merry christmas!

Have a wonderful holiday.

Dream Job TK will return in the new year.

(re)writing better copy

This is from a post on Seth Godin's blog – an inner dialog on improving signage for a coffee brand, which reads "Unlike Any Coffee You've Ever Tasted Before.":

Wait. Why the capitals?

"Unlike any coffee you've ever tasted before."

"Before" is redundant.

"Unlike any coffee you've ever tasted."

Too negative. And why is "unlike" a positive trait? I mean, boiled leech guts is also unlike any coffee I've ever tasted, that doesn't mean I want to drink it. How about:

"The best coffee you've ever tasted."

Well, the thing is, the only coffee that matters is coffee I've tasted, right, so we could get shorter still:

"The best coffee."

The problem with that is that it's nothing but bragging. Of course you think it's the best coffee. So what? You're lying. And even if you're not lying, how do you know it's the best? Compared to what?

This is where the smart copywriter becomes a marketer.

"Better than Starbucks."

Well, it's still bragging. This is the moment where the marketer becomes a smart marketer and realizes that changing the offer or the product is more important than changing the hype.

"FREE TASTE TEST
Are we better than Starbucks?"

now's a good time to start paying interns

Back when I was in university, between my second and third years, I got myself a summer job working for a small theatre company. I can't remember my job title, but I did some administrative work and lots of marketing-type tasks, like compiling media lists and writing press releases. It was a great experience, and one I wouldn't have had without the help of the government. You see, the theatre received money from the government as part of a youth work program to cover a portion of my salary, meaning they were actually able to afford to hire someone.

I always wondered whether there was a similar program that publishers could take advantage of so they could offer paid magazine internships, and now I know that there is. As reported on the Canadian Magazines blog, the Cultural Human Resources Council runs a Youth Internship Program, and will pay up to $10,000 towards the salary for an internship running from four to 12 months.

With the prevalence of layoffs and hiring freezes, you may be wondering what's the likelihood that magazines are going to start paying their interns. But what if we look at it this way: With fewer people doing more work, interns are going to start taking on more duties of entry-level positions (if they're not already doing tasks that most editorial assistants would do). If you can't afford to hire the EA you so desperately need, why not pay half as much for an intern? When the economy begins to pick up and you can afford to hire more staff, you'll already have that cost on your books, which you can continue pay out as a half-decent stipend for an intern even if you're no longer a participant in the government program.

words of wisdom from designer chris pullman

At his retirement party back in October, Vice President for Design of public broadcaster WGBH Boston Chris Pullman shared a few thoughts on what he's learned over the years, from Design Observer.

"Work on things that matter. ... Given all the ways you could use your skills and your valuable time, pick something that serves the greater good."

"Work with people you like and respect. ... Since April, when I first announced my intention to leave WGBH, the private expression of these feelings has been so gratifying, both personally and professionally, that I recently suggested that maybe we should institute the policy of encouraging individuals to make periodic “mock retirement” announcements, with the goal of releasing more regularly the flow of kind remarks for the nourishment of the individual, since we are otherwise so reticent to praise or encourage others in our busy, self-centered daily lives."

"Be nice. And be positive. And be respectful of the work of others. Strive to understand each others professional contributions and then respect them (as you would want them to respect you) with your actions and your comments. Remember: we are all applying our own particular skills towards a shared objective."

"Have high standards. Don’t settle for “whatever.” The corrosive Dilbert mind-set is depressing and demeaning. Wherever you choose to work, don’t give it a foothold. I prefer the “see you and raise you one” escalation of good ideas, even crazy ideas."

mistakes are ok

I'm sure you've heard someone somewhere along the line say that making mistakes is all part of the learning process. It's definitely true, but that doesn't necessarily make it any easier to own up to them. Perhaps you can let the little ones slip by or quickly correct them without notice, but I say the bigger the mistake, the more important it is to take responsibility. Confess quickly and do it right by turning it into a learning experience for everyone. From an article on the Guardian website:

Chartered occupational psychologist Dr Peter Honey thinks the key is to try and shift the focus from blaming people to blaming processes.

Honey says that mistakes are often the fault of processes rather than people involved, and offers a three-point plan for making sure you learn from them. Firstly, there needs to be an honest assessment of the whole situation. Next, you need to tease out some lessons – could you improve any processes so that this cannot happen again? Lastly, work out how, specifically, you would implement the lessons learned, so they're not just left as good intentions, says Honey.

spreading holiday cheer

Mailing (or emailing) Christmas cards this year? Why not add a few more people to the list, like your ex-boss, your mentor, or anyone else in your network of magazine peeps. Sending holiday greetings is a great way to keep in touch and say hi – a friendly way to say, "I enjoy knowing and working with you, and thank you for any help you've provided over the year."

brand you

Here's are a few tips on building your personal brand and making yourself invaluable so your name doesn't become one on the layoff roster. For specifics on how to use social media to do this, read Dan Schawbel's full article on Mashable.

• The first people who get laid off are the ones that are not needed for business to be conducted. If the business depends on your services and expertise, then you will, more than likely, remain in your current position, despite the economic climate.

• When it comes to branding, you want to own a word or phrase in the minds of others. It’s also beneficial to be someone that gets called upon when a specific need arises.

• Those who are confident in their own abilities, skills, internal network and the future, will survive and thrive during a period of economic struggle. If you see an opportunity, go and grab it. You need to be branded as a go-getter so people trust you with more work and are assured of the outcome.

• If you have a loud enough voice and take a stand on a topic, you can be a brand that is spoken about by people you may not even know. These individuals might actually be able to pull you into a new opportunity at some point.

• Collect endorsements throughout your life like you would collect baseball cards. You are the chief marketing officer for the brand called you, but what others say about your brand is more impactful than what you say about yourself.

do you know what your coworkers do for a living?

Seems like a silly question, doesn't it? I was reading a post on Eye magazine's blog, which gives a behind-the-scenes look at the printing of an issue. On MagCulture.com, Jeremy Leslie commented that it was a good reminder that everyone in a magazine art department familiarize themselves with the process, and it made me think that it would benefit a magazine's entire staff to see it.

You may have been lucky enough (or unlucky, if you didn't enjoy yourself) at some point to visit a printing press. Even if you get the concept, nothing compares to seeing the live-action version of printing. You begin to understand the physical limitations of the medium.

Likewise, I think it's a good idea if everyone gets to know what people in other departments do. Not just "I'm an assistant editor" or "I'm an associate art director," but what are each person's actual duties? What's the process of getting a story, a layout, done from start to finish? What are the steps?

There are a few ways to teach this. Perhaps a presentation by each department. Or maybe a day of job shadowing. I think it would give everyone a new found respect for what everyone else does. When you know what's involved, you understand why things are done the way they are and why they take the time that they do.

the art of the rejection letter

Writing a rejection letter in response to a pitch is rarely a pleasant experience. As Jean Hannah Edelstein says in a post on the Guardian's Books Blog, "[I]t is not easy to achieve and balance the two central goals of a truly accomplished rejection letter: trying not to make the writer feel distraught whilst also discouraging him or her from ever contacting you ever again."

Edelstien's comments come in response to the call for submissions of rejection letters for a new book, "Other People's Rejection Letters"(perhaps you have your own to contribute). While Edelstein points out that the purpose of the book is likely to provide comfort to rejectees (of every sort, not just writers), it has potential to be an excellent teaching tool for editors. I suspect it will be filled with the most crass, ill-thought-out letters out there, essentially making it a what-not-to-do guide.

