improve your work by thinking like a designer

On his blog Presentation Zen, Garr Reynolds shares some advice from his experience as a designer that he feels is useful to people in all professions. Here's my editor's take on some of his tips:

"Embrace constraints." For editors, this could mean sticking to issue themes, for example. When your options are unlimited, sometimes it can be hard to know where to start. Limitations force you to focus and come up with fresh solutions.

"Practice restraint." You can't fit every idea into one article. Choose the best and perfect it. If the story is an evergreen topic, save your other ideas for next time.

"Adopt the beginner's mind." Take a step back and look at your magazine and your workflow with fresh eyes every once in awhile. Maybe that column isn't working as well as you think it is. Maybe there's a more efficient way to do things. And if you happen to have a new staff member, take advantage of it and get his/her opinion.

"Check your ego at the door. This is not about you, it's about them (your audience, customer, patient, student, etc.)." For us, it's all about our readers. Never forget this. You may love a story idea, but does it make sense for your readers?

"Focus on the experience of the design." Reynolds points out that much of design has an emotional component; how people respond to and interact with design is immensely important. Likewise, readers have an emotional attachment to "their" magazines. Nurture it. Use it to your advantage.

"Become a master storyteller." Well, that's an obvious one. But Reynolds actually concisely outlines a structure that works for many stories: "Start with the general, zoom in to the detail, pull out again to remind us of the theme or key concept, then zoom back in to illuminate more of the detail."

"Obsess about ideas, not tools." Blogs, podcasts, Twitter feeds — use them to get your content and brand out there, but remember that a cool tool is useless if it's carrying useless information.

"Learn all the 'rules' and know when and why to break them." Now is a good time to start breaking the rules. Magazines are changing, and they're changing fast. Instead of fretting about the impending doomsday of the industry, blue sky it. Are magazines still just ink on paper? Presume that they're not and start thinking about all the possibilities. This is exciting. Be excited!

Here is Reynolds' complete slideshow on how to think like a designer (click on "Full" to be able to read the notes under each slide):

Think Like a Designer (with notes)

View more documents from garr.

Found through The Artful Manager.

resumés at information meetings

Information meetings are not job interviews, but that doesn't mean you shouldn't bring your resumé to them. A good tip from Ask the Recruiter:

Have a resumé and work samples in your bag in case you happen to make a good impression and someone asks for them. If no one asks for them, send them in with the thank-you note you are going to write after your visit.

finding opportunities outside of Toronto

In my last post, I promised to address the question of whether not being in Toronto limits your career opportunities.

First, don't let your home base discourage you. Yes, there are more English-language magazines published out of Toronto than any other place in Canada, but there are also more people competing for the jobs at those magazines.

Research what opportunities are available in your home town by checking job boards and the member lists of publishing associations like Magazines Canada, the Canadian Business Press, the Atlantic Magazines Association and the British Columbia Association of Magazine Publishers.

Make connections with other editors through local chapters of industry associations like the Professional Writers Association of Canada.

And don't be shy about calling up other editors and offering to take them out to lunch, just to meet them and chat about the industry. I occasionally get together for brunch with magazine peeps in my hood, outside of any organized association, and it's great to just talk about anything magazine related that's on our minds. Making and maintaining friendships in the industry is important because people who aren't in it can't fully understand it, and you need those people who get it to offer advice throughout your career.

reader's question: how do I make a mid-life career transition into magazines?

Q. What advice would you give to an experienced corporate/industry writer who wants to jump the fence into a magazine career?

My challenges are:
(1) I'm not a student, nor am I a "young whippersnapper," so the internship route may not be possible for me (although I would certainly jump at the opportunity).
(2) I don't live in Toronto, but in Ottawa, so opportunities are further limited.

A. I have no experience in it, but I can't imagine changing your career track is at all easy.

If you're looking to become a freelance magazine writer, the transition shouldn't be too difficult. You might be able to find work writing for trade publications, particularly those that cover the industries you've previously worked for. Like any writer trying to break in, you'll have to slowly build your portfolio with clippings from smaller local and regional magazines and work your way up to larger titles. You'll definitely need to do this to make your way into larger consumer titles. (Some veteran freelancers might advise you to keep your corporate gigs to supplement any income made from magazines.)

