well, it was such a long time ago that it’s a bit of a haze. I’ve been working at Teen Vogue almost seven years! I must’ve been around 24 when I got the job and it all transpired super quickly. Amy Astley called me on a Tuesday, I interviewed with her on a Wednesday, I handed in some ideas (called an “edit test”) on a Thursday, and I got the job offer on Friday at 8 AM! lesson: you never know when life will take a wonderful and unexpected twist and always be prepared :)

besides being engaged and engaging (so many interview candidates just sit there like a rock and nod. they do try to be charming or likeable or ask smart questions), it’s also important to do things after the interview. such as: write a handwritten thank you note and dash that off to the mailbox as soon as possible. follow up occasionally: that interview is a foot in the door. if you don’t follow up, the door effectively reshuts!

when I read cover letters, 99% of the time all I see is “blah blah blah, blah blah blah, impersonal blah blah about blah blah how great I am. blah blah.” it’s great to list of your accomplishments. but don’t forget to write about what you love about the company you’re applying to? is it the photographers they work with? the subject matter of the stories? the impact on self-esteem? make it clear that you know the organization you’re applying to—that way, you’ll stand out

sometimes, if you’re lucky, confidence is something you’re born with. for the rest of us—myself included—it’s something that’s learned. if I had to go back to my seventeen year old self, I’d tell myself to worry and agonize less and realize that I’d be okay, in time, because sometimes you need experience to be confident. when I was your age, I looked a lot younger too. I thought I’d be an ugly duckling forever (not that I’m not now, I just think of myself as a normal duckling). I grew out of it and learned to be happy with myself the way I was. but that took all of my twenties. I guess this is my long and rambling way of saying: I know how you feel. I went through the same thing. things take time. if you love fashion, you’ll make it work. don’t take no for an answer. and accept the things you see as flaws (youthful face, petite stature) as advantages. be patient: the confidence will come. I know it.