All About Internships and Work Experience Placements

[mkfan]

Thanks so much for your repsonse. It's really helpful. I'm actually very shy so "networking" in the traditional sense is not exactly what I'm after. I'm more interested in how this will look on my resume because I know certain magazines require prior magazine experience but others they are more interested in your previous "fashion" experience. Ugh, it's just so frustrating because I don't want to give up this offer only to discover than none of the magazine internships work out...sorry, I'm just very conflicted right now and not very articulate!

 

[matthaeus123]

What I meant BetteT was that it is important to talk to people and make relationships. But I do agree for freelance, I wouldn't even try to network.

 

[BetteT]

Good man, matthaeus123!

Networking and building relationships at magazines, design houses, pr firms, etc. .... any of the regular types of jobs ... is, in most cases, acceptable. You may and should network with all your friends and impress anyone else with your energy, talent and your high standard of ethics. If ever in doubt that it could be in conflict with your boss's best interest, ask someone what the etiquette is. And stick by that.

 

[matthaeus123]

Good man, matthaeus123!

Networking and building relationships at magazines, design houses, pr firms, etc. .... any of the regular types of jobs ... is, in most cases, acceptable. You may and should network with all your friends and impress anyone else with your energy, talent and your high standard of ethics. If ever in doubt that it could be in conflict with your boss's best interest, ask someone what the etiquette is. And stick by that.

I agree completly. In freelance, you should act like a servant. Seen, but not heard. And don't talk to the company.

 

[BetteT]

Thanks so much for your repsonse. It's really helpful. I'm actually very shy so "networking" in the traditional sense is not exactly what I'm after. I'm more interested in how this will look on my resume because I know certain magazines require prior magazine experience but others they are more interested in your previous "fashion" experience. Ugh, it's just so frustrating because I don't want to give up this offer only to discover than none of the magazine internships work out...sorry, I'm just very conflicted right now and not very articulate!

The reason we keep harping on the "networking" thing is because most desired jobs in the magazine and the fashion world are found through people who know you and know your abilities, etc. More often than not, a resume does not get you the job. Yeah, it might get you in at ground level but then you have to take it from there if you have loftier goals.

So you must start looking at this networking thing differently ... you will need to stand out among all the thousands of others competing for the same jobs and assignments throughout your entire career. It really is an essential skill to make it in this biz so you must make learning that skill a priority.

What you hope to acheive with networking is:

1. People will tell you about upcoming opportunities, so you can get your name in for consideration before it's widely known ... and maybe you'll be ahead of the competition. (And ... you can't be shy about letting your superiors know that you are interested in advancing to certain jobs ... they won't know if you don't tell them.)

2. You will need references from many respected people in your field, so they must remember you and your work and want to give a glowing reference.

3. If you are well known and liked by numerous people who are connected they will often give your name as someone to consider for plumb jobs and assignments. We often wonder how someone got a job or assignment, when we didn't even know it was up for grabs. Well, they got selected because their "reputation preceeded them" and they were asked before the opportunity was made public.

4. You will need favors from your friends in the biz ... maybe an introduction to someone else who can help you in your career or just how to find information or something that you need to complete an assignment.

If you are not an effective networker, you will have a strong disadvantage in these related businesses ... publishing, fashion, PR. It will hamper your rise to higher positions. So, do what you can to develop this skill ... shy or not ... you can overcome it with lots of practice.

One advantage of interning with the stylist would be watching her network constantly, if she's good at it. Maybe she'd at least share some of those tips with you. But you wouldn't be able to practice networking ... so that's a definite negative, in my opinion.

Of the two choices, I think the magazine would be best ... where you can actually practice networking and watch others do it to learn how they approach it. And you'd start to make contacts faster than with the stylist ... because you'd work with the same people day in and day out. It would be easier for a shy person to make friends.

Food for thought?

 

[Ceptuouse]

Im sure this has been asked a million times already, but explain to a dummy how exactly you get work experience at a magazine?

Anyone? I was told by miu miu that I should call human resources, yes?

 

[BetteT]

Yes ... number one move. Unless you are in school ... then try the counselors first to see if they have contacts, before you call the HR dept.

Number 2 ... do you know anyone at the magazine, personally? Ask them, too if they know or can find out anything about internships.

Number 3 .. Call department heads (do some research to get theri names) and ask them if they would consider taking on an intern. A bold move ... you might get referred back to HR. But you might impress someone, if you approach it well, are well spoken and prepared to talk very breifly about your experience, schooling, etc. You goal should be to get an appointment with them rather than being shuffled off to the land of the lost ... a huge HR dept.

Just some ideas ... really it's about the same as looking for a real job.

 

[VICTIM]

Anyone? I was told by miu miu that I should call human resources, yes?

it depends which magazines really and which department, its mostly about contacts here

 

[matthaeus123]

I am quite bad at networking with people, but I am really great at networking online. Non-fashion related work, but the principal is still the same. That's how I got my scholarship.

