Editorial Intern, Offices in the Back Bay area
With a slogan of “Stay Improper,” this place caters to a younger audience. Boston college students, recent grads, young puppies in suit and anyone who still appreciates a good Looney Tunes reference are welcome. The Improper Bostonian’s mission is to provide a guide to everything and anything entertaining that this city on the hill has to offer. If you, too, are a millennial who worships Stephen Colbert, then you’ll fit right in.
What it’s actually like
Surrounded by a rag tag crew of 20 to 30 people in the office, Improper Bostonian interns are scribes, fact checkers and young professionals. Adobe InDesign, Gmail and the telephone will be your main weapons. Your daily To-do list includes typing up the Agenda sections in InDesign and fact-checking articles by calling and emailing contacts such as stores, restaurant owners, publicists and authors. Don’t discard this stuff as humdrum. “All the tasks were well within my skill set and were valuable skills to know for getting this type of job in the future – I wasn’t getting anyone’s coffee.” – Meaghan Leahy, Spring 2015 Editorial Intern.
Cool stuff you get to do
An Improper internship is a much-needed step into the magazine and publishing world. Yeah, you’re transcribing notes and making a lot of phone calls but you’re also creating your very own portfolio. “The best part was getting to write my own stuff for the magazine. I wrote six 100-word bylined ‘call-outs’ or event previews for some of the more exciting stuff in the Agenda section.” -Meaghan Leahy, Spring 2015 Editorial Intern
What you’ll learn
The ins and outs of Adobe InDesign, the difference between professional and plain, good old fact-checking and the secrets of copyediting shenanigans.
How to prepare for your application
Create a portfolio of your favorite (and best!) pieces of writing that really capture your personality and flair, including a heart-stopping cover letter. “Work on a cover letter that shows what you can bring to the company rather than solely what you hope to gain from them.” -Meaghan Leahy, Spring 2015 Editorial Intern
Skills that impress them
Detail orientation, wit, passion and hard work are key. Reading the magazine is always a plus.
Cool perks
Free stuff! And by stuff, I mean magazines. And sometimes yummy goodies like ice cream and donuts (companies tend to be generous when they want good publicity). And who can forget about the bylined write-ups? “You also find out about great events in the city before they’re printed in the magazine; I got tickets to an event at the Boston Children’s Museum after having to type out the Cityscope entry. -Meaghan Leahy, Spring 2015 Editorial Intern
The deets
“16 hours a week (basically two 9-5 or 10-6 days). Best time apply is before the semester you want to work. Give them enough time to read your application and get back to you. They have 4-6 editorial interns each semester (fall, spring, summer), and typically have at least 50 or so applicants.” -Meaghan Leahy, Spring 2015 Editorial Intern
Were you a intern at The Improper Bostonian? Share your review of the internship in the comments below.
Need Interns?
Submit your internship opportunity here.
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