“I made friends with other journalism majors, and those connections have been invaluable in my career,” agreed Lauren Streib, a UNC journalism grad who is now an assistant editor at The Daily Beast. When you first graduate, you all may have entry-level positions or internships, but in about 10 years, your friends will be in charge of hiring decisions or have close relationships with people who do. In 20 years, you’ll be running the show.

Read more in 6 Reasons a Journalism Degree Is Still Necessary. [Mediabistro AvantGuild subscription required]

New Career Opportunities Daily: The best jobs in media.

“She was pitching from first-hand experience and had already done significant research. And she laid out, in detail, the elements that would go into the story, whereas many writers simply pitch a concept,” said Derk Richardson, AFAR senior editor. “Moreover, there was an underlying sense of passion and curiosity, which is important when it comes to writing about food and essential when writing about anything for AFAR.”

THE PITCH

Dear Derk:

Paring knife in one hand, empty plastic bag in another, I am following my friend Lakis as he climbs a narrow goat path through thorny brush to a meadow he promises will yield tasty results. We are high on a mountain plateau on the eastern Peloponnese Peninsula in Greece, and we are in search of “horta,” the wild greens prized by Greeks for their health benefits and flavor…

Read the rest in Pitches that Worked: AFAR. [subscription required]

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GO, the award-winning in-flight magazine for Airtran, is seeking in-depth travel pieces on markets that are less-covered. ”We want to inspire really interesting ways of seeing different places,” said Jaime Lowe, GO‘s executive editor. “We want as many people as possible to get excited about learning about other communities, being surrounded by new experiences and pushing themselves, through travel.”

While most mags advise new writers to break in through smaller, front- or back-of-book stories, GO has a meaty feature well that’s ripe for the pitchin’ — even for first-time freelancers. “We’re always looking for new writers with great stories,” said Lowe. “A great idea always wins. If there’s an excellent travel narrative, we’ll assign it.”

For more details on breaking in, read How To Pitch: GO.

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“We offer essential advice for tough parenting challenges, fun suggestions for family activities, healthy and delicious recipes, and DIY projects to create a comfortable home,” said senior associate editor Stephanie Emma Pfeffer.

If you’re bursting with ideas in any of those topics, you’re in luck. FC relies on freelancers for about 60 percent of its content.

Get more guidelines in How To Pitch: Family Circle.

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Take The Boston Globe Magazine, for example. Editor-in-chief Susanne Althoff asks freelancers to remember that the Globe magazine is, at root, a local magazine. “That doesn’t mean we’re not interested in national trend stories,” she said. “But it’s got to be a trend that’s of interest to readers in the Boston area, or in the greater Boston/New England area.”

Find out where to send your story ideas in How To Pitch: The Boston Globe Magazine.

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Sheryl Bender, senior HR representative with the Port of Long Beach, Calif., calls people who gab incessantly “the bane of an interviewer’s existence.”

“We understand that you want to answer the question fully, but being concise — as long as you’ve answered the question — is truly okay. The longer you talk, the higher your chances of turning the interviewer off to your answer,” she said. “Also, pay attention to social cues; if the interviewer frequently has to cut you off in order to move on, you’re probably talking too much.”

Learn how to fix eight more blunders in 9 Things You Should Never Do on a Job Interview.

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Although their median income hovers just above the six-figure mark and they enjoy all of the earmarks of luxury, the mag’s readers like a real-life experience with their vacationing. With that in mind, aspiring Afar writers need to bring their A-game (think affluence and authenticity) to snag an assignment.

“There’s a real emphasis on giving readers a deeper dive, a sort of street-level view of a place,” editor-in-chief Julia Cosgrove explained.

Find out which sections are ripe for input in How To Pitch: Afar.

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Right now, about 5 to 10 percent of Food Network Magazine‘s content is freelance-generated, at most. ”We’re a hard pitch. I can probably count on one or two hands how many pitches we’ve accepted since we launched,” said deputy editor Tracy Saelinger. “That said, we welcome ideas from writers, but they just have to be newsy, quirky and fun. We get pitched lots of tired trends that feel like old news.”

For details on three freelancer-friendly sections, read How To Pitch: Food Network Magazine.

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“I’d say the level of humor and discourse has gotten a little sharper and smarter,” said editor-in-chief Dan Bova, “but the goal is still to be that plain-spoken, witty best friend guiding you through the guy universe.”

But don’t think you’re going to break in with a pitch about yet another celebrity. ”Somebody proposing we should interview Chris Rock is not being particularly helpful. We do most of the star-wrangling ourselves,” Bova explained.

So, what type of pitches are editors looking for? Get the details in How To Pitch: Maxim

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No. 2: Listen first.

The one hard and fast rule to remember is to listen more than you talk, says Juli Monroe, a coach at 1 to 1 Discovery, a Washington, D.C.-based networking and social media agency. “If you listen first, then you know how to talk about yourself,” she explained. “If you can address their needs, then you can pitch your services, but in a targeted and strategic way.”

Read more in How To Network in Any Situation.

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The non-compete clause. This can prohibit writers from working on books that would compete with the existing title they are publishing. The problem is that it’s often so broadly written that it could stop you from writing magazine articles or blog posts, all of which can help to market the book.

“Any such clause should be limited to book-length work and should give the publisher a deadline for refusing a new book proposal on a related topic, which then frees the writer to pursue publication elsewhere,” advised Meg Schnieder, an Iowa-based author of 12 books, including The Everything Guide to Writing a Book Proposal.

For more information on other potential deal breakers and steps to renegotiation, read The 7 Biggest Red Flags in Book Contracts.

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In fact, the magazine prides itself on educating African-American women 18-49 in all aspects of their lives. And writing for an independent title means you can relax your language a little. “We don’t do stuffy,” said senior editor Ericka Boston. “Our pieces have a conversational tone.” But, just like anywhere else, your grammar and AP Style mastery does matter.

Get details on specific sections to pitch and word counts in How To Pitch: Sister 2 Sister.

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Why did you leave your last position?

You can blame the economy, a lack of growth opportunity, the position changing dramatically after you took it, or the functions being misrepresented during your interview. But the key point here is to be honest — not just for your conscience, but for your career. “Transparency is the best policy with these types of questions,” said Matt Tovrog, a partner at Bell Oaks Executive Search, “because a former boss can easily be contacted as a reference check.”

Read more in 7 Tricky Job Interview Questions and How to Answer Them.

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“We are a magazine about people who are incredibly passionate and have the will to start a business from scratch,” said Alexandra Brez, managing editor. ”We are different because of our sophistication, as well as our connection to and interest in community events. And we are a very likable brand. People are proud to be featured by us.”

For pitching guidelines and information on open sections, read How To Pitch: Inc.

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That includes a wide variety of topics, like health, money and food, along with features on marriage, relationships, family and amazing ‘real woman’ stories. And freelancers get full rein of the the majority of the glossy, including a philanthropy page titled ”Be Part of the Solution.”

For editors’ contact information and more on open sections, read How To Pitch: Redbook.

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New Career Opportunities Daily: The best jobs in media.