If you're looking to land an on-staff gig as an editor, your path will be a little longer and harder. First, don't discount internships. I once worked with an intern who was returning to the workforce after staying home to raise her kids for 12 years. Her career previous to having children wasn't in magazines, and she was willing to start at the bottom, as you are. Call up managing editors at places you'd like to intern and talk to them about whether they'd be willing to take you on. Check out my earlier post on How Old is Too Old to Intern? for more on this.

There's a little bit of a chance that you may be able to land a position without doing an internship. The key will be to prove that you "get it" and that you're capable of doing the job. You'll have to work harder than applicants with magazine experience to convey this in your cover letter and clippings. Figure out what your transferable skills are, why they make you valuable, and how they would benefit the magazine.

To help you from this angle, you may want to consider the information meeting. Talking to an editor in a senior position will help you determine if you do in fact get it and help pinpoint where your magazine skills are strong or lacking.

As for your question about opportunities given your location, I'm going to tackle this in another post. Watch for it.

the secret to success

Two videos from Richard St. John on success. The takeaway: even if you reach your dream job, you can't stop striving to be the best.

8 Secrets of Success:



Success is a Continuous Journey:

reader's question: what entry-level jobs can I apply to?

Q. I'm a recent graduate just completing an internship. In September I will begin to search for a job. Are there any other titles besides editorial assistant that I should apply for?

A. Editorial assistant will be the most common job title for your level of experience, but look at other postings to see what they're looking for. Position titles aren't always consistent across the industry, so it's worth skimming postings that you're unsure of. Watch for words like entry level, junior or new graduate in the job descriptions. If your experience matches the requirements, feel free to apply.

For general descriptions of magazine job titles, check out Masthead.

follow up

I welcome requests for advice from all the readers of this blog, and occasionally people take me up on the offer. I'm surprised though at how few people follow up on their queries. I don't always get back to everyone, and sometimes those emails slip to the bottom of my inbox and off my radar. When someone emails me a second time to ask if I received the first email, 99.9 percent of the time I'll reply.

I suspect most editors and hiring managers are like me, which is why, unless you've been explicitly told not to follow up, it's always a good idea to check in. Use your judgement to gauge how many times and how frequently you can contact someone, but my general rule is a week after the previous email or phone call, up to two or three times. More than that and you have to be very tactful in order not to become a pest.

summer jobs for grads

No. Not paying ones. Sorry.

If you just completed j-school (congrats!), keep up your education throughout the summer, while you're trying to land your first real job. 10,000 Words offers up a 30-point to-do list to improve your journalism skills, including suggestions like Create an online portfolio; Crop, resize, and colour correct 50 photos; Subscribe to at least 25 non-journalism blogs; and Interview 10 people using a video camera. Many worthwhile goals there, which will expand your technical skills and knowledge base, increase your profile and network, and develop your reporting techniques.

will the future editorial department include web?

Last night I had dinner with two web folks and we got to talking about the divide between web and editorial departments. One day I'd like my job to include editing stories not just for print, but also for online — I'd like to work in both mediums. I have a lot to learn about web editing, but in my mind, both platforms serve the brand, so why the separation? Have the food editor edit the recipes in the book, as well as pull together cooking demonstrations for the web. Get the editor who handles book reviews to write them across the board. I've spoken to other young editors who feel the same way, and I wonder if we're heading in this direction, if the departments will merge over the next few years — if an editor will be an editor will be an editor.

What do you think? Should it all be part and parcel of the same job? Are you interested in doing both?

you didn't get the job because...

You smelled bad. ... You wore too much makeup. ... The CEO’s daughter got the job. ... You acted too desperate. Your pants were too baggy. ... They have a diversity initiative and you’re a white male. ... You didn’t make good eye contact.

And there are oh so many other possible reasons. A post on Radiant Veracity lists 75, and also points out that you can't obsess over everything that you might do or may have done wrong in an interview. Be prepared and do the best you can. After that, the ball is in their court.

Through Lindsay Olson.

event recap: what you need to know about being a web editor

Thanks to everyone who turned out at the Ed2010 Toronto web editor's panel discussion last night — we had a great turnout. (From right to left) Bryan Borzykowski from CanadianBusiness.com, Jen O'Brien from Chatelaine.com, Jennifer Villamere of CanadianLiving.com, and Sharon Donaldson from CottageLife.com and Explore-mag.com shared how they got into online editing and what's involved in the job. (That's Ed2010 Toronto event manager Ann Brown on the left.)


