ed2010 job interview event update

For those interested in coming to just the panel discussion part of Thursday's Nail It: Job Interview Workshop presented by Ed2010 Toronto, we've opened up the first part of the night to allow more people to attend.

For $5, you can Join Ed2010 Toronto for the panel discussion part of the evening on how to improve your job interview skills, with special guests Bonnie Munday of Best Health, Megan Griffith-Greene of Chatelaine and Jenny Pruegger of Transcontinental Media.

For $25, meet individually with one of these top magazine professionals for a one-on-one conversation to test out their interview advice.

Thursday, November 26

6-8pm

Northern District Library

COST: 

$5 panel discussion only First come, first admitted. Pay at the door.

$25 panel discussion and one-on-one meeting Space is very limited for the one-on-one meetings, so reserve your spot today. To register, email toronto@ed2010.com for payment details. Please specify which editor you would like a one-on-one chat with and we will try to accommodate your request.

ed2010 job interview workshop

There are still a few spots open for this Thursday's Ed2010 event.

Nail It: Job Interview Workshop

Join Ed2010 Toronto for a panel discussion on how to improve your job interview skills with special guests Bonnie Munday of Best Health, Megan Griffith-Greene of Chatelaine and Jenny Pruegger of Transcontinental Media. Then test out their interview advice in a one-on-one conversation with one of these top magazine professionals.

Space is limited so reserve your spot today. To register, email toronto@ed2010.com for payment details. Please specify which editor you would like a one-on-one chat with and we will try to accommodate your request.

Thursday, November 26
6-8pm
Northern District Library 
COST: $25

ed2010 toronto happy hour, oct. 14

Time for another infamous Ed Happy Hour:

Join us for a night of mixin' and mingling, and get to know others in the magazine biz. From student to intern to senior to EIC, everyone is welcome — we're a friendly group! Bring your business cards, your magazines, your questions and your beefs. And $5 to enter our Chat-with-an-Editor Raffle: you could win dinner with Chatelaine Senior Editor Rebecca Caldwell (visit Ed2010.com for details). And bring all your editor friends!!  

The usual time and place:
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
6:00pm - 9:00pm
The Duke of York, 2nd floor conservatory (go upstairs to the back).
39 Prince Arthur Ave. (near the Bedford exit of St. George subway station) 

RSVP to the event on the Ed Toronto Facebook page. 

Oh, and if you don't know: Ed2010 ("ed twenty-ten") is a purely volunteer networking group and website for aspiring editors who are looking to reach their dream magazine jobs. I am the Canadian Director. And if you would like to join our email list, please send us a note: toronto [at] ed2010 [dot] com.

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.

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)

event: Ed2010 Toronto presents "Get online: discover the wonderful world of web editing"

Some shameless self promotion for Ed2010 Toronto, the group I volunteer for. We're hosting our next speaker series event June 17th, and I hope a lot of you can make it. Here are the details:

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 and Sharon Donaldson from CottageLife.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

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.

ed on the web

Two new things to report about Ed2010.

If you're an Ed member and have missed the daily newsletter, Ed News is back. Starting today you'll find Ed's daily roundup of magazine industry news (mostly US-based) through the Ed2010News Twitter feed.

Ed2010 Toronto now has it's own homepage on the Ed website. There you'll find details on the chapter, as well as news on upcoming and past events.

ed happy hour was hoppin'

Thanks to everyone who came out to the Toronto Ed2010 Happy Hour last night! We had our largest turnout, with more than 40 people showing up (according to the waiter's guess – I lost count). We might just have to book a larger space next time. Lots of talk about the economy, internships and general magazine stuff. I was so busy chatting away, I nearly forgot to take pictures; all I got were fuzzy crowd shots. Congratulations to Katie Lamb, who won our Chat-with-an-Editor raffle. She'll be having dinner with Liza Cooperman, executive editor of Hello! Canada. And congrats to our two door-prize winners who each won a one-year subscription to The Walrus.

Hope to see you at the next one!

ed2010 toronto happy hour tonight

Don't forget! I expect it's going to be a big one – lots of people signing up for the email list and joining the Facebook group. (Of course, now that I've said that, four people will show up. You'd better come out so I don't have to eat my words!)

The Happy Hour will be from 6-9 pm at the The Duke of York (39 Prince Arthur Ave., near the Bedford exit of St. George subway station), in the 2nd floor conservatory (go upstairs to the back).

Come out and mix and mingle with other young magazine editors. We're having another Chat-with-an-Editor Raffle, with a chance to win dinner with Liza Cooperman, executive editor of Hello! Canada. Tickets are $5 at the event. Plus, we've got door prizes: Everyone in attendance has a chance to win one of two free one-year subscriptions to Walrus Magazine.

For details, go to Ed Toronto's Facebook page.

