How I Got My Food Writing Externship (Part 1)

Here is a funny one. Keep in mind that I was one driven m-f'er during culinary school. There was no test I wasn't prepared for. There was no restaurant fire (when class turns into a restaurant line with Chef calling out strange orders on the fly... nice!) that I couldn't surmount. However, I will never, ever as long as I live and breathe forget being surprised by what faced me trying to get my externship.

The following was originally published in the CSCA newsletter. Enjoy!

My heart dropped.  The Los Angeles Times, THE externship for CSCA News writers, couldn’t take me because they had too many people!  Devastation turned to fear as I scrambled for a back-up plan.  My Intro I Chef’s voice in my head rang, “sense of urgency”, and I was on the move.

Phone calls, emails, and mass networking filled the days since the news.  A referral sent me to a nondescript advertisement from Angeleno Magazine for a food and travel intern.  Because online job advertisements are not always reliable, I sent my resume and forgot about it.  One week later I received an email asking me to interview.  I booked it, but my excitement was tempered since this meeting would probably be informational.

I arrived early for my interview with the magazine, and looked at the blown up cover pages on display. Nothing but accomplished Hollywood names, I thought.  I started to want this more.  I met with the personable editor, and slipped into charming banter.

Then it happened.

He handed me a 10 page editing test on grammar I never learned in high school.  Sweating, I sat down and tried to concentrate, but I couldn’t focus.  I was frustrated because I did not remember what an infinitive was.  Page after page of semicolons, linking verbs, and gerunds…my head began to hurt. 

Finally, on the last page were questions that I could answer: how many ounces in a gallon, how many wine bottles in a case, and if olive oil is a monounsaturated fat.  I knew that wasn’t enough to win me this dream externship.  I handed back the test and said goodbye, positive I didn’t pass.

Or did I?

(Robin DID end up getting this externship with Angeleno Magazine.  Stay tuned to find out what her job duties will be in Part II. – Ed.)

Comments

[Pat Batu]

Woohoo...love how you've really taken up the updates a notch. I'm trying to keep up!