I'm curious, though: rejection letters were never covered in any of my schooling; have you ever been coached on how to craft one?

gladwell on success

Maybe success has less to do with talent than we think.

Last night I had the opportunity to see superstar author Malcolm Gladwell speak as part of the Rotman Integrative Thinking Experts Speaker Series. (How does one become a Thinking Expert, I wonder?) Gladwell is making the rounds to promote his latest book, Outliers, which explores the idea that things beyond your control, such as your birth date, may greatly influence whether or not you're successful (and we're not talking astrology).

A few ideas that came up during his talk that I thought I'd share:

Some disadvantages are actually advantages. Gladwell named a few of the top-performing NFL players, pointing out that most of them were not the top draft picks. Because the players were lower down on the wanted list, they were more inclined to work harder to prove themselves. Meanwhile, you get first-round picks skipping out on practice. So in the world of magazines, might we say that a smaller budget is a disadvantage that's actually an advantage? If we use awards as a yardstick, the smalls measure up pretty well.

There are two approaches to success: Capitalize on your strengths or compensate for your weaknesses. I say do both. The key here is to know what you're good at and what you're not so good at. Then work like the dickens to improve where you're weak, and don't neglect to market your strengths.

Being conscientious can lead to being successful. "You have to believe the application of effort gets you somewhere," said Gladwell, pointing out that this belief is lacking in Western cultures (many of us learn at a young age that working harder doesn't necessarily mean higher marks). I say, be conscientious and you'll stand out beyond 90 percent of the workforce.

It takes 10,000 hours of doing something to master it. Gladwell cites the concept that the top "geniuses" – artistic, business or otherwise – in the world have one very important thing in common: they've all spent about 10,000 hours practicing their craft. He talked about spending many years at the Washington Post as a reporter and the intense apprenticeship he went through as a writer. Writing nearly an article every day, he had the opportunity to hone his skill. But it wasn't just the time he put in: he also had the benefit of a slew of senior editors pushing him to do better work, teaching him how to become a better writer. And I couldn't help but think, are we missing this apprenticeship relationship in our field? Do we spend enough time teaching the young up-and-comers? Do we demand enough of them?

And finally, bon mots of the day: "Google is eroding the competitive advantage of those of us who are willing to go to the library."

More Malcolm:
• Talking about Fleetwood Mac at Gain: AIGA Business and Design Conference (Oct. 23–25, 2008).
• A feature on Gladwell in New York magazine (Nov. 9, 2008).
• Malcolm Gladwell's blog.

crowd critique: toronto life

So, it would seem many of us magazine types have a love-hate relationship with Toronto Life. It wins many awards and (admit it) a lot of you would want to work there (if only to have the name on your resumé). Yet, I've heard and read many negative things about the publication – the most recent, a comment on my post about how to come up with great ideas. An anonymous commentator said

Toronto Life isn't usually associated with smart ideas... its voice is certainly bratty enough that Toronto Life must think itself sharp... its "genius" doesn't usually surpass Spy magazine ol' schtick, and that got tired fast 20 years ago. The "new" Toronto Life believes its youth in leau of experience is the dawn of brilliance, whereas the magazine isn't breaking ground anywhere new and keeps crashing with aloof mistakes in both the editorial and art departments.

I debated not publishing the comment because it seems a tad bitter and doesn't back up its claims, but to each their own opinion, right?

I've heard the "it's skewing young" argument a few times now (which I know Sarah Fulford disagrees with), but shouldn't that be considered a good-ish thing? The complaint I heard most often about the John Macfarlane version of the mag was that it was too old-money, old-establishment Toronto.

So, this is my invitation to all of you to weigh in – let's get a conversation going about what makes Toronto Life a good and a not-so-good magazine. What works; what doesn't work? Don't be shy! (Please keep it civil, though.) If this "crowd critique" is successful, I just might make it a regular feature of this blog, because I think we can all learn a lot about how to be better editors by critiquing the magazines we read. Let the debating begin!

[Be sure to check the comments both on Masthead's site and at Dream Job TK's home base.]

in defence of small talk

Do you ever find yourself rolling your eyes at the necessity of inane chitchat? Does anyone really care what their co-workers did on the weekend? Does anyone really want to discuss the negative impact cold weather is having on your day with that PR rep? Ok, it's not all bad, and there's certainly a good reason for making small talk. An article on the Guardian website reminds us that without it, work mightn't be as pleasant.

Small talk with colleagues might make you feel like the office-equivalent of a cow, just blankly chewing on the same old cud over and over, but what, I ask, would you rather do? Just launch straight in with the purpose of your call with no initial niceties whatsoever? Face it, there are people who do that already, and they're the ones you think are really weird.

These little observations we make to each other on the phone, on email, or even in person, may be petty and inane, but in their own shy way they are rather lovely. You're essentially saying to whoever it may be that, despite the fact you don't know each other and never will, you are willing to spend a few moments talking pointlessly at one another to indicate that you regard each other as more than just another obstacle to be surmounted in your separate scrabbles for professional advancement.

the interview show, starring you!

In a job interview

One approach is to be reactive, to sit where you're supposed to sit, have your resume appear just so, wear what you're supposed to wear and answer each and every question in the safe and secure way.

The other approach is to put on a show. To be in charge, to lead.

- Seth Godin, posted on Seth Godin's blog

[Thanks to Kat Tancock.]

coming up with great ideas

I'd like to go back to something that came up at the Ed2010 Toronto's Sarah Fulford talk. She mentioned the importance of being able to come up with good ideas, that having a knack for this would make you a valuable employee. And one audience member asked whether this was a talent a person could develop – how do you become good at thinking up good ideas?

In response, Sarah talked about being critical and developing a sense of what makes for a great magazine piece. To do this, she recommended reading and really dissecting stories, figuring out what contributed to making them successful: The writing – how was it written? The packaging – what made it work? Why do you suppose the editors and art directors made the decisions they did? Familiarizing yourself with every aspect that makes up excellent work will provide you with the knowledge to do excellent work yourself.

Likewise, familiarizing yourself with the world will arm you with the fodder for great ideas. In an interview with Advertising Age published back in October, superstar art director George Lois (famous for his Esquire magazine covers) talks about, among other things, his book George Lois on his Creation of the Big Idea, in which he reveals the influences behind some of his best work. In the video, he explains that you have to expand your knowledge, expand your passion and expand your experiences in order to open you mind to making connections and giving it the base on which to build great ideas.

"[A great idea] is not a lightning bolt out of the blue. ... What it is, is an understanding of 5,000 years of art, an understanding of 5,000 years of human civilization, understanding of film, understanding of great movies, understanding of comics, understanding ballet – having that kind of well roundedness. ... It didn't come out of the blue; it came out of my experience."

And I think he's absolutely right. Consume everything. Everything. Read not only your competitors' magazines, but magazines on every topic. Read lots of books. Go to museums. Watch lots of films. Learn piano or skateboarding. Go scuba diving. Just consume – consume ideas, consume experiences. The more you know, the more you'll be able to draw from all those different aspects to pull together things that others may not have thought of, mainly because they don't have the same knowledge or experience that you do.

reader's question: how do I find a mentor?

Q. I noticed in one of your blog entries that Sarah Fulford recommends finding a mentor. How does one find, then approach a mentor? Especially if that person is not a friend, a friend of a friend, or in the industry one currently works. Sarah was fortunate to have John Macfarlane. What advice, then, for the rest of us?

