I’m looking for a job in New York, and I always hear and read on here how challenging it can be to find something good in editorial. Anyways, I’m looking for that first job after college (I took the summer off from job searching) now and there aren’t a lot of positions open at all in what I really want to do (fashion)…should I just take something related and hope it works out?
I’m in the running right now for a job that sounds pretty great, but if I get offered a fashion job down the line, would it be terrible to quit after less than 3 months??
Quitting a job after 3 mos.
Quitting a job after 3 mos. wouldn’t be terrible. It sucks, but this is really the only stage in your career when you can afford to do it (because if you leave after 3 mos to go to a better job, you can just leave the first one off your resume, and future employers will just assume you were still job searching during that time). Gotta do what ya gotta do to pay the bills.
I can attest that finding a job in NY isn’t easy (I’m still working on it), but if you can save up money and afford to do an unpaid internship, it would definitely help get your foot in the door.
Try an internship
I was in your shoes last year. Here’s a tip, most fashion editorial positions are filled by interns. There are a few magazines that offer paid internships after college. In Style is one, and I know for sure their most recent fashion EA spots have been filled by fashion interns. And if you can’t find an internship, inquire a/b freelance projects at Time Inc. Their HR dept. fills temporary entry-level spots. And Atrium and Career Blazers are good temp agencies to work with for spots at Conde and Hearst.
Thanks!
Thanks for the tips guys! I can’t really intern because I can’t get school credit, and I’m sort of over it. I actually freelanced through Career blazers at the Associate Ed. level so it wouldn’t make sense to intern.
Le sigh.
I guess I’ll keep telling everyone I know that I’m looking and hope that some tips come to fruition…!!
Addressing the original
Addressing the original question, I don’t believe three months is horrible when first getting out of college, but I wouldn’t get into the habit. I agree with one of the other responses, this is the only time in your career that you are allowed and pretty much expected to do this.
That being said, I also want to say while you initially say you recognize how difficult gaining a job in NYC may be, I’m not sure you do. The reason being, you would be willing to do whatever came your way whether it be an internship, coffee getter, watergirl, etc. And if an internship at some great magazine came your way, I’d surely hope you weren’t ‘sort of over it.’ You are in the running right now for a job, and that’s a great start but don’t count your chickens before they hatch. Please make a note that while it is tough getting an editorial job at all in NYC, fashion editorial is 1000 times more difficult. And even then, most people first starting out must also pick up a part time job in addition to whatever freelance work they may find.
Just some friendly advice. Good luck in your search.
Thanks for the comments.
Thanks for the comments. Just an update: I got the job that I was in the running for, and have taken it. We’ll see where it takes me!!