DEAR PEP: Should I start with the Web or print?

I am graduating in May and planning to work abroad for five months starting in the fall, so I've been applying for internships for the summer until I go. Luckily, I ended up with two choices. I was offered a job at a Web magazine and a city magazine. The Web magazinet seems like a better internship career-wise—it's an editorial internship with lots of writing opportunities and a chance to  help with a redesign. The print magazine internship is primarily research and fact-checking.

So, my question is how important do you think the opportunity on the Web is for landing future jobs? I know Web experience is so valuable these days, so I'm having a tough time
deciding. — New Grad


PEP Says: Congratulations on two fabulous opportunities. I do not think you can go wrong in your choice.

The Web is the future. And the thing is, most people in management have no idea what it is or how to use it or why they have it--only that they have to because everybody else does. I think the Web mag would be excellent experience to prepare you for a field that is going to define the future.

The city magazine, however, would also be hard for me to turn down. If I were going to go to a print publication, it would be a city magazine. So that is a fabulous opportunity in a different direction and it will prepare you well in a traditional medium that is, I think, enduring no matter what some pundits say.

I think you need to ask yourself which fits you best. Which gives you entry into a world where you really want to spend your time? Your career is going to go in marvelous directions and you are going to have challenges and opportunities we cannot even imagine now. So go where you think you will have the best opportunity to grow the way you want.

Good luck with the decision.  And enjoy your time abroad.