A. First, don't be so quick to dismiss those who are around you. Colleagues and supervisors, both former and current, can be great mentors. Keep your eyes open and really think about the people you know – they needn't be "celebrity" editors; you just need to respect and admire something about them, and feel like there's something they can teach you.

Inc.com has put together a collection of past stories and tips on the mentoring relationship. Most are business related, but here are a selection of tips that I think are applicable:

• Consciously think about where you are in your career, and where you would like to be. Honestly assess what type of personality you have, and which personality types complement your style. Consider your strengths and weaknesses, and define how a mentor might guide you through your growth.

• Keep an open mind regarding who this person might be: A mentor is someone who will help you grow in the area(s) most important to you. This person is not necessarily your supervisor, or anyone with a high-ranking title, or even someone in the same business. Look for someone who exemplifies the traits and skills that you want to adopt.

• Good sources of mentors include your management team, industry associations, online communities, your clergy and/or congregation, and professors. Also consider people in your non-workplace communities, such as retirees, local business owners, and people associated with your hobbies. (Note: Some personal coaches advise against choosing your supervisor as a mentor because of a possible conflict of interest.)

• [P]utting all your mentor eggs in one basket can be a mistake. "I think people really ought to think in terms of multiple mentors instead of just one," concludes [Kathy] Kram, the author of Mentoring at Work.

• [H]ow do you persuade him or her to sign on to your cause? Would-be mentors are most receptive to people who ask good questions, listen well to the responses and demonstrate that they are hungry for advice and counsel, Kram says.

• You need someone to give you very realistic, appropriate, frank, personal feedback -- someone who has the same perspective, someone whose experiences you can learn from so you don't have to do everything the hard way -- and you don't always have to make the same mistakes. [Dan Caulfield, CEO of HQ Group, in Oceanside, Calif.]

after the layoffs: looking for work

I ran into a couple of editors from Wish yesterday. Since the magazine's closure, they and their colleagues are facing the reality of unemployment. It's a scary thing, and an experience that I just cross my fingers and pray doesn't happen to me one day. Although reality is, all of us are likely to lose a job at some point in our careers, for whatever reason.

And what happens when we do? Hit the pavement. But is the same-old approach of contacting your network and sending out resumés still going to work? David Meerman Scott argues "not so" on his blog Web Ink Now.

He suggests beefing up your online presence with a blog, a Twitter feed or online videos featuring your expertise.

Create information that people want. Create an online presence that people are eager to consume. Establish a virtual front door that people will happily link to. And one that employers will find.

I'm a good example of this concept at work: my new boss asked me to come in for an interview in part because she liked what she saw on this blog. Unlike my resumé or clippings, Dream Job TK is a good representation of my viewpoints and work ethic and demonstrates my passion for the magazine industry. I'm not suggesting everyone go out and start a career advice blog (I don't need the competition), but consider what you're good at – delectable food writing, understanding the nuances of copy editing, or any other niche – and build something around that.

But even as I agree that putting yourself out there is important, just writing a blog or an ebook and sitting back to await the knock at your door isn't going to do it. You also have to work your network. If you've taken the time to nurture it when you're not in dire straits, you will not be that annoying person Meerman Scott talks about:

It seems like every day I learn of another person who is on the job market. Usually that's because when they need a job, all of a sudden people jump into "networking mode" and I hear from them after years of silence.

Stay in touch with people and you'll be surprised at how helpful they can be in your time of need.

[Thanks to Kat Tancock for sending me the link.]

the virtue of being organized

I start a new job this morning (see my bio for details, if you're curious), which means last week I was busy wrapping things up at my old job. And I'm making not a New Year's resolution but a new-job resolution: be more organized.

As organized as I am (I colour code my assignment letters), I've always been horrible at managing my address book. In fact, I rarely even enter contacts into it – I let autofill or a search for the last email from someone yield the info I'm looking for. The problem with doing it this way is that when your email account is scheduled to become defunct imminently, you're stuck trying to build your address book from scratch by going through all your past correspondence. A nightmare, I assure you. Because I also have the bad habit of not deleting old emails. I had thousands to go through. So that's part of my resolution, too – delete and file emails as I read them.

Anyway, back to the address book. The reason why I bring this up is because, in magazines – well, in any industry – who you know is important, and your contact list can be one of your greatest assets. Knowing who to call to get a certain job done (say, a writer in Winnipeg for a feature on the city) and being able to reach them makes you a valuable employee. Likewise, it benefits you to have someone whom you can call to sniff out possible openings at a company. So, if your address book isn't up to date, make a resolution with me to get on top of it.

"it's a great opportunity": working for free

Everyone at some point in their magazine career, and especially those just starting out, will be asked to do editing or writing work for free. It seems to be the nature of creative industries that because it's hard to quantify their value, people have no qualms about asking to have work done without paying for it.

I know a well-established artist and illustrator who, many years ago, did some work to appear on a concert t-shirt of a superstar world-famous band (i.e. they're filthy rich). When the subject of payment came up, the band's rep said the artist should be willing to do the work for free since it was an incredible opportunity, great exposure and a great honour to do work for said band. They could afford to pay so the artist dug in her heels and demanded a fee, which she got.

There are, however, times when working for free is ok. In a guest post on New York Times' Shifting Careers blog, veteran freelancer Michelle Goodman writes

[C]onsider when giving it up for nothing can work in your favor:

You have no clients or portfolio. If you left your staff position without any customer testimonials or work samples, you may have to do a freebie or three for a worthy small business to prove to paying clients that you’ve done this before. Pick short-term projects (several days, tops) so you’re not stuck working pro bono until the next decade.

Your dream client has shallow pockets. Writers, artists and performers are all too familiar with this phenomenon. Example: The indie magazine that barely pays its freelancers but, thanks to the power of PIE [Paid in Exposure], has landed many of them agents, book deals and art shows. For business consultants, speaking at a highly publicized conference might yield similar results, in the form of new clients and paid speaking gigs. Be sure to build such unpaid work into your annual promotional plan (which can be all of two paragraphs) so you don’t give away too much time each year.

You’re donating time to a worthy cause. When donating your services to your favorite nonprofit or charity, my motto is, “Give big.” Think high-profile auctions, galas and fund-raising marathons; the more PIE potential, the better. Although you’re doing the job gratis, send the client a short, informal contract clearly stating what you will and won’t do, and when.

Goodman also lays out when to avoid unpaid work, citing payment schemes like "credit for your work" and being paid on spec as red flags.

[Thanks to David Hayes of TFEW for drawing attention to this.]

letter writing and the job hunt

In the process of looking for, applying to and interviewing for a job, you might find that you have to write more than just a resumé and cover letter. The Possibilities website rounds up a list of resources and advice on professional correspondence you might want to be prepared for, including the thank-you letter, the counter-proposal letter and the declining-a-job-offer letter.

sarah fulford on getting your dream job and being a good editor

Thanks to everyone who made it out last night to hear Sarah Fulford, editor-in-chief of Toronto Life, as part of Ed2010 Toronto's speaker series. For the rest of you, here's a taste of what you missed out on:

All editors need to write at some point in their career in order to exercise their "empathy muscle" says Sarah. To get a good idea of what writers go through on a piece, you need to experience it yourself, because the better you understand what a writer needs, the better an editor you can be.

