Haley Kluge graduated this past May with a bachelor’s degree in journalism and a minor in graphic design in hopes of breaking into the magazine industry. Well, her goal just turned into a reality.
Kluge will be working at Men’s Health magazine as a designer on the print publication. Despite receiving such a reputable position, this wasn’t her original plan.
“I had actually already secured a New York internship for the summer before I saw the Men’s Health post listed,” said Kluge. “I had every intention to go out to New York for the summer and then try and interview and find jobs while I was out there, but when I saw the posting online, I figured it couldn’t hurt.”
Landing the dream job was equal parts Kluge’s persistence and the magazine’s compatibility.
“I applied through the corporate HR website, and then when I didn’t hear anything a few weeks later, I emailed the creative director directly just to introduce myself. From there, he asked to meet me and I flew out for an interview that next week,” said Kluge. “I fell in love with their brand and the interview seemed so easy and conversational that I knew that if they offered it to me, I would flip my plans upside down to accommodate accepting it. Turns out, they did.”
Preparation for this position started long before Kluge walked across the stage and collected her diploma. Most recently, she was a graphic designer for both Michigan State Football and Michigan State Athletics, the art director at VIM Magazine, the presentation editor at Dialogue Newspaper as well as the president of Society for News Design. She was also heavily involved in Greek life: Vice President of Recruitment Guides for the MSU Panhellenic Council, Kappa Kappa Gamma’s marshal and a member of Order of Omega. Additionally, she was the design editor for the Red Cedar Log, a graphic designer for Communications and Brand Strategy and worked at the State News. As if that wasn’t enough, Kluge spent two summers in NYC interning with Cosmopolitan and Good Housekeeping.
Time Management Pro
“I’ve always said “better busy than bored,” and that sort of carries me through everyday life,” said Kluge. “I just naturally can’t sit still, and I think that allows me to thrive under pressure or work harder when I’m on deadlines. It’s just the best environment for me. But even with that, I just try and stay organized and caffeinated. I use my planner religiously and [drink] more Diet Cokes than I’d like to admit.”
While Kluge might not recommend her caffeine habits to others, she does have some advice for ComArtSci students looking for success.
“I think the biggest thing you can ever do is just to try new things,” said Kluge. “Push yourself out of your comfort zone and find job postings you never think you’ll get and apply anyway. On campus, join every club that interests you that you can handle, and throw yourself into them.”
Kluge spent two summers in her dream internships in New York, all because she was brave enough to press the send button.
“Never be worried about rejection,” said Kluge. “It’s just a part of the process and you’ll never know if you don’t try.”
By Kaitlin Dudlets