I was lucky enough to receive a 2 week fashion and beauty internship after applying online at gothinkbig.com, the site to use if you are interested in interning at Bauer Media publications, which include Heat, Grazia, Closer, FHM, Kerrang and Empire. On my first day I was nervous and excited about what to expect as I hopped on the tube to Heat's office in Shaftsbury Avenue. But, as soon as I arrived everything went smoothly. I met the other editorial intern who would be at Heat with me who was lovely and is now a good friend, and was then shown around by a friendly member of the Heat team, Jennifer. Heat share their office with Closer and Grazia, but the separate magazines tends to stick to their teams and don't tend to mix!
As a fashion intern, my desk was situated with the fashion and beauty team, sitting next to 3 lovely ladies who immediately welcomed me into their team. I have a huge mac computer, plenty of draw space and super comfy chair which is important! What's more the Heat radio is playing all day long with fab old tune songs keeping you constantly tapping your feet to the beat. There's also a large beauty and fashion cupboard, which I've been told to organise a couple of times and let me tell you, even if you are remotely interested in make up you would be seriously impressed! Everyday the team get gift bags and packages from a host of companies including Burberry, Urban Decay, L'Oreal, Mac, Havainas and Yves Saint Laurent, to name just some. And they get to keep and try everything! It's a perfect job really!Anyway, my jobs include handing out the post every morning, researching for the fashion team, checking prices of beauty products, transcribing interviews with celebs including Kanye West and Gino d'Acampo, picking up items across London, writing news stories for Heat's online website and answering the phones when the team is away. With an hour for lunch everyday, I find the day just flies by and before you know it, it's time to go home at 5pm. Sometimes Jennifer, the editorial assistant, sends me and the other intern to after work press launches which is a great way to socialise with interesting people and pick up freebies, including lots of delicious cocktails!
But overall, I am having such a great time, and was even offered the position to cover for a week for the editorial assistant which was amazing. Yes, it will add more pressure but then again, it will be invaluable experience which will help me in the future and I'm sure it will be a lot of fun too! With one more week to go at Heat as an intern, I find I can't wait to go back on Monday and continue to help out in any way I can, and believe me, you are kept seriously busy at Heat! The time flies by because you've constantly got jobs that need doing and the team are generally grateful for your help.
So here's some do's and don'ts which I found during my first week at Heat:
Do:
- Say hello to everyone each morning and be polite to everyone, including the guy who collects the rubbish! Being friendly costs nothing, especially in a fashion mag environment.
- Make yourself available to do ANY jobs, and look excited even if it's the most boring job in the world!
- Ask around if you're not sure about something. People will be happy to help you out.
- Arrive on time at least 10 mins before the actual time you're meant to arrive. That way you look keen to start the day and it shows that you're a punctual person.
- Do everything to the best of your abilities. If people see how amazing you are they will trust you with bigger and better jobs.
-Dress to impress! Well it is fashion, but make sure you have comfy footwear if running errands.
- Have fun and ask lots of questions! This is your time to shine.
Don't:
-Sit around not knowing what to do. Ask around, do some filing, check the courier room, make tea! There's nothing worse than being bored and plus you're here to learn so make the most of it.
- Turn down any tasks. Okay, so it might be something like 'file last years magazines' and you really can't be asked to do it. But this is why you are here, to do the odd jobs. So just smile and do it, and make sure you do it well.
- Never ask to take a lunch break or to leave early. Your supervisor will tell you when it's good to go. And also, never take a sickie! Even if you are truly ill, it will look seriously bad and you'll be missing out on a valuable day of work experience.
- Gossip about the staff to other members of staff. Even if you don't like someone, suck it up and don't start bitching to anyone else about your problems.
- Try and be too big for your boots. Remember you're just an intern, so don't invite yourself along to lunch, blab about what you ate for dinner last night, bore people on your break up from your boyfriend or keep pestering the editor. Really not cool.
Hope that helps! To read some of the articles I wrote for heatworld.com, check out the links below:
http://www.heatworld.com/2015/06/rita-ora-vs-cheryl-fernandez-versini-whos-the-best-dressed-judge
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