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 »

Rainy weather in New York really sucks. I know that rain sucks wherever you live, but I’ve come to the conclusion that the Big Apple is probably the city that is least conducive to rainstorms. As all of you east-coasters probably remember, it rained, thundered, lightning, misted – you get the drift – every day in June. Then July rolled around and we thought the horrendous weather was over, until yesterday.

I was commuting from New Jersey, and my mom generously offered to drive me to the bus stop. I tumbled out of the car with my paper bag lunch in hand only to trip over the slippery sidewalk, causing my three hard-boiled eggs (don’t hate) to fall out and smush together on the street. Accident #1. On the bus, I began to apply my makeup and things were going smoothly until the bus driver stopped short (why does everyone forget how to drive on the highway when there’s a little water on their windshield??), and mascara was dragged across my cheek and nose. 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 »

If your summer has been characterized by commuting to and from your internship site, I’m sure that we can sympathize with one another. And if you have been trying to avoid your commute by staying with friends/boyfriends/girlfriends so that you don’t need to go home and actually deal with commuting, I can sympathize with you more.

Issues always seem to arise when you’re traveling back and forth (from New York to New Jersey in my case), hopping on buses and trains, and trying to figure out how to spend the night at your boyfriend’s and have the appropriate clothing and necessities for work the next day. (Walk of shame to your dorm room in last night’s theme party get up = embarrassing. Walk of shame to the office in yesterday’s outfit = unacceptable.) I had the unfortunate fate of staying in the city one Thursday night and donning a skintight American Apparel jersey dress, which I then had to wear to work the next day. I was already running late and had no time (or $$$) to buy a cover-up before work, and I spent the day hiding from everyone in my office.

To ensure that you’ll always be prepared as your job starts to make your life more hectic, and to help you make use of those hours spent in transport, read on: 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 »

Week two at X magazine has commenced, and I’m happy to report that I’ve only had two coffees today and am feeling pretty awake!

Now that the first couple of days are over, I feel a lot more settled – still need some decorations for my cubicle, but definitely know my way around the office and feel more comfortable talking to editors and asking for help. I’ve conducted two interviews and written two tiny pieces (more like blurbs than articles, but hey, you gotta start somewhere!) I’ve even discovered a great lunch restaurant! If you work in midtown east, you must check out the Amish Market on 240 45th street between 2nd and 3rd avenue. Really good sandwiches and salad bars and fresh sushi, which I, for one, can never pass up!

All you critical readers out there (last week I made some people VERY outraged by complaining about my faxing, copying, and general slave labor duties) will be pleased to know that I have been staying away from excess cab rides and mojitos, and instead making my boyfriend pay for me.

JUST KIDDING!

I have definitely been trying to control the cash flow, and I’ve come up with a few tips for my fellow interns out there in cyber space. Read More »

After sweating, slaving, and stressing over my resume for what felt like weeks, and checking Mediabistro and Ed2010.com for journalism internships like a madwoman, I finally landed myself a job at one of the most successful women’s magazines in the country. For the sake of anonymity, I’ll withhold the publication’s name – for now, at least.

But I will share all my experiences with you every Wednesday in hopes that you’ll have some pity for a poor, unpaid, slave (oops), learn something about the publishing and journalism industry, and enjoy my tales of development and debauchery in the Big Apple.

After only my second day, here’s what I have to report:

The copy machine really is every girl’s BFF…
I’ve spent more time staring at this over-sized piece of mail-room machinery in the past 48 hours than I have into my boyfriend’s pretty brown eyes, and I think there’s been more physical contact, too. Copying should be in BOLD print in any college kid’s intern description. This is unpleasant for two reasons: One, I have worn my new fabulous Moschino heels two days in a row, and this makes standing over my sad little grey friend a bit uncomfortable. Two, I think I have three paper cuts. Oh and three – HOW HARD IS IT TO COPY YOUR OWN SH*T! Read More »

Last spring, I was gearing up to graduate and was waiting for the job offers to come rolling in. Instead, the only opportunity that came my way was a summer internship. At the time, I was making plenty of money waiting tables, but I knew that the added experience of an internship would add to my credentials– even if it meant taking a pay cut. So I moved to upstate New York to a place that was a five-hour drive from everyone I would care to visit.

When I first got there, I quickly realized that this job sucked. My boss, the woman who had hired me, misinformed me when I had inquired about the hours, the workload, and the learning potential of the position during my interview. However, by the end of August, when it was time to pack up and move on, I realized I had just had one of the best summers of my life.

Before I go into the ways that you, too, can make the most of your summer internship, let me explain why mine was so terrible. I had been hired by a nonprofit regional theater company as an administrative intern for their summer season. As an English major who was trying to break into theater, that sounded right up my alley when my boss had described my duties. However, when I arrived, I quickly learned that the majority of my time would be spent serving as assistant house manager — ripping tickets and listening to patrons bitch for 8 shows a week. Read More »