This was my problem last summer. I wanted to complete my credit-based internship during the summer so that I could devote more attention to it than if I were to do it during the school year.  Of course the tuition was drastically more, but because of the “invaluable experience,” my parents and I decided it was worth it.  Because of the frills and exciting nature, I was certain that a career in PR was perfect for me.  After a couple of interviews, I selected the company that sounded the most glamorous.  It was PR and event planning, and I was psyched. Read More »

The never-ending search for ways to better your chances of finding a job post graduation does not stop once you are back in the classroom for the year. There is a lot of competition out there (just look at all those kids in your classes!), so getting some internships under your belt is important. And now, yes now, is the time to start looking for internships for the spring semester and even the summer.

The importance of internships cannot be overlooked. Not only are they resume boosters, but good ones also provide you with excellent experience in the field of your choice. That way when you show up to your first day of work, you aren’t lost in a sea of papers and Excel spreadsheets.

But where can you find these coveted positions? Every student and their over-zealous mother is searching sites such as Monster.com and fighting over the internships available there. But here are some other sites that not only offer amazing internship opportunities (that are actually useful and not just a place to surf Facebook all summer), but also other services and advice for the budding, young intern. Read More »

It’s finally here: week ten of my summer internship at Magazine X in New York City. I’m proud to report that I’ve made it through numerous days of unpaid labor and braved the horrible commuting conditions (apparently Mother Nature decided that this summer was going to be characterized by either torrential downpours or blazing heat, and nothing in between), and I actually managed to have a pretty good time while doing so. I only had to get someone coffee twice (and I could get myself one too, so leaving the office for a Starbucks run wasn’t too awful), and I have a ton of good clips to add to my resume.

So what have I learned? Read More »

I made a very interesting discovery at work yesterday (we’re researching investigative story ideas), and if any of you readers live in NYC and spend time outside of the Trader Joe’s or Whole Foods in Union Square, you may have witnessed what I’m about to discuss: The Freegan Movement.

Freegans are people (sometimes homeless, but often not) who commit to living a life of limited participation in the conventional economy. They believe that food and shelter are a right as opposed to a privilege, and they are opposed to the fact that homeless people live on the city streets when there are vacant apartments that exist under the grip of capitalist landlords.

So they go scavenging, or “dumpster diving,” for unspoiled food that has been thrown away, and they often recover non-food items like toiletries and electronics. Freegans (a combination of the words “free” and “vegan”) essentially oppose the purchase of any item in attempt to boycott the corporations responsible for human rights violations, environmental destruction, and animal abuse. Read More »

A collection of thoughts from my seven weeks on the “job”:

Last week, our managing editor (who essentially runs the production process – making sure layouts are updated and distributed, giving editors deadlines, leading weekly content meetings, etc.) emailed the entire staff and informed us that our “summer Fridays” would have to be put on hold. I had been dreaming of these summer Fridays – when the day would end at 2 pm and leave my entire afternoon open for trips to the beach, strolls around NYC, really early happy hours – since the day work began. Now they were being taken away from me due to the fact that the production of our upcoming issue was moving too slowly.

I have to admit that I almost shed a tear at my desk. The rest of my friends in the publishing and journalism world get summer Fridays! Half of my friends are unemployed! Why will everyone have free Friday afternoons while I’m stuck inside developing carpal tunnel syndrome from too much typing?? Read More »

Last week, I was sent over to the fashion closet to help the style interns on a busy day. They had just finished shooting a story on the perfect pair of denim for every body (curvy, boyish, apple shaped, etc.), and now the remains of the project were stuffed in bags that popped out of every corner in the room.

Over 500 pairs of jeans had been surveyed in order to find the perfect few that would appear in the magazine, so you can imagine how much material I’m talking about here. I, along with the other intern I work with, was informed that all these jeans had to be separated by brand and then put in separate piles. After this we would send the jeans back to the PR companies that sent them to us.

Thus began my day of physical labor – if you think carrying huge piles of denim around in your arms all day isn’t heavy and tiring, you’re wrong – and I didn’t sit down until about 5 pm. I realized that these fashion girls were doing this every day as I sat placidly in front of my computer typing and web surfing! This got me to thinking about some of the jobs that require you to stand/lift/push/pull things all day long, and I decided to ask my friends with labor-intensive jobs for some funny stories.

Amusement Park
This summer, thanks to the totally sh*tty economy, one of my friends is working at a water park in New Jersey where she has to lift little children on and off a miniature waterslide all day long. The other day, a three year old peed on her in mid-air, and then the mother (standing behind the gate) proceeded to yell at my friend for making her daughter cry. Not to mention the fact that these water park pools and rides are probably filled with pee anyways, since little kids think its okay to let it all out wherever and whenever they please. Awesome. Read More »

This week, I have decided to dedicate my intern diaries post to the topic of clothing and the workplace. I must report that I have been quite surprised by some of the wardrobe choices that I’ve witnessed around the office, and I thought I’d share these thoughts with you. Oy, someone needs to call Stacy and Clinton STAT.

Bad Surprise Number 1: Cleavage Overkill

In my opinion, overly exposed cleavage is never cute – even if you have a rack that rivals Scarlett Johansson’s in perkiness and perfect round shape. In the office, however, I think that this is particularly inappropriate. Last week I attended an intern meeting and could barely focus on the speaker because the girl sitting across from me was practically spilling out of her V-neck tee. Put ‘em away, ladies! It’s not professional, and more likely than not you’ll be confronted by one of your coworkers for violating the office dress code (which always exist, even if you haven’t been handed something in writing).

Bad Surprise Number 2: Rainboots
It’s basically been raining for the past 10 days and I no one dreads soggy toes quite like I do. Rainboots are a practical (and cute – I’m loving my green Hunter Wellington’s) way to stay dry as you race to make your 9:30 meeting, but they are only meant for the outdoors! When you get to your desk, swap your booties for a comfortable pair of heels, flats, or boots. Rainwear worn inside ends up looking sloppy and strange, and they make those weird squeaky sounds when you walk down the hall that are just downright annoying.

Bad Surprise Number 3: Scrunchies
They still make these?

Bad Surprise Number 4: All black
Isn’t summer  the time for bright colors and fun prints? Apparently not. You wouldn’t believe how many people I pass in the office wearing all-black ensembles a la Morticia Adams in the middle of winter. Lighten up, everyone! I’ll speak for myself when I say that I’ve fully embraced the white pant (which I admit that I wear all year round… forget those Memorial Day/Labor Day rules) and the floral dress and plan to wear them all summer long. Read More »