Have a mentor. Or many, many mentors. Sarah surrounded herself with people she could learn from, and especially recommends newbie editors key in changes and read notes made by more experienced editors on stories. You'll get a sense of how their minds work and what they look for.

The most attractive qualities in an applicant (even more important than experience): Passion, enthusiasm and commitment. And you have to have good ideas. Lots of them.

Two questions you must know the answers to when you go into a job interview: What are your favourite magazines? What would you do to make [magazine you're applying to] better?

event: CSME luncheon on rights & rates for freelancers

Also next week, Nov. 12, CSME presents a panel discussion on the rights of freelancers:

CSME’s panel will discuss issues freelancers and editors face today, and what we, as editors, can do to keep magazine writing vibrant. Derek Finkle will discuss his recently founded Canadian Writers Group, which intends to advocate on behalf of freelance writers. We’ll ask all of our panelists to discuss the editor-freelancer relationship, particularly how to keep it mutually beneficial.

In addition to Derek Finkle, panelists include Kim Pittaway and John Macfarlane. 12-1:30pm, $30 members/ $50 non, P.J. O'Brien's, 39 Colborne St., RSVP admin@canadianeditors.com.

sarah fulford at ryerson

Toronto Life editor-in-chief Sarah Fulford, who speaks tonight as part of Ed2010 Toronto's speaker series, is also doing a talk next week, Nov. 11, at Ryerson University. Titled "In Defense of Magazines: Why they Matter in the Digital Age," the presentation will cover why magazines are doing ok while newspapers are struggling. Open to the public, admission is free, more details here.

reader's question: no one is responding to my request for an informational interview – what do I do?

Q.I have emailed several people at one publication to ask for informational interviews and have been pretty much ignored. I just emailed, explained my loose connection and asked for a brief meeting to explore job possibilities. Should I take this as a sign not to approach people at this company in this way, or persevere and try to set up interviews with other people at the company?


A. I wouldn't take it as a sign that the whole company is against offering informational interviews, but you might want to revise your approach a little.

First, when you say you asked to meet and discuss job possibilities, it's possible they think you're looking for a job at that magazine right now. If there are no openings or the people you've contacted aren't involved in hiring, they may have just disregarded your email. You have to make it very clear that you're not looking for a job interview. For tips on this, check out my post from last week about the purpose of an informational interview.

Second, be more strategic about whom you contact. Instead of emailing everyone on staff, start with one person. If they can't help you, ask them who they would recommend you speak to, do the same with the next person, and so on. Editors talk to each other, and if they figure out that you're trying to contact them all, it can create the wrong impression – you might come across as desperate or unknowing of the staff structure of a magazine (i.e. you don't know how things work).

Also, you don't necessarily need to keep your focus so narrow: if you're interested in finding out more about a particular company, you can talk to an editor at any of that publisher's magazines, not just the magazine you're interested in working for. And if you'd like to work for a particular type of magazine, say a fashion mag, try all the major titles in that category, not just the one you want to work at.

Finally, when it comes down to the actual process of making contact, this is what I recommend: Email your request. A week later, follow up with another email asking if the person received the first one. In both, acknowledge that you understand s/he is very busy. The following week, follow up with a phone call; don't leave a message – try to get the editor in person – unless you've tried several times and it's clear s/he just doesn't pick up the phone. The best times to call are usually first thing in the morning before editors get wrapped up in things, and sometimes just after 5:00 – many editors work late, and at that time, interruptions (like calls from PR people) have virtually stopped.

reader's question: how do I list more than one position at the same magazine on my resumé?

Q. I've held three different positions at the same magazine; on my resumé, should I list them all separately, including duties and achievements for each, or lump them together under one entry?

A. The majority of advice out there recommends listing your positions under one heading, focusing on your most recent accomplishments. List your overall time at the magazine, then list the dates for when you held each position, like this

2004-present Magazine A, Big Three Publishing Inc., Toronto

Associate Editor, 2007-present
Assistant Editor, 2005-2007
Editorial Assistant, 2004-2005

Then list all your achievements, highlighting those most recent and relevant to the job you're applying to. If you regularly went beyond the expectations of the more junior positions, you can draw attention to this by listing achievements separately under each job title.

The benefit of listing your positions under one heading is that it shows longevity, that your skills develop over time and a minor but important detail, it doesn't look like you're trying to pad out your resumé, as it might if you listed each position separately. And, as the website Best Resume Writing points out, it avoids making the impression that you're a job hopper, instead showing that you're a loyal employee.

The exception to this rule, though, would be if the positions you held were quite different and not necessarily a natural progression from one to the next. I'll use my own resumé as an example: At one magazine, I progressed from freelance copy editor to full-time, to copy chief over a couple of years – these positions are listed as one item, with a focus on the most recent. At my current magazine, I've held the positions of copy editor and senior editor – these are listed separately.

the purpose of an informational interview

Setting up an informational interview with an editor is a great way to learn more about the magazine industry, find out what jobs you're qualified for and what further training you may need, and to make contacts. But how do you set one up, and what do you do once you're in the meeting? Here are a few resources:

• University of British Columbia Career Services
• iSeek
• U.S. Department of Labor
• Quintessential Careers

I'd also like to add a few of my own thoughts:

• Don't forget: an information meeting is not a job interview! The main purpose is for you to ask someone more experienced in the business any questions you may have about the industry and what you can do to make it as an editor.
• Be prepared with questions, as you are interviewing him/her. S/he is not interviewing you.
• Be considerate: Show up on time, don't take up too much of his/her time, and send a thank you note afterwards.
• Stay in touch. Send an update on your progress in the job hunt if you've landed a sweet gig, share an article you wrote that's been published, or just send a Christmas card. Be sure to thank him/her again for the advice.

ed2010 toronto presents Sarah Fulford

Coming up next month, Ed2010 Toronto presents the next installment in its Speaker Series, featuring Sarah Fulford. The newly minted editor of award-winning city magazine Toronto Life – who at 34 is the youngest editor to hold one of the top media jobs in the country – will share her advice on how to land your dream job. Sarah's brief talk will be followed by a Q&A period. Shy? Send Ed your questions for Sarah in advance: toronto [at]ed2010 [dot]com

Where: Deer Park Library at 40 St. Clair Ave. East (Located one block east of Yonge St. on the north side of St. Clair Ave.)
When: Wednesday November 5 from 6:15pm to 7:45pm (the event starts at 6:30pm sharp)
Admission: $5

Space is limited, admission will be granted on a first come, first serve basis.

career tool: networking binder

Building up a network of friends and acquaintances (as I recommend you do), isn't of any use if you can't remember who it is you met from such-and-such magazine at that media event, now that you want to apply for a job at said magazine.

To keep track of who you know, put together a networking binder – essentially an address book with footnotes. In addition to name, phone number, email and address, also write down where you met each person, what his or her affiliations are, plus other tidbits of info that may come in handy, like shared interests. For example, if you noted that the editor you met not only works at that magazine but that you shared a conversation about iPhone apps, start off an email to her with a recommendation for a great new iPhone game you just found, then launch into your request of what she knows about the job opening. This idea comes from stationery retailer Russell + Hazel, which recommends using a mini binder, though if you do have that iPhone, you could easily just add comments in the notes field of each contact entry (and add a photo of the person, too, if you're not so great at linking faces to names).

how old is too old to intern?

