A Great Gig in the Sky: How I Got the Internship
Strangely enough, I was not nervous. I boarded the subway self-assured because with Arcade Fire playing on my headphones, I figured I could do anything. I headed downtown to 575 Broadway (on the corner of Prince Street) to the offices of Interview Magazine.
The thing is, I am ALWAYS nervous. It's just who I am. I am nervous about meeting people, public speaking, walking around Harris. But this was the first time since elementary school that I was excited about my first day. I knew I would be in the fine company of another intern (named Brittany) and the 2 Connecticut College alums that work in Interview's advertising office (Marie LaFrance 2003 and Elliot Coakley 2005). If all else failed, I could definitely aask them what dorms they lived in on campus.
I suppose some background information would be helpful because an understanding of where I'm working will be necessary for when I actually start to describe what I'm doing during my internship (which is the whole point of this blog right?) A brief history of the magazine is as follows:
Interview Magazine was founded by Andy Warhol in 1969, based on the idea that artists should interview each other. This has been the driving force behind the magazine and has caused it to stand out as a high-end, high-culture entertainment magazine. Some celebrity contributors include Elton John, Johnny Depp, and Lindsay Lohan. Interview's esteem has garnered the motto "The Crystal Ball of Pop".
How perfect for me! The girl who is obsessed with pop culture gets to work for a premium pop culture publication. Seems like an impossible gig to get, right?
Well, thank goodness for CELS and alumni contacts because otherwise I would have been lifeguarding again this summer. Marie LaFrance contacted CELS looking for advertising interns, hoping to give back since she had an amazing CELS experience. I jumped at the opportunity, which is the only way to do it because if you don't act quickly and eagerly, the opportunities will just slip right past you. So I contacted Marie in November or December, and we made a plan to get in touch again in March. I interviewed at Interview (hah!) during my spring break, and I made sure that I made a great first impression by choosing the perfect outfit. Now, I'm not usually one to believe that clothes are terribly important...but in the work force, they are. Physical impressions are everything especially at a magazine that is fully invested in high fashion designers. I certainly felt better walking into an office covered with Andy Warhol prints in a sleek, classy outfit.
It was during the interview that I was very nervous, and I was afraid that I completely botched it. I didn't know how to answer the question, "Tell me more about yourself." I stammered, tried to delay, and then I realized that I really had nothing to say. Did I have an existential moment of doubt? Kind of. I didn't know what was worthwhile and what wasn't, so I just went on to say how much I love working on the school newspaper and how much I love magazines and publications. The interview ended quickly, about 20 minutes, and Marie said she would call me soon to let me know whether I got it or not.
I wasn't entirely sure whether I wanted to be an advertising intern, but I was so enamored with the magazine and the opportunities it would offer (even if it wasn't in editorial) that when Marie called me on Monday, I said yes immediately. And then I was excited. Really excited, and I wished it would be May 30th so I could go into the city for the summer and begin my glorious life as a savvy, advertising intern!