Here are a few points from our panellists that stood out for me:

• Being a web editor is not the same thing as being a print editor. The type of writing and style of articles are different, and your duties as an editor will be different. Only a fraction of your time will be spent assigning stories and working with writers.

• If you're looking for a job as a web editor, you'd better be into the web. Have Facebook and Twitter accounts, post videos that you've shot and edited to YouTube, write a blog, purchase your own domain and build your own website. If you don't do all that — if you're not spending time online — the person doing the hiring is going to wonder why the hell you want to be a web editor.

• Don't look as web editing as a way into the print side. They are different departments and require different skills.

If you attended, post your comments on what you thought were the most interesting points made by our panellists. And let us know what you thought of the event.

event: tonight! Ed2010 Toronto's web editors panel

Just a reminder that Ed2010 Toronto is hosting its web editors panel tonight.

Get online: discover the wonderful world of web editing
Ever wondered what it takes to be a web editor? Even in a slow economy there are job opportunities in online publishing. Find out how you can break into the wonderful world of web editing. Join Ed2010 Toronto and our all-star line-up of senior web staffers from some of Canada's top magazine websites including Jen O'Brien from Chatelaine.com, Bryan Borzykowski from CanadianBusiness.com, Jennifer Villamere of Canadian Living, and Sharon Donaldson from CottageLife.com and Explore-mag.com. Hear how they got into the biz and get advice on how to succeed in the online world.

When: Wednesday June 17 from 6:30pm-7:30pm
Where: Northern District Library, 40 Orchard View Blvd (Yonge and Eglinton)
$5 admission fee (Seating is limited, availability is given on a first come, first serve basis)

If you'd like to become a member of Ed2010, a networking group for young magazine editors, join our facebook group or email us at toronto[at] ed2010[dot] com.

deliver on expectations

Last weekend I headed down to Harbourfront Centre to catch the free Cirque du Soleil performance as part of Luminato. The crowd was large and expectations high. And then a few acrobats splashed around in the pond.

The performance that Cirque delivered was so low key, the audience didn't know when it was over. We all sat there waiting for the next act for about half an hour before someone thought to make an announcement. "Hope you enjoyed the show. See you tomorrow."

Everyone expected more. Not only does Cirque have a well-deserved reputation for delivering fabulous shows, but the setup for this show in particular led us (well, at least me) to believe there was more to come. The "stage" props included, among other things, a trampoline and a boat that were never used. (Though word has it they made cameos in the Sunday show; I say Friday's performance.)

This failure to deliver is one of my greatest pet peeves as a magazine reader: If you're selling me something on the cover, you'd better make sure I find it inside in sufficient quantity/quality to meet the expectations that you set up.

Likewise, be smart about how you sell yourself. You can stretch the truth about how good you are with deadlines, but miss that first one and your editor/boss will be more disappointed in you than had you said nothing about your ability to meet deadlines at all.

facebook can get you fired

Well, if it has to be said again...

Some people still haven't gotten the message that you need to be careful of what you say on Facebook, Twitter and any other social networking site. An Associated Press reporter is the latest victim of officious corporations.

But beyond any nasty comments you might make about your company, its clients or your magazine's readers, you also have to be careful of how you present yourself. Many editors now find that part of their job description is to manage their magazine's Facebook page, or to tweet about all things related to their publication's content. So consider this: Is your profile pic a tad too sexy? Have you set up a professional and a personal account? When you're making announcements to the world, remember who might be listening.

panellist added to ed2010 event

Jennifer Villamere of Canadian Living will join next week's panel discussion of online editors presented by Ed2010. Also on the panel: Jen O'Brien from Chatelaine.com, Bryan Borzykowski from CanadianBusiness.com and Sharon Donaldson from CottageLife.com and Explore-mag.com. Come hear how they got into the biz and get advice on how to succeed in the online world.

When: Wednesday June 17 from 6:30pm-7:30pm
Where: Northern District Library, Toronto
40 Orchard View Blvd (Yonge and Eglinton)
$5 admission fee
(Seating is limited, availability is given on a first come, first serve basis)

what I learned at MagNet: tips on service journalism from Anthony Licata

A few notes on service journalism from the session "Service Centre: How to Tune Up your Magazine"[update: session info no longer available on MagNet site] with Anthony Licata, editor-in-chief of Field & Stream.

Clear is better than clever. Don't make your readers do too much work; they'll just turn the page.