Are you beyond your 20s and trying to break into magazines? You may find yourself facing the question of whether doing an internship is a viable option at your age. Usually these spots are filled by "kids" fresh out of school, but perhaps being older with more life experience puts you at an advantage – or maybe not. An article in the Globe and Mail ponders a few of the pros and cons of interning in your 30s, and I'm curious as to what you think about it (besides the gross generalization that 30-somethings are "an indecisive generation of folks swapping careers like baseball cards"). If you are/were older than 30, would you consider doing an internship? Would you hire an intern who was older than 30?

mags on film: funny face

Now hear this. I simply cannot release this issue the way it is. In the 60 years of Quality magazine, this hits rock bottom. If I let this go through, I will have failed the American woman. The great American woman, who stands out there naked, waiting for me to tell her what to wear. It doesn't speak. And if it won't speak to me, it won't speak to anyone.

A magazine must be like a human being. If it comes into the home it must contribute. It just can't lie around. A magazine must have blood and brains and pizzazz. This is just paper. If I send paper to the American woman, I will have let her down. Yes. D for down. D for dreary. D for dull and for depressing, dismal and deadly!

– Maggie Prescott (played by Kay Thompson) in the opening sequence of 1957's Funny Face, with Audrey Hepburn and Fred Astaire

excellence & effort

Last night I attended the seminar Cracking the 49th Parallel, featuring speakers Clive Thompson, Duff McDonald and Caitlin Kelly, and presented by the American Society of Journalists and Authors. Although the event was about doing freelance writing work for US-based magazines, several comments and tips spoke to two related qualities that I feel that everyone should strive for: excellence and effort.

Be excellent. Do excellent work. This makes the people who employ you happy because it makes their jobs easier and makes them look good. I believe it was McDonald who suggested that the best way to get a story accepted is to solve an editor's problem. Editors have to fill pages with original content that's compelling, and it takes time to find that content – serve it to them on a silver platter. Likewise, if a magazine is looking to fill a position, solve the problem of finding the right candidate by explicitly showing them you're the right person and how you'll help make their publication a better magazine. Being excellent builds your reputation, and it helps you continue to get work.

To achieve excellence, you need to put in the effort. Put everything you have into getting work and doing your work. For writers, this could mean doing interviews and research for a pitch, even before getting an assignment. Thompson estimates that he spends 25% of his time researching story ideas, many of which never turn into anything. Editors will want to do research, too, when applying for a job: read at least the past year's worth of issues of the magazine to which you are applying to get a sense of the tone and an understanding of the type of topics they cover. Talk to people – find out what the work culture is like at the magazine, find out what they're looking for.

Excellence and effort will get you a long way in this industry, primarily because they're kind of rare.

find something else to do

An amusing, grim guide to journalism careers on Gawker points out that if you're getting into the field, you might as well quit now. From newspapers to trades to online ventures, the prospects are hopeless. This is what Gawker has to say about working for "good" magazines:

Oh, these are the jobs everybody wants. You want to write for the New Yorker. Or Vanity Fair, or GQ, or Vogue, or Wired, or SI, or the 50 or so other big splashy magazines that, you know, everybody wants to write for.

These jobs were always driven by connections. And guess what: they're still driven by connections, but there are even less jobs to go around now! So your chances are even worse than they would have been historically. These good jobs are never advertised, so you have to be well-connected enough to hear about them from an insider. Big magazine companies are cutting budgets and instituting hiring freezes. And every veteran magazine writer has a huge ego, so forget trying to cut in line ahead of them. Plan on getting to one of these places later in your career, as the icing on the cupcake of many years of experience, and you'll save yourself a bunch of heartache. Build up to these magazines from other, nonexistent entry-level writing jobs.

And about journalism in general:

If you're just getting into journalism, the job market is already flooded with people with far more experience than you who've been laid off, and are competing for the same jobs. If you're employed, moving up is treacherous—you never know when the new job you just took could disappear for reasons unrelated to anything you did personally.

resumé tips roundup

Resumé-writing tips elsewhere on the web:

• More.ca has some simple but good tips on emailing resumés.

• Possibilities offers advice on putting together an accomplishment-based resumé.

• Monster tells you how to be concise on your resumé.

how i got to where i am

Since I'm often asked about it, I thought I'd share some of the story of how I got to where I am, and a few of the decisions I've made along the way.

I got hooked on magazines in my second year of art school, where I was the editor of the student magazine – an arts and literary type of affair. Two months into the two-year gig, I contemplated transferring to the publishing program at Simon Fraser, but after talking to the program director there, realized how few credits I would be able to transfer and that switching would set me back by a year. With plans to instead do a master's, I finished my BFA.

Of course, by the time I was done school, I didn't really want to do a whole other degree, so I started looking into alternatives. The two main contenders were Centennial and Ryerson's continuing ed certificate, back in my hometown. I went with the latter because I was eager to get my career going and liked the idea of being able to work and do an internship during the day while attending a few classes at night.

So I did an internship (at Flare), held a few odd jobs and built up my portfolio writing for small publications and community papers.

I eventually landed at Oxygen, where I worked for a little more than two years, first as copy editor, then as copy chief. I wanted to get out of the copy department, though, and try to find work as an editor. I was having no luck, and then a contract position came up at Style at Home. The position was as copy editor to cover a seven-month leave, and although I would be moving to take the same position I was already in, it was the right move for me. This is how I looked at it: By accepting the job, I would know when I had to start looking for work again, since I would be filling was a limited-time contract. That deadline would give me the push I needed to really dedicate myself to the hunt, since it can be very difficult to look for a job while working full time.

It was the best move I made. Toward the end of my contract, but still a few months away from the final days and as I was just thinking about starting up my job search, two senior editor positions opened up within a week of each other. When there's no major upheaval at the top, this type of occurrence is unusual, and it was my chance to make the switch from copy to edit.

I didn't let the fact that the majority of my experience was in copy get in the way, nor did I take for granted that the editor and executive editor already knew me: I put together the best application package I could. Reference letters, story ideas, sample writings, clippings – I put in everything. And obviously it paid off, because I got the job.

So, I guess the lesson you can take away from my experience is that it is possible to make the switch from one type of job into another, as long as you can show that you're capable of doing the work. And also, put everything you have into applying for a job.

overheard at: ed2010 toronto happy hour

[Updated]

As I promised yesterday, here's a snapshot of what people were talking about at the Ed2010 Toronto Happy Hour event Wednesday night:

Ann Brown (Ed2010 Toronto's special events manager) was talking with the girls at Redwood about the differences between custom and trade publishing.

One member asked me (Ed2010's Canadian director), "How aggressive should you be when you're hunting for a job?" I talked with her about the delicate art of being able to read people. Be as aggressive as you can be without annoying or pissing people off, and watch for that subtle push-back when they're starting to get enough of you.

Briony Smith (Ed2010 Toronto assistant chapter host) and I talked with a group of attendees about bad interns and bad internships.

Briony also spoke with several people about keeping busy and building your portfolio while on the job hunt. Her suggestion: When starting out, the world of online is a great place to fill in those gaps on your resume or in your portfolio. There's plenty of websites that need writers and editors, and will offer you a lot of freedom to "custom-make" clips that you might need (whether it's covering fashion shows, reviewing video games, blogging about politics, or writing up health news).

And another member who's new to the workforce asked, "How do I transition from an ad sales job (my first industry gig) to an editorial position?" My advice: continue doing freelance work so you keep a hand in the editorial side, apply to every editorial job you're qualified for, and don't stick around too long in the ad sales department.

