How to Get a Magazine Internship

Do you dream of working as a magazine writer or editor? One of the best ways to break into the ultra-competitive magazine industry is by starting out as an intern.
Interns gain valuable experience working alongside seasoned writers and editors while learning the basic workings of a major publication. An internship is a great way to get your foot in the door and eventually start your career in the publication business.

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Resume
• Writing Samples

1. Make a list of the magazines that are most appealing to you in terms of content. For example, if you are interested in fashion, focus on your favorite fashion magazines. If you're interested in cars, focus on magazines that feature automobiles and other vehicles.

2. Obtain phone numbers or email addresses for the main editors or managing editors for each of the magazines on your list. A general phone number for the magazine can be found on the masthead and you can obtain email addresses from the front desk secretary.
   In some cases, if you call their offices, they may transfer you to the human resources department once you let them know that you're interested in obtaining an internship.

3. Mail or email your resume and a few of your best writing clips to the editors or the human resources department. The writing samples should be relevant to the type of magazine you're applying to. For example, if you're applying to a food magazine, you should send clips such as restaurant and food reviews. You can also try to tailor your writing to the general tone or style of the magazine.

4. Follow up with a phone call after about a week, especially if you haven't received an email or letter in response. Ask to speak with the managing editor regarding the resume and writing samples you submitted.

5. Don't give up. If you're not called in for an interview right away, don't be discouraged. Magazines get a lot of inquiries from people wanting to become interns so it may take quite a while before they reply to you. Continue to follow up with phone calls.

6. If you are successful in getting an interview, make sure to dress professionally and have a copy of your resume and some writing samples with you. Also, make sure you have a decent knowledge of the magazine as you will certainly be asked questions regarding past issues and features. The more you know, the better your chances of getting that internship.

Tips & Warnings

• Apply to as many magazines as possible. It's best to broaden your options instead of putting all your eggs in one basket.
• Don't bombard the magazine with too many phone calls. After at least two or three attempts to follow-up go by without a reply, turn your sights elsewhere.

Resources

• Listings of magazine internships

Who Can Help Sponsored

• Earn your degree from industry experts at University of Phoenix. Take the next step in your career.

[Rains506]

on 7/17/2009 Well written. Finding an internship for a good magazine can be tough. Finding a good internship in general can be tough if you want to avoid those coffee fetching, envelope licking ones! I'd recommend researching reviews on different journalism internships. One site that is good with this is www.UltimateIntern.com. This site provides comprehensive internship reviews posted by actual interns. So, you'll see how they got the job, the best and worst part of it, daily tasks, and tips and advice for potential interns. Good Luck!

[uttarakulkarni]

on 5/16/2009 Nice Article. I am impressed by the fairly simple tips. I think the most effective solutions are always simple. Thanks a lot to www.InternshipCrossing, where this article was listed!. I think www.InternshipCrossing and ehow.com are doing a great job helping young grads like me to learn how to crack into the job market.-Uttara