Make it fresh. Evergreen stories can be deadly; if you've seen it before, so have your readers.

Be ambitious. "Wouldn't it be cool if..." ideas are always worth pursuing. Take them as far as you can go before reigning them in.

Don't cut the life out of short writing. It's hard to write short, but when you're trying to fit, cutting the fun phrases and other bits of personality out can make a piece read like an instruction manual.

Teach with a smile. Service pieces can pack in a lot of information and be exhausting. Lighten the mood and keep it fun so you don't tire out your readers.

Your cover should make a compelling promise. Deliver on it with a service package that's well worth the cover price. Even if they read nothing else in that issue, readers should feel they got their money's worth.

It's not all about service. Pacing is important; you can't use the same approach for all stories. Neither should all stories be service pieces; sometimes you just need to tell a good story. Give breathing room to all those itsy bitsy pieces.

using the web right

Next week I'll share with you a few things I learned at MagNet, but for now I'd like to draw your attention to an article shown by John Clinton at Thursday's session "The Future of Publishing: The Big Players, the Big Picture."

As a supplement to Fortune's April 13 cover story, the magazine has produced a rich media version of the article. Powered by Flyp, the online version of "How to get a Job" includes video interviews, audio clips and an interactive map. It's a smart way to layer in all the information that we often try to fit into a heavily packaged service piece in print, without some of the space constraints. Love it, love it, love it.

Si Newhouse & Condé Nast

[Si Newhouse] ran [Condé Nast] as if it were a movie studio of the thirties and forties, the era in which Newhouse, a shy child, fell in love with the glamour of Hollywood. “One editor is like Hal Wallis,” Graydon Carter, editor of Vanity Fair, tells me, “another like Busby Berkeley, and there’s a commissary,” the Frank Gehry–designed cafeteria at the Condé Nast Building at 4 Times Square. For Newhouse, it was a wonderful setup. “He created [in Condé Nast] a reality in which he is no longer the bumbling, asocial kid he grew up as,” says one person close to him. In this analogy, Newhouse is in the role of Louis B. Mayer, the notoriously tyrannical MGM head who loved his stars but made them quake. “Si loves being surrounded by divas and egomaniacs,” says one former editor. When one editor called another a “fucking bitch,” Newhouse didn’t mind. “Yes, but she’s our bitch,” he said. He delights in the Darwinian drama that takes place below him. “He believes the best will rise and will not be shivved in the back,” says the former editor.

– From a lengthy article by Steve Fishman published in New York magazine. The piece, about Si Newhouse and his kingdom at Condé Nast, gives a good glimpse into the company and its culture.

pregnant opportunities

There must be something in the water. I know upwards of 20 friends and relatives who have either had a baby in the past year or who are currently pregnant. Most of those people have or will be leaving a temporary vacancy in the job market. Those are spots that need to be filled.

As you know, a large portion of editing jobs are never advertised. You hear so-and-so is leaving and you ask around to find out who to send your resumé to. Which is why you should keep your ears open not just for people leaving for another magazine, but for people who are expecting children. There will be a stretch of time when someone else needs to fill that person's shoes, and why shouldn't it be you?

Yes, it may be only temporary, but covering parental leave is a good opportunity. You might be lucky to get a permanent job out of it (the person decides not to come back or you're loved so much, you're asked to stay on) – which is rare – but at the very least, you've made some good connections and gathered some worthwhile experience. You might get some freelance work out of it. And because you know when your time will be up, you can plan your job hunt and openly look for a new position while still working.

trading resumé critiques

I've found in the past that getting professional advice on your resumé can be a fruitless effort. I've never tried paid services, but if they're anything like university career centres, they likely offer suggestions that are way off base. The advisers seem to stick to some HR version of what a resumé should be, without taking into consideration what field you're working in, and if there are any conventions related to it. I have my doubts that a generic service would know what to do with your mix of freelance and on-staff work, for example.

That's why I believe your best advice is going to come from peers and mentors who work in magazines. Joe Grimm, on Ask the Recruiter, recommends the resumé swap: sit down with another editor over pizza and look at each other's CVs. Talk about them.

I think this is a much better approach than even just emailing your friend your resumé. In person, you can have a conversation about it. You can tease out what will work the best, what your key assets are. And, though it won't be possible for everyone to do, if you can hook up with someone who looks at resumés on a regular basis, even better.