Ed2010: on RRJ.ca and details of the next Happy Hour event

Check out the profile of Ed2010 on the Ryerson Review of Journalism website. (In case you don't know, I'm the Canadian Director of the editorial networking group.) I just want to add a shout-out to assistant chapter host Briony Smith, who didn't happen to be mentioned in the article (though she was interviewed) – she coordinates all our Toronto Happy Hours, among other things.

Speaking of Happy Hours, Ed Toronto's next one is being held Wed., March 11, 6-9 pm at The Duke of York (39 Prince Arthur Ave., near the Bedford exit of St. George subway station), in the 2nd floor conservatory (go upstairs to the back).

Come out and mix and mingle with other magazine editors. We're having another Chat-with-an-Editor Raffle, with a chance to win dinner with Liza Cooperman, executive editor of Hello! Canada. Tickets are $6 in advance, $5 at the event. Plus, we've got door prizes: Everyone in attendance has a chance to win one of two free one-year subscriptions to Walrus Magazine.

So come on out and bring all your friends!!! For full details, check Ed Toronto's Facebook event page.

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?

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.

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!

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.

ed2010 toronto expands

As you may know, for the past few years I've been coordinating the Toronto chapter of New York-based networking group Ed2010 (ed-twenty-ten). We plan to expand our offerings of workshops, seminars and networking events, and to do so, have brought on two new staff volunteers. Briony Smith is a staff writer at ComputerWorld Canada and joins us as Assistant Toronto Host; Ann Brown is the editor of Design Edge Canada and joins us as Special Events Manager. My title has changed to Canadian Director.

If you're a young editor trying to break into the biz or build your career, become a member of Ed2010 by emailing us at toronto@ed2010.com. You can learn more about Ed2010 here.

ed2010 toronto résumé workshop: what those who do the hiring had to say

Tuesday night, the Toronto chapter of Ed2010 hosted its first resume workshop, with guests Joe Chidley, editor-in-chief of Canadian Business, Jenny Pruegger, HR consultant at Transcontinental, and Penny Caldwell, editor in chief at Cottage Life. The evening began with a panel discussion moderated by myself, the coordinator of the Ed2010 Toronto chapter, before attendees had a chance to speak on-on-one with their choice of panelist for a personal résumé critique. Here are some pointers from the discussion:

• Don't forget to proofread your résumé! Penny pointed out that though this may seem obvious, some people still don't do it. And in an industry like publishing, proofreading is especially important since it's a part of any editorial job.

• Send in a hard copy of your application package. A coloured folder or nice paper will stand out amid a pile of emails printed out on white bond paper.

• Send your resume to both the HR department and the editor. (You'll be happy to hear, HR departments tend to keep résumés on hand for about a year.)

• Include work experience outside the publishing industry only if it's relevant to the job you're applying to, it indicates a variety of transferable skills or if it fills gaps in your employment history.

• Use a professional email address. No cutesy names like foofoopants@hotmail.com. And don't send applications from your current work address – that's just tacky.

• And as important as your résumé is, don't send it out all by itself. Include a cover letter, clips, even a copy of the magazine you currently work for.

Did you attend the workshop on Tuesday? Post a comment to share what you learned.

ed2010 toronto announces first resume workshop

The Toronto chapter of editorial networking group Ed2010 is offering its first-ever resume workshop. Here are the details:

Learn how to get your resume noticed, with advice from those who do the hiring.

Join Ed for a panel discussion on the dos and don'ts of writing a resume, with guests Joe Chidley, editor-in-chief of Canadian Business,
Penny Caldwell, editor-in-chief of Cottage Life, and Jenny Pruegger, from human resources at Transcontinental. Then take advantage of our
one-to-one sessions, where one of our panelists will take a look at your resume and give you a personal critique. Space is limited, so reserve a spot soon!

Where: Upstairs, Deer Park Public Library, 40 St. Clair Ave. E., one
block east of Yonge at the corner of Alvin. Find a map here.
When: Tues. June 10, 6:00 pm
Cost: $25
Space is limited. To reserve a spot, email toronto@ed2010.com. You will receive a confirmation email with payment instructions.

ed2010 happy hour

Ed2010 (Ed-twenty-ten) is a social networking group of young magazine editors, of which I'm the Toronto Chapter Host. The group is based in New York and has city chapters across the States. It's basically a peer mentoring organization, whose goal it is to help young magazine editors reach their dream jobs. Every few months we get together for a Happy Hour to drink, share industry gossip and meet others in the biz.

The next Ed2010 Toronto Happy Hour will be at 6:30 pm on Tues., Nov. 27th in the Conservatory (second floor) at the Duke of York, 39 Prince Arthur Ave. It's steps from the Bedford Rd. exit of the St. George subway station.

ed's makeover

If you haven't seen it yet, check out Ed2010's new website. It's full of useful career advice, including articles like this one on cover-letter writing. The site also features a message board for talking with other editors.