If you were there, share your stories on the Ed2010 Toronto Facebook group page. And everyone should check out the photos of the event taken by Masthead editor Marco Ursi.

ed2010 toronto happy hour mixer a success

I want to thank everyone who made it out to last night's Ed2010 Happy Hour at the Duke of York pub in Toronto. We're estimating the turnout at about 30 people, which makes it our most-attended Happy Hour yet! We had students and recent grads, interns and assistant editors, and even a good number of editor-in-chiefs. And it was the first public appearance of our newly minted volunteers, assistant Toronto chapter host Briony Smith and special events coordinator Ann Meredith Brown. (Kudos to Briony for putting together the event!) Everyone was mingling, exchanging business cards and asking lots of questions. Check back here tomorrow for what people were asking, along with some of my answers. The most common question I got asked: How did I get to where I am? I'll share that story on Monday.

Also, congratulations to our two winners last night: Trish Peters won our Editor Raffle and will be enjoying a free meal with the company of Style at Home's executive editor Laurie Grassi, and Marcia Chen won a subscription to Elle Canada. Enjoy, ladies!

If you were at the event last night, post your comments and stories (who'd you talk to, what did you talk about, did you meet anyone new?) on our Facebook group wall, or if you couldn't make it, check it out to see what you missed.

Thanks again to everyone who came, and we hope to see more of you at the next one!

considering the advertisers

Two blogs I regularly read have both had posts in the past week about the ad/edit divide. Canadian Magazines draws attention to a piece in MediaWeek calling for stricter ad/edit guidelines, but the thoughts brought up on Ed Speaks are what really resonated with me.

Stricter guidelines are good, but the editors-in-chiefs and publishers and ad sales teams are the ones who are directly affected by guidelines, who have the opportunity to push back with advertisers. For the majority of editors, though, those of us working day to day to generate content, we can only nod our heads and say, "Yes, I agree." We don't interact with advertisers so can't do much to uphold the rules, to guard our line in the sand.

My experiences have been similar to those of Ed's: either myself or friends have been asked at times to ensure inclusion of all major advertisers in a piece about such-and-such type of product, be it moisturizers or paints. Or an advertiser's product is given preference over a nonadvertiser's product: when it comes down to a decision between the two, guess who wins. It's not so much that I think this compromises our integrity or blurs the boundaries, because I think (hope) we're all smart enough to recognize what's good for our readers, but I wonder whether these are conversations we should even be having? Should we not be saying let's have a broad range of brands so our readers have options, as opposed to so we can make our advertisers happy? Is it naive to think editors should be able to gloriously go along without a thought to advertisers, a utopian dream of sorts? Does it even matter if the end result is the same? If our readers still get a magazine that they love? In reality, we have two sets of clients: the readers and the advertisers. We have to please them both in order to survive, no?

create your own online portfolio

I've written before about the importance of managing your online presence, as well as having good clips for when you're applying for a job. One way to address both is to post your résumé and clippings on a personal website.

A post on Freelance Writing Tips outlines the basics of putting together an online portfolio. If you don't know how to build a website (as most of us don't), you can use a service like Writer's Residence (run by the post's author), where you can create an online portfolio by filling in a form, or a blog tool like Wordpress.

the perils of perks

Last week I went on a media trip – two days of sun, fun and free food. Oh yeah, and a presentation for a new product launch. When you're flown off to some exciting location and wined and dined on someone else's dollar, it's hard not to feel obligated to fit the host company's product du jour somewhere in your publication, to give it the coverage said company desires. Likewise, you're more willing to feature a product if you received a killer swag bag along with it. You start to add up the dollars, think of how much they spent on you... Sometimes you can feel indebted somehow, even just a little bit.

But if you give in to those feelings of gratitude too freely, you risk compromising your content. I've been invited on another trip, one to a place I am dying to visit, but the product just doesn't fit in with my magazine's subject matter. Believe me, I've given good, long, hard thought to it, trying to figure out what kind of story I could spin to create a reasonable place for the item while still having it make sense and be of value to our readers. But I can't accept the invitation because there's barely even a slim chance that we would feature the goods they're flogging.

I think the way to keep honest is to recognize that these gifts do have an influence, and to always step back and ask yourself why you're truly interested in featuring a product. As long as you keep the readers in mind first and foremost, your integrity should stay intact.

On a side note, a couple of years ago, Jean Godfrey-June wrote the book Free Gift With Purchase, which gives an insider's perspective on what it's like to be a beauty editor – the freebies, the events, the glamour. It's a fun read; I recommend it.

do you blog?

Make it easy for potential employers to find you and see what kind of work you do by setting up your own blog. A story on PoynterOnline outlines why and how.

Thanks to Kat Tancock for the tip.

the world of a restaurant critic

Have you ever fantasized about being a restaurant reviewer – you know, because of the food you'd get to eat? On the Ryerson Review of Journalism site is a story by writer Alexandra Gill, which reveals a little of what it's like to eat for a living.

reader's question: how do I get those jobs that aren't advertised?

Q. There is a publication I want to work at that often hires people without posting jobs, by bringing in people who know current staffers. I have some vague acquaintances there but nobody who would know me well enough to vouch for me and try to bring me in. What is the best way to pursue opportunities there? Just send my resume? Ask for information interviews? Or wait and try to network to meet the right people, which might take a long time?

A. All of the above.

First, don't underestimate the power of even a weak tie – just because someone doesn't know you well enough to vouch for you, just knowing her/him means it's more likely your résumé will get looked at. Don't be afraid to email or call this person and let her/him know that you're interested in working at her/his publication. Ask that s/he let you know if any openings come up and who you might be able to send your résumé to in the meantime. Then contact that person and request an information meeting. Your second option would be to ask for an information interview with an HR person, but that might not be as effective.

You'll also want to work on building connections by attending industry events and meeting new people – you never know who might know someone. Perhaps you'll hit it off with the best friend of the editor of your dream magazine. Networking is the best way to hear about openings that aren't advertised.

And, if you're at the beginning of your career and hunting for an entry-level job, you might want to consider presuing an internship at the publication, which is a great way to let the staff get to know you, your talents and your work ethic. If you're beyond that, do other work for them – ask if there are fact-checking opportunities or, even better, pitch them story ideas.

For more, check out Service Canada's Training and Careers site (not all of it is relevant to the magazine industry, but you'll find some good tips).

manage your online profile

Do you know what information about you can be found online? Have you Googled yourself? Have you set up privacy controls on your Facebook profile? As reported in the Globe & Mail, bosses are screening applicants by going online. I'm not sure that there's much you can do about Googled content, but you can set your privacy settings on your Facebook profile to varying degrees, including so that you won't show up in a search.

Thanks to Kat Tancock for the tip.

annual checkup

This morning I'm heading off to our annual editorial retreat – two days of meetings to blue sky it, to talk about what the magazine is and what it could be. If you don't already do something like this at your magazine, I highly recommend it. It's reinvigorating for everyone to take a step back and look at the big picture, which is something you can't really do when dealing with the day-to-day grind. Talk about what you've seen in other magazines that you like, what you think is and isn't working (editorial-wise, art-wise, workflow-wise), plus anything else you want to discuss. Let the ideas flow. And do it off site; you need to be away from the confines of the office, away from the lure of checking email, to really relax and get the juices flowing.

what you can learn from steve jobs

Even if you're not a Mac person (what's wrong with you?), there's a lot you can learn from watching Apple founder Steve Jobs make a keynote address (as he did yesterday when he announced the new lineup of iPods). Whether you're making a formal presentation or just pitching a story idea in a planning meeting, how you showcase your ideas can make the difference in how you and your suggestions are received.

