5 Questions With… Shamika Sanders

In this fickle entertainment industry, although some make it seem like it’s an easy job, MOST will tell you that it isn’t. We all have our own journeys and stories about the career path we’ve chosen to take. I had the pleasure of meeting today’s featured guest when she was just getting her foot wet at Interactive One…. let’s say a few years ago. She is now the Entertainment Editor at Hello Beautiful and still making things happen.

Shamika Sanders talks to us about her experience working as a journalist, the way she uses social media for work and offers advice to those who want to follow her in footsteps…

1.    You’ve been working in the entertainment industry for some time now. How has social media made your job easier and/or harder and how do you use it daily?

Social media has entirely changed the way we consume and aggregate news. I find most of my news stories and entertainment on Instagram and Facebook. Facebook is such a focal point for our audience at HelloBeautiful. It definitely makes the job easier. There are certain days where something a celebrity does on social media becomes our highest trafficked story. It’s also a platform celebrities use to control their own narratives, so it is a powerful tool.

2.   When interviewing people, how do you come up with the questions you use in the interview?

I often look to myself during the research process and ask myself what do I want to know because I’m a fan. If I want to know, chances are the girl reading, who is just like me, wants to know too.

3.    What is the most interesting aspect of your job and what do you hate most about it?

The most interesting aspect of my job has to be traveling around the world for various projects. The only part I hate is I feel certain Black celebrities seek validation from white publications, which makes it hard to get access to some superstars.

4.    If someone came to you for advice on how to have a successful and productive career in media and/or the industry, what would be the first and most important thing you’d suggest?

I would tell them experience is important. Start interning while you’re still in school. More importantly, as cliche as it sounds, work hard. I happily worked for free for years because I valued the experience and being in the room.

5.    What is/was the most surprising thing you’ve learned working in media?

I learned the magic of show business. The smoking mirrors that make the small sets seem like grand spaces and the meticulous work that goes into every production.