Young graduated from Penn State in 1989 and spent the next few years working as a waitress, an editorial assistant for National Parks magazine, and then for an ad agency in Budapest. She sent out journalism school applications the day she left for Budapest and deferred her acceptance at Medill before returning to get her master's degree. Everybody wants to write for The New Yorker, and everybody wants to write for Rolling Stone. But it's probably unrealistic to expect to do that right out of Medill.
Any experience is good experience.
It may not be your dream job, and the next job may not be your dream job, and the next job may not be your dream job. In addition to having a sharp resume and clips, making use of the right contacts will help your career move along, said Young, who is co-president of the Medill Club of Greater New York . Approaching people by e-mail is probably the best way to do it, Young said, because they can respond at their own pace. Check out the masthead of a magazine in which you're interested and call to find out whose in-box would be the appropriate destination for your resume. If it goes to the wrong person, they may not pass it along.