Amy Bishop | Oct. 21, 2008
Erman, B.A.J. ’07, has worked for Vanity Fair magazine in New York since August 2007. She began as an intern and now assists other writers with correspondence and research while also contributing to the Vanity Fair Web site.
Erman explained to the students that the biggest thing she has learned in the magazine industry is that everything is about connections.
“You can be really qualified, but you need someone to let you in the door,” Erman said.
Erman also advised the students on how to find a good job after graduation. As a senior at IU, she used a list of alumni from the School of Journalism to find graduates working at publications in cities that she was interested in.
“It can be tedious,” Erman said. “But every person you meet is off doing something amazing. Always be aware of the people you are introduced to.”
Erman said starting out at publication as well-known as Vanity Fair has its advantages. But she also advised that interns at any publication should be prepared to have a positive attitude even while performing mundane tasks — and to accomplish all tasks well.
“People will trust you more and be interested to give you more responsibility the next time,” she said.
Erman also had tips for getting through the interview process. First, applicants should be familiar with the magazine or publication. This way, they can talk about specifics as well as show they are prepared.
But the best way to have something to show at an interview is to build a portfolio as a student. Erman suggested writing for the Indiana Daily Student frequently.
“I didn’t write for the IDS enough,” Erman said. “If there was an awesome college newspaper right below the classes I was taking, I should have written for it everyday.”
J200 student Katelyn Stoffregen benefited from Erman’s visit.
“I’ve thought about working at a magazine before, but she made it more appealing to me,” Stoffregen said. “After what she said, I want to starting looking to intern at a magazine, hopefully in New York.”
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