Summer Job Files: Marketing Intern

In honor of the summer, each week we take turns to recount a summer job we had back in the day. [Editor's Note: Back in the day refers to when we were in school...sigh...college].

I had a slight panic attack this evening when I realized I had to write a post about a summer job and thought that I didn't have any more summer jobs to write about. Alright, maybe not a panic attack but I didn't know what to write about until WG2 informed me that my summer marketing internship counted as a summer job. So, with WG2's approval, that's what I'll be writing about today. And next week.

I spent the spring of my junior year applying to every single editorial magazine internship that I could find. I had a phone interview here and an in-person interview there but nothing transpired. I had already sent my check to NYU for their summer housing program and needed a summer job desperately. My uncle was able to hook me up with an internship position at his financial company. Not exactly my dream job but it was a paid internship so at least I'd make some money.

Weeks earlier I had told the mother of the family I nannied for that I was looking for a job at a magazine. She had a friend who's sister worked for a women's magazine. She gave me the sister's contact information and told me to send my cover letter and resume because they were looking for marketing interns. "Marketing?! I didn't want to do that," I thought to myself. "That's what my Dad does and that's boring"

When I hadn't sent my resume or even reached out to the sister, I recieved a phone call from the mother pretty much yelling at me for not doing so. I was slightly shocked at first that she was scolding me for this but realized that she had reached out to someone on my behalf and was doing me a favor. It was rude of me not to take action. She called back later and apologized for acting like my mother but her first phone call was exactly what I needed. A little kick in the tush.

I immediately emailed my resume and soon had an interview lined up. I wore my my Andie Anderson interview outfit and was ready to find out why exactly a magazine needed a marketing intern anyway. What I learned was exciting and I really wanted the internship.

A few days later I recieved a phone call from my interviewer and found out that I got the internship. I was thrilled. But then I realized, I had to call my uncle and tell him I couldn't intern for his company because I was offered a internship that I found more intersting.

WG2 and I moved into our NYU dorm for the summer and spent our first weekend in Manhattan watching Grey's Anatomy DVD's and exploring Canal Street. Then it was time for my first day and I was given the scariest task a boss could ever give Working Girl One: Phone calls. Over 150 phone calls.