 

[Avant Garde]

Is it possible to get an internship during high school? Even in you have no work experience. A cover letter could definetly be done along with the resume, but I think the resume might look unimpressive without experience.

Should a high schooler wait until college?

 

[gius]

This is so interesting... I'd say I'm actually a fairly shy person, but if I have something I want and know who to get it from, I will actually ask for it And, I always thought this was an okay thing. I guess it is better being indirect. After reading these few posts, I think I'm probably way too forward and sometimes maybe seem rude or out for myself only Actually I feel I lost a good contact because of this

I'm good with networking online too, matt Seems you need to be a lot more bubbly when you're in person

I have a question... I'm also in school and we don't do our practicum (like internship) till next year. I want to do one during the summer break. Is there any way I could do this? I would have to find someone I would like to work with first... a fashion designer, for example. I probably need to search for them on my own without looking for available sources from teachers...I'm thinking. How could I approach them?

 

[matthaeus123]

This is a perfect example of when networking is very handy. I would think that you could get an internship if you know somebody, but usually (depending on what kind of business you want to get into) you should probably be in college.

BTW I am just shy with new people, I'm really not that out-going of a person. Also, how does everyone know my name?

 

[gius]

^I could definitely use my being in college as a reason for them to let me intern with them. I'm just wondering if there is anything else

Your name is in your username
but on your profile it's Mæθ͡ju (?)

 

[matthaeus123]

Your name is in your username
but on your profile it's Mæθ͡ju (?)

Sorry for spamming
That is my name. Somebody doesn't know how to read IPA.

 

[fashionicon]

Is it possible to get an internship during high school? Even in you have no work experience. A cover letter could definetly be done along with the resume, but I think the resume might look unimpressive without experience.

Should a high schooler wait until college?

I don't think the fact that you're in high school is the problem. Most people tell me that retail/design exprience is key. It lets them know that you can interact with customers.

 

[Luna]

mkfan, never pass up a good opportunity like that. you will meet people along the way.. you will learn.

It's a win, win situation.

Good luck!

 

[canucksfan22]

It's not really clear, but I think that they may not want you to actually "write" a story ... because in fashion magazines, the term "story" refers to a fashion photography layout ... you know, like all the ones we see posted here with the amazing photos.

If you already understand it as this ... then you won't need to read any further. But if you don't understand what a fashion story is, here's the idea:

A "fashion story" is a group of pictures showing clothes along a theme ... things like like a "color story" (clothes that all have one similar color in them), or a story like "Winter Wonderland" featuring something like outer wear for the winter time, or a southwest theme (which was very popular when bohemian was big), or perhaps something fun like "Spring Break", showing the newest in swimwear and casual stuff for the beach. It's the theme or concept that makes all the images flow together and make sense as a group. You should take your inspiration for stories from current and upcoming fashions and find a creative way to show them off.

If that is what they are talking about, then I think that they do want to see how you get your ideas across, so good writing is important. But ... they also want to see if you undrstand how to put a story together, what sort of creative ideas you have and if you are up on the type of fashion that they feature in their magazine. Each magazine has a style and a certain demographic and I think that they would like to see that you understand what theirs is all about, as well.

Sorry to dig up this older topic, but how much detail do you think a magazine would want in an internship application?

Do I have to make an actual rough layout with pictures, or would a written blurb describing my idea for the set/shoot location, and maybe some runway photos of pieces/outfits suffice?

Can BetteT or anybody else elaborate?? Thanks in advance!!

And I can't remember who posted the question about 'fashion stories' to BetteT first, but are you by any chance applying for the internship at Fashion Magazine? Are you looking to work in Vancouver this summer? Have you heard anything good/bad about this internship? PM if you happen to read this, whoever you are!

 

[BetteT]

I can't really say ... I've never applied for any internships. When I gave advice about this topic, it was based on knowing what commonly is known as a "story" in the fashion world.

My only advice is to read the application (if they even have one that they send you to fill out) or any information you can get from them, very carefully to try to determine what they might want. From what I've heard, it's different for different magazines.

But based on common sense and how I felt when I had interns working for me in another life (banking) and now, in fashion ... I would think that they would like an intern who could povide something to benefit the magazine and just might be someone they might like to hire after school is out. Interns are a good source of entry level employees and the employers love the fact that they already know if the intern is a good match and a good worker ... or not. So ... in any application, I would look for someone who is literate and intelligent (writes well), seems to have a real sense of the amount of work it takes to get ahead in whatever industry and who comes across as someone who will work hard and not expect everything to be handed to them on a silver platter.

But that's just me ... no idea what a magazine would want in an intern.

 

[matthaeus123]

This thread makes me want to do an internship more and more everyday.

 

[mkfan]

So my friend asked me for sites that have free internships listed and all I knew of was craigslist so I thought I would turn to you guys to see if there are any other good fashion related internship/job sites (not necessarily exclusively fashion but more fashion oriented would be good) that I could suggest to her. (I'm sorry if this has already been asked, I've tried looking but it seems to be spread out among so many different threads). Thanks!