I'M STILL HERE

It's been a couple of months since I last blogged, and the job I was offered on a part time basis has turned into something a little bit more permanent so most of my time has been taken up with that that and my main blog. Obviously I'm thrilled and love my new job. I'm currently working on our Christmas issue and can't wait to get the decorations up! (I know it's only September...)

One of the things I've struggled with is having my own interns now. Maybe it's because it's not so long ago I was one of them but I find it so difficult to ask them to do anything so I end up running about like a mad woman - or giving them really nice tasks and letting them go on shoots while I'll do all the crappy jobs. Hopefully I'll adjust soon. So while it's great to have this job I'm not counting my chickens yet. I've seen a girl on a year long paid internship at a major UK fashion weekly basically go back on the scrap heap when she couldn't find a fashion assistant position at the end of her time there. Fingers crossed I'll be fine but you can't help thinking of the horror stories or feeling slightly undeserving when I know there are so many great interns out there just waiting to be noticed.

Speaking of being undeserving, getting this job has in some ways shown me peoples true colours. When I was offered my job I was conscious of keeping it under my hat until I'd had my first day and was sure it was mine. I didn't want to upset any of my intern friends by shouting from the rooftops. I've had it done to me in the past so I didn't want to be insensitive. When I finally told everyone I was so surprised and touched by how genuinely happy they were for me... well all but one. Someone who had been a friend prior to my interning but was also trying to break into the industry took it rather badly, and took to slagging me off to other friends. Apparently it's 'unfair' that I finally have a job and I 'don't deserve it'. He also made bizarre claims that he had applied for my job and been interviewed for it when it was never even advertised. Bizarre. Just goes to show if you put your energy into negative things you'll never get anywhere.

Anyway, London Fashion Week has just finished which like the rest of the fashion industry relies on interns. I've been going to fashion week for the last six or seven seasons with my blog so have never had the experience of being an intern in that environment but after spending most of this last year interning at various magazines and websites I definitely have a new found respect for the long hours and lack of respect they generally receive.

That said if this is the industry you want to get into fashion week is a great place to start building up experience, whether that's in PR, journalism, styling, photography, illustration etc. and as it isn't a long-term commitment you get the chance to sample what the reality of your dream job might be. I spent the week attempting to meet up with girls I'd been interning with this last year who were working front of house/as dressers/doing show reports as part of their new internships. It's a great way to get your foot in the door so keep your eyes peeled on twitter in the run up to next seasons shows. You should see loads of SOS tweets from designers, magazines, bloggers and PR companies all desperate for your assistance.

Also I've been feeling like this blog could do with a little new blood. When I started it a few months ago I couldn't really see that far into the future or imagine where a job would come from so assumed that I'd be blogging here all the time with my intern highs and lows. So if you are an intern and are as frustrated as i was, get in touch. You don't have to be a fashion intern, it can be anything from politics to the music industry. Anything. You don't even have to be doing your internship in the UK. So if you'd like to do a guest post email me at internanonyme@gmail.com and let off some steam!