The Young Women’s Group Content Producer Twinkle Stanly and Cosmo ME’s Digital Editor Sara AlHumiri took us back to their days as new interns and gave us tips on how to kickstart your career and convert internships and freelancing gigs into full-time jobs, and what it feels like to finally find your niche and make money out of it.
If you’re confused and looking for some reassurance in your 20s (because, same), then you’ve come to the right place. Read all about how Cosmo’s very own, very Gen Z, team found their dream jobs in a competitive and fast-paced environment below…
Cosmo Careers 2023 – How to convert your internship into a full-time job
How they got started on their journey
The Cosmo girls began the session discussing how they got their interning opportunities, (in Twinkle’s case, how she made the opportunity for herself by kinda stalking Cosmo’s EIC). That’s right, and not in the creepy Joe Goldberg way, but the smart Blair Waldorf way by networking as much as you can and having the confidence to actually shoot👏 your👏 shot👏 .
Sara also explained her background in Fashion Marketing and how she was planning on doing a Master’s in 2019 but instead decided to apply to ITP’s internship programs and try her luck. She began interning at Harper’s Bazaar Arabia as a junior assistant and then made her way to Cosmo freelancing before becoming Digital Editor.
It’s fine to be clueless in the beginning
Just like many internships, Sara explained that her degree couldn’t really compare to the on-the-job experience that she got from interning. Fashion Marketing is a pretty broad subject that can focus on everything from styling and writing to photography and editing, so in terms of the ~ editorial life ~, she wasn’t too sure what to expect. “You’re very much thrown into the deep end at the beginning, and working in fashion, in general, is super fast-paced”.
That wasn’t a problem for her though, she was able to learn more quicker, and the workload was a great experience
Beginner flop era and how they got through it
Similarly to Sara, when Twinkle joined ITP, she admitted that she didn’t understand basic tasks like how to properly word work emails, or even send calendar invites. Asking tons of questions and building a good relationship with her mentor were they 🔑.
On their first big projects
For Twinkle, her great opportunity came two weeks into her internship where she was sent to cover the ElGouna Film Festival in Egypt with another fellow Cosmo ME intern. She was responsible for everything from recordings and interviews to liaising with talent and sending over assets to the rest of the team to publish. This is where she found her *niche*.
Sara explained that for her, one of her most successful projects and pride was rebranding Cosmo ME alongside Editor-in-Chief Milli Midwood. Her favourite cover to date is the Spring 2022 Relaunch Issue with Amy Roko. “Print is always surreal when you see your name on the masthead and know that you were a part of creating this amazing tangible thing,” she explains.
What did you do that helped you convert your internship into a full-time job?
“Upskill yourself to the point of no return,” Sara explains. It’s always important to want to keep learning, while still finding the balance between what’s within your job guidelines. Twinkle also added that you should master the art of networking and “make noise about the work that you do.”
What are some skills that helped you while you were transitioning from intern to full-time employee?
- Be organised
- Being proactive
- Being a fast learner
- Being passionate
- Having an affinity with the brand
The two discussed how really understanding a brand’s tone of voice can not only make or break the way you work, but it’ll affect the quality of your work as well.
If you’re interested in joining Cosmo ME’s Internship, then click here.