Searching For Internships
So instead of working on that short story and listening to good music, I decided to get cracking looking for publishing internships instead. I now have a pile of printed paper next to me and I feel slightly overwhelmed.
I feel I have a good resume, but now I've got to learn to write good cover letters that'll make publishers want me. I've never had to write one before and it makes me slightly nervous. Plus, these are all out of state, the closest one being in New Orleans. Most are in New York or California, with one in Boston and a few in some random places or New Jersey. The idea of moving out of state for an entire summer to live as an adult, working in a career I anticipate loving with a passion to set myself up for a successful life, and being on my own with no one to protect me or make me feel safe in a big city, is both scary as hell but extremely exciting.
Then there's the fact that some of these are offered during the school year. I'm pretty sure I don't want to take a semester off and miss out being with my friends, (which sounds bad but developing and keeping long-term relationships is important to me, as well as staying young for just a bit longer) but I'm afraid of how likely it is I'll get a summer internship.
And the entire process freaks me out. Some of these only allow academic credit, so I have to figure out how to get that and find out who to ask and maybe even get letters confirming that I can get academic credit for this. I have to talk to an advisor about all of it (I'm not sure whether to go to Paul Sullivan or one of the English advisors), go to the Career Resources Center or whatever it's called to have them look at my resume and help me with a cover letter and what to do, get some experience with our own Writing Center, apply there and for their class so I can get some more editing experience, etc.
It's not so bad. I just have to mentally prepare myself and take it in steps. I'm going to apply for a section editor position in Yearbook. I'm not sure if I'll do it for this year because my editor told me kind of late (after the deadline) but she might be able to get me an exception. But if not I'll go to more meetings this year and apply next year. I have my current editor's respect so it should be ok.
I'll keep working for Sallie Mae until October, then either get a job on campus or see if I can gain some familiarity with the Writing Center so that I can apply for next year. I need to be more active, but I can't let anything interfere with going to Yearbook meetings, so I might not be able to join UDems. I'm not sure. I wasn't very helpful for the Echo magazine because I got busy... we'll have to see. I want to do something interesting and useful. Something I can get passionate about.
Talk to advisors and Career Center, maybe meet some professors who were in publishing who can give me some tips. Since I need to work for Yearbook and the Writing Center at one point to gain experience that'll help me out, I can't apply for internships during the year. Ok. So only summer. That's good.
Apply, see what happens. Not so bad.
God I hope I get one, and a good one. I want one that focuses on the editorial and managing editorial departments, maybe even with a little public relations involved because it sounds really interesting and... powerful (heh). I also want one that'll really teach me about publishing and give me lots of experience. I don't want that has me just filing all day and getting coffee and doughnuts. I'll get pissed if that's all I get. And then hopefully, when I graduate, I won't be like Mike, 28 and still looking for a job in my career. I know it happens to a lot of people and I just refuse to be one of them. I know it's not always their fault, but I refuse damnit.
It's going to be ok. I'll be ok.
I feel I have a good resume, but now I've got to learn to write good cover letters that'll make publishers want me. I've never had to write one before and it makes me slightly nervous. Plus, these are all out of state, the closest one being in New Orleans. Most are in New York or California, with one in Boston and a few in some random places or New Jersey. The idea of moving out of state for an entire summer to live as an adult, working in a career I anticipate loving with a passion to set myself up for a successful life, and being on my own with no one to protect me or make me feel safe in a big city, is both scary as hell but extremely exciting.
Then there's the fact that some of these are offered during the school year. I'm pretty sure I don't want to take a semester off and miss out being with my friends, (which sounds bad but developing and keeping long-term relationships is important to me, as well as staying young for just a bit longer) but I'm afraid of how likely it is I'll get a summer internship.
And the entire process freaks me out. Some of these only allow academic credit, so I have to figure out how to get that and find out who to ask and maybe even get letters confirming that I can get academic credit for this. I have to talk to an advisor about all of it (I'm not sure whether to go to Paul Sullivan or one of the English advisors), go to the Career Resources Center or whatever it's called to have them look at my resume and help me with a cover letter and what to do, get some experience with our own Writing Center, apply there and for their class so I can get some more editing experience, etc.
It's not so bad. I just have to mentally prepare myself and take it in steps. I'm going to apply for a section editor position in Yearbook. I'm not sure if I'll do it for this year because my editor told me kind of late (after the deadline) but she might be able to get me an exception. But if not I'll go to more meetings this year and apply next year. I have my current editor's respect so it should be ok.
I'll keep working for Sallie Mae until October, then either get a job on campus or see if I can gain some familiarity with the Writing Center so that I can apply for next year. I need to be more active, but I can't let anything interfere with going to Yearbook meetings, so I might not be able to join UDems. I'm not sure. I wasn't very helpful for the Echo magazine because I got busy... we'll have to see. I want to do something interesting and useful. Something I can get passionate about.
Talk to advisors and Career Center, maybe meet some professors who were in publishing who can give me some tips. Since I need to work for Yearbook and the Writing Center at one point to gain experience that'll help me out, I can't apply for internships during the year. Ok. So only summer. That's good.
Apply, see what happens. Not so bad.
God I hope I get one, and a good one. I want one that focuses on the editorial and managing editorial departments, maybe even with a little public relations involved because it sounds really interesting and... powerful (heh). I also want one that'll really teach me about publishing and give me lots of experience. I don't want that has me just filing all day and getting coffee and doughnuts. I'll get pissed if that's all I get. And then hopefully, when I graduate, I won't be like Mike, 28 and still looking for a job in my career. I know it happens to a lot of people and I just refuse to be one of them. I know it's not always their fault, but I refuse damnit.
It's going to be ok. I'll be ok.