• Pace yourself. Give your audience time to take in your message. Don't speak too quickly and pause often.

• Show visuals. In the case of presenting a story idea, draw a quick sketch or bring in clippings of similar articles.

• Use hyperbole and be truly excited. Tell people how "great, wonderful and truly awesome" your idea is. You won't sell an idea if it doesn't look like you think it's a good idea.

For more, read this 2006 article from Business Week.

mass influence

There's a little bit of hissing going on over at the Canadian Magazines blog about who's the most influential Canadian fashion magazine editor. No convincing arguments yet, but it got me thinking. Are there truly influential magazine editors on a mass culture level in Canada? Are there any editors with names recognizable to the general population, or even revered in the world/industry they cover? Any editors who are celebrities in their own right? I may be overlooking someone, but no one springs to mind, and my thought is that someone should spring to mind. Where are our Anna Wintours, our Graydon Carters, our Tina Browns? People whose names run alongside D-list actors in the society pages?

If we did a better job of promoting our top dogs, of putting forward a more public presence, perhaps it could benefit not only our brands, but also the magazine industry in general. Maybe, as our people became more recognizable, it would help our brands compete against American publications on the newsstand. Without outright saying, "You should buy Canadian" (not always a convincing reason in and of itself), audiences could grow because they know the brand and want to hear what the magazine and its editor has to say.

Plus, I think it would be a benefit to have more editors as public role models. Once you're immersed in the industry, you needn't look far to find someone to admire, but we shouldn't keep that to ourselves. We need real-life antidotes to the editors we see in The Devil Wears Prada and Ugly Betty.

from pitch to print: the evolution of a story

Wired magazine has embarked on an exciting experiment to reveal the complete process behind the making of a feature story. Posting on the Storyboard blog, every step of the creation of a feature profile on screenwriter Charlie Kaufman, from the idea for the blog (watch below) to the assignment letter to the rough draft and beyond, will be chronicled online. Love it, love it, love it.





[Thanks to Rebecca Zamon who posted about this on the Toronto Freelance Editors and Writers listserve.]

j-school not right for everybody

It's a common question among those looking to break into magazines: Do I need a journalism degree? Well, no. You'll benefit from being schooled in something, but it needn't be in magazines. If you already have a degree, grad school (usually) isn't worth the time and money (Ed2010 explains why); instead, a continuing education program such as what Ryerson has to offer, paired with an internship or two will serve you just as well, if not better. As Lewis Lapham said, the connections you make in school are what make a degree worthwhile – the best way to learn is by doing. So, make your connections in classes at night and learn on the job during the day. It's what I did, and I've done all right for myself.

ed2010 toronto event

Mark your calendars for the next Ed2010 Toronto Happy Hour mixer on October 1st. Meet young editors at all levels, from students and interns to senior editors and EICs. It will be a fun night – a chance to talk to other editors and editor wannabes, share stories and ask questions about the biz. Our new volunteer staffers Ann Brown (special events manager) and Briony Smith (assistant chapter host) will be there, as well as myself, your friendly Canadian director. Plus, there are prizes!

When: Wednesday, October 1 at 6:00 pm
Where: The Duke of York (39 Prince Arthur Avenue). It's easily accessible from the Bedford Exit of the St. George Subway Station. Just head upstairs to find the Ed2010 crew.

If you want to know more about Ed2010 ("ed-twenty-ten"), check out our website and our Toronto chapter Facebook group. If you would like to be added to our email list (whether you live in Toronto or not) or have any questions, send us a note at toronto[at]ed2010[dot]com.

literary agency for Canadian magazine writers may change industry landscape

Just as novelists are self-publishing more and and musicians are ditching record labels, it looks like magazine journalists may be making a move in a somewhat different direction, adding middlemen instead of doing away with them. As reported on both MastheadOnline and the Canadian Magazines blog, former Toro editor Derek Finkle has plans to launch a literary agency for freelance magazine writers. If the experiment is successful, it could change how writers interact with their clients (magazines) and affect relationships between writers and editors. More importantly, it might be the impetus to change long-frozen freelance rates. Most interestingly for editors, it could make the hunt for new talent, especially outside of one's city, much easier. Need a writer in Calgary to do a piece? Call up the agency instead of having to hunt one down yourself – plus, I would think, receive a guaranteed level of quality and professionalism.

online employment resource: Poss.ca

If you're hunting for a job and am looking for tips on everything from writing cover letters and résumés to making a good impression at interviews, take a look at the Possibilities website, "Toronto's online employment resource centre" (registration is free, and necessary to view the articles). Although geared toward a general Toronto audience, the site offers relevant tips for any job seeker, no matter what field he or she works in or where he or she happens to reside. For example, "General Networking Rules," "Survival Jobs" (to help make ends meet while you're looking for your dream job) and "Volunteering as a Job Search Tool" are some of the articles you'll find. There is also a daily blog called PossScript and a Q&A section where you can send in your questions to be answered by an expert.

laugh of the day: typos

Ok, forget what I said. If you want to give someone a laugh, don't bother proofreading your résumé or cover letter. You may just end up with one of these gems from Resumania.

[Posted by James Doyle on the Toronto Freelance Editors and Writers listserve.]

ask the followup question

Last night a telemarketer called and asked for a Mr. vanGerwen. My husband and I don't share the same last name, so I answered the question truthfully and said that there was no Mr vanGerwen at this number. He apologized and hung up. I still get giggles thinking about it.

The next obvious question, which I was expecting him to ask, was if Miss or Ms. vanGerwen was around. But he didn't ask; he just hung up! Whether you're doing research, interviewing someone or seeking info from a PR rep, always ask the next question. People can't read minds and aren't always forthcoming with all they know, so be sure you've asked from every angle.

reality on film

I've been watching Quarterlife, an online tv series about the usual angsty 20-somethings trying to find themselves, love and the meaning of life. The lead character, Dylan, is an associate editor at a women's magazine and has moral objection to the consumerism-based content. When she proposes an alternative good-cause activist section, her boss first rejects it (part 1, at the 4:30 min mark) then steals Dylan's idea, presenting it as her own (part 2, at the 2:40 min mark). This vicious, back-stabbing strategy seems to be a staple of hollywood, but I'm curious as to how many of you have experienced something similar yourselves? (Please leave names and identifying specifics out of your accounts.)

realistic salary expectations

Editor and writer Kim Pittaway was kind enough to email me her thoughts on salary after a discussion she had with a young colleague. Since I can't say it any better myself, here's what she had to say in full:

There are some basic realities that many junior employees don't really understand.

Most large corporations have a cap on the percentage increase a manager can recommend annually for an employee. My recollection is that an increase of about three to five percent max annually is permitted for someone whose job title hasn't changed.

To confirm this, I've put in calls to various HR departments and will let you know what they say should they get back to me. Kim continues

In exceptional circumstances, a manager could make the argument for a bigger increase, but it would be tough, especially in a year when the ad market is soft or the magazine isn't meeting its budget goals. Even when there is a job title change, the salary jump generally isn't going to be huge – 10 percent would be considered a big jump.

So, the problem is that if you start at a low salary, you're going to have a heck of a time moving up salary-wise within the same magazine: start at $30,000 and even if you get the super-big five percent increase every year, you'd be making about $36,500 after five years.

