Kate White, editor-in-chief of the most successful women’s magazine in the U.S. (Cosmo, in case you didn’t know), recently cleared her busy schedule to talk to Ed. Read on to find out how she got her start (by winning a contest to work at Glamour), how to get a promotion, and what her biggest pet peeve is.
Did you always know that you wanted to work for magazines?
Yes, actually. When I was a little girl I put out a magazine called the Orville Street News (hokey, I know), and later, I created my own magazine in high school. Though I felt a calling pretty early, I don’t think that’s essential. You can come late to the party and still be good.
How did you break into magazines and climb your way up?
I actually got in by winning Glamour’s “Top Ten College Women Contest.” I was even on the cover! I’m a pretty decent idea person, and that helped me move up. The most challenging moments, in terms of climbing the ladder, have been jumping from an editorial assistant to an editor position and jumping from the number two spot to editor-in-chief.
What was your most awkward moment when you first started out?
Because I was too anxious to spell out that I wanted to be a writer, I was placed in the promotions department of Glamour following winning the contest. I had to give a little fashion presentation, and I was so nervous (and knew so little about fashion!) that I was just dreadful. Later, someone told me I looked and sounded so grim that I resembled a funeral director going through coffin selection. I overcame the problem by figuring out a way to get into the articles department where I belonged—I volunteered to write for them for free, and it worked!
What do you wish you would’ve known when you were first starting out that you know now?
How important it is to get your exact vision for a magazine (or even your area of a magazine) nailed down into a smart, clear sound bite. That keeps you on track, and it’s important especially today. Magazines do have a great future, I believe, but they will be different, and there will be fewer of them. Now more than ever you have to be sure of your plan.
What’s something job-seekers should try to avoid doing?
Don’t only follow up with your contacts only when you need something. Send them a link to a site or a clip they’ll like when you come across one. Then, two months later when you do need something, you won’t seem like just a user. I hate emails that begin: “It was so great to meet you two months ago. Now what can you do for me?”
In this economy, Ed often gets asked the question, “Should I take a job at a magazine that I’m not interested in or hold off until I can get a job at a magazine I really love?” What’s your take?
I would say hold off. You’ll end up spending just as much time trying to make your way out as you would be job searching, only you’ll be miserable as hell! You perform best when the fit is right. Cosmo has been such a good fit for me, reinforcing that point.
Any last words of wisdom?
Don’t be afraid to show how passionate you feel about a position. Often candidates seem cool as cucumbers, but I think the hot tamale gets the prize!
