Kim Tranell graduated from Penn State in 2004 and has already moved up the ranks from intern to editorial assistant to assistant editor and, finally, to health editor of Seventeen magazine—where she covers health, nutrition, fitness, sex education and body image. How did she do it? Tranell dished advice during a visit to her alma mater on April 11, and now the Penn State Ed on Campus chapter shares her secrets.
TOP FIVE THINGS COLLEGE STUDENTS SHOULD DO NOW
1. Get student publication experience. Tranell says this is the first thing she looks for when she reads a college résumé. For Penn Staters, she recommended getting involved with Valley, a student life and style magazine, or The Daily Collegian, the student newspaper. (See if there’s a student-run magazine or newspaper at your school and get involved!) “Internships are great,” says Tranell, “but you’ll learn things like working independently or managing a staff, which you probably won’t learn interning.”
2. Seek Web-based opportunities. Some journalism programs are still geared toward newspapers, but Tranell says students need to branch out and learn the Web. She recommends finding small sites that are looking for cheap (or free!) writers who just want to gain experience. Her Campus is a new website for college women that was started by a former Seventeen intern, and Tranell recommends getting involved with your campus’ branch, or starting your own if there isn’t one yet. (Hint: E-mail Stephanie@hercampus.com if you’re interested!)
3. Build your own website! Tranell says building a professional website is a great way to “showcase your work.” She recommends linking your site to organizations you’re involved in and stories you’ve written to make your résumé come alive. Starting a blog is another option, which allows you to develop your voice and shows editors your personality. Tranell says she looks for “cultivated interests” when picking her interns, and blogs are an easy way to find them.
4. Discover your passion. While she admits this may sound corny, Tranell says that she always wanted to work in magazines. But she also loved teen news and entertainment, which led to her current position as Seventeen’s health editor. Having a passion will make you more excited when you go into interviews, which is what editors want to see. “The most successful people I know are doing what they love,” says Tranell.
5. Know what’s going on in the industry. It’s always impressive when a potential intern can hold a conversation about a magazine’s recent redesign or new editor-in-chief. Read Ed2010, Mediabistro or Gawker to keep up with what’s happening. It’s an important networking tool to keep under your belt!
THREE STEPS TO YOUR DREAM INTERNSHIP
1. Start with a stellar cover letter. Tranell believes you should read a year or two of back issues at your campus library before even writing your cover letter. “It’s important to understand the magazine’s voice,” Tranell says. She recommends referencing specific stories from previous issues and “showing, not telling, your strengths” by using creative intros and “tight, snappy copy.” Also, research the name of the internship coordinator to avoid the generic “To Whom It May Concern,” and provide links to online clips and websites since many cover letters are sent via e-mail.
2. Make your résumé work. “Never send out the same résumé twice,” is a rule Tranell thinks every student should follow. Tailor each résumé to the job you’re applying for—adding InDesign experience when applying for a graphic design internship, and nutrition and fitness classes for one in health. Tranell says it’s also important to make sure all of the “experience” listed on your résumé is applicable. “If you were the president of your sorority, that’s great, but it’s not really relevant,” she says.
3. Rock the interview. Tranell looks for creative people who are smart and ambitious but are also unassuming. “I don’t want them to think running errands is beneath them,” she says. Ninety-nine percent of the time, you’ll be asked if you have any questions at the end of the interview. “You better be asking questions!” Tranell says, adding that she wants interns who are curious. “Ask if you will get writing experience or if you’ll have the opportunity to work with other departments.”
MAKE A LASTING IMPRESSION
Tranell says every intern should make it their goal to be “that intern”—the first intern who pops into an editor’s mind when she needs some extra help, and the first intern she thinks of when a job opens up. “Always carry a pen and notebook to write down assignments and notes during meetings, and never be bored,” Tranell says. If all else fails, research ideas for an upcoming issue!
And finally, it’s important to keep in touch with your supervisors and editors every few months. (Hint: Don’t just e-mail them when you need something. Instead compliment them on an article they wrote in the new issue or update them on recent accomplishments you’ve made at school.) But it’s more important to befriend your fellow interns; they’ll be the ones you move up the ladder with once you’re in the industry! —By Devin Tomb, co-founder and president of Penn State University’s Ed on Campus