So how do you move up the salary ladder? You have to move out to move up. Consider this example of two young colleagues with basically the same level of experience (yes, it's based on a true story!). Both start at a magazine at around $30K. One toils away at that magazine for six years. The other makes a jump at about the four year mark. The one who stuck it out loves her job – and makes about $40K. The one who made the jump is in a job she's less enthusiastic about – she finds it a bit boring –but is making $70K, which frankly makes up for the boredom factor since when she's bored she can spend time thinking about the condo she's saving for (something her $40K colleague can't afford). That example is one of the most dramatic I've seen (and it involved a jump from print to online) but even a more "normal" jump from one magazine to another can result in a salary increase of $5-10K or more.

All of which points out the need to negotiate to maximize your starting salary!! I can't tell you how many times I had prospective employees just say "okay" when offered a starting salary. That honeymoon period – when as an employer I've decided I love you and want to have you on my team – is the best chance you're going to get to maximize your salary. And most people (and the studies bear out that this is particularly true of women) leave money on the table, as they say in sales. If I offer you $35K, I can probably afford $36.5K and I might even give it to you – if you ask for it!

Some basic research can help you figure out what's reasonable to ask for. I did a piece for More Magazine about getting what you're worth, and Melanie Hazell of Hazell & Associates had this advice:

• Know what's realistic for the position and the company. Where do you find that out? For those of us in the magazine industry, check out the Masthead salary survey. Ask others who work in that company – do they typically pay more or less than the rest of the industry? You need to figure out what this position is worth to this company.

• Negotiate with your whole package in mind. For editorial types, that's usually base salary and vacation time, but in some cases (depending on seniority usually) also involves bonuses. It could also involve additional pay for articles written above and beyond your job duties.

• Get it in writing. The person who agreed to your salary might not be in that job forever. If the contract you sign doesn't capture all of the details of your agreement, write a letter outlining your understanding of what you've agreed to so you have a record of the discussion.

The other lesson in this: stay with the same magazine forever and you're likely trading security (of a sort) for income. I'm not saying you should never have a long-term relationship with a magazine, but if you do, you'll likely pay for it with a lower salary over the long-term. The other disadvantage of sticking with the same shop is that your experience won't be as broad – and when you do eventually go looking for a new job (as pretty well everyone does – by choice or by circumstance – eventually) your resume likely won't be as rounded as someone who has made more moves. (Which is why it's especially important, if you're in a long-term relationship with a magazine, to bolster your resume with industry volunteerism, professional development and anything else to expand your skills and experience.)

Update: The Masthead Salary survey is available to subscribers here.

wanted: facebook addicts

That penchant for Facebook you have? It might be a good thing to put on your résumé. A piece in U.S. News & World Report features a list of jobs where an in-depth knowledge of Facebook is at least a bonus, if not a necessity. "More and more employers are scouting for social networking skills and trying to fill positions that require daily Facebook diligence," writes Liz Wolgemuth. Included in the list are a few jobs you might find in the publishing sector, either as a position in and of itself or as a duty of a web editor: social media marketing manager, analyst – user operations, tech reporter/blogger, product managers and developers.

[Thanks to Lisa Hannam for the tip]

the problem with internships

Friday's post seems to have struck a note with some of you, drawing out some lengthy comments (here and here) on the lack of opportunities to develop skills, and on the amount of available salary information there is on the industry (as far as I know, we only have the Masthead Salary Survey and colleagues willing to dish about their own salaries to consult). There's one comment I'd like to pick up on, though. Says one anonymous poster

I've worked at several large monthly consumer mags and in general am shocked at the entitlement complexes, poor attention to detail and lack of enthusiasm amongst the interns I've worked with.

I'd like to suggest that perhaps our quality of interns would go up if we started paying them. I know, I know, tight budgets, can't afford to, yada, yada. Working out budgets isn't my job, but if we don't spend the money on developing good editors, we won't have any good applicants to hire, for both intern positions and entry-level editorial positions down the road. We owe it to the industry to ensure its future success by developing the editors we want to hire.

If more magazines started paying their interns either with a livable wage or with course credit as part of a school program, our pool of potential candidates would expand. We wouldn't be limited to interns who can afford to work unpaid for weeks, months. We would actually have our choice of the best applicants, of anyone who wants to be an editor. The publications that do offer a wage appear to be the most competitive, and I would venture to guess, get some of the best interns because they can pick and choose.

That sense of entitlement Anonymous mentioned? A large part of that comes from having to work for free.

Update: The Masthead Salary survey is available to subscribers here.

not enough good applicants, not enough jobs?

I recently had an editor-in-chief ask about the lack of qualified applicants for positions she's trying to fill, a complaint I've heard a few times over recent months. Her beef: most of those who have applied don't have the qualifications and the ones who do are asking for laughably large salaries. To job seekers she suggests, "Apply for positions for which you are adequately qualified, proof your letters and resumes at least twice, take the time to read several issues of the magazine and make cogent comment on it, understand the role that is offered and the wage levels that go with it, and spell the name of the interviewer correctly. Seems pretty straightforward to me." Yes, pretty common sense, I agree, and would-be-editors should follow it. But there seems to be a disconnect here.

I constantly hear about how impossible it is to find a job, about the lack of opportunities. So if editors can't find the right people and people can't find the jobs, are we not training our people well enough in school and entry level positions? Are we not providing them with enough growth opportunities to learn and develop their skills? Are we not communicating well enough what our expectations and requirements are? Why are both sides of the desk having such a hard time?

the importance of place, part II

Further to my post yesterday about how where you live can affect your career opportunities, are employers less inclined to consider out-of-town applicants?

Unfortunately, if you don't live in the same city as the company, I think you are at a disadvantage. It's only natural for employers to question a few things. What are the logistics of conducting the interview? Will it be done by phone or will you fly in? How committed are you to establishing yourself in a new city, especially since you haven't already made the move? How soon will you be able to start work? Will you decide it's not the place for you shortly after starting and then quit? Perhaps employers use location as an easy filtering system.

For higher-level positions, I don't think it's as much of an issue, but I'm interested to hear what you think. Have you had to consider out-of-towners for a job? What was your reaction?

the importance of place, part I

By the time I was finishing up my BFA several years ago, I had already made the decision to pursue a career in magazines. I had been living in Vancouver for six years and had established roots there, but I didn't even think twice about moving across the country to Toronto. In my mind, it's where I had to be to get to where I wanted. Of course, the fact that I love the city, it's where I grew up, I have family and friends here, and my now-husband was willing to come along made the move a whole lot easier.

For some, it's a harder decision to make. Should you move to gain access to better job opportunities? Obviously I can't tell you what to do; it's something you have to figure out on your own. But here are a few things to consider:

• What's most important to you? What gives you the most satisfaction? Is it your career that fulfills you? Your surroundings that make you happy? Being close to your family? This should be your primary determining factor.

• What are you willing to sacrifice for your career? Are you up to making a new network of friends in a city where you know no one?

• Does your prospective new residence actually present the opportunities you think it does? Thoroughly research the market. Visit. Check out job boards. Set up information interviews with prospective employers.

• Does your current locale really have a dearth of opportunities? There may be fewer jobs, but there's also likely to be fewer qualified candidates.

In addition, I'd recommend taking a look at Richard Florida's Who's Your City? The whole book is about deciding where to live, particularly in relation to your career. The accompanying website has a place finder quiz, which may help in making a decision.