Maggie Shi is an Associate Producer at Food Network's Web site in New York City. The site allows users to conduct recipe searches, view technique videos, look up terms in a culinary encyclopedia, get personalized wine recommendations and more. Shi has been at FoodTV.com for almost a year. Prior to that she was an editorial assistant at Condé Net, which runs several web sites affiliated with Condé Nast publications such as Vogue, Glamour, Gourmet and Vanity Fair. Shi has a B.A. in English from Princeton University.

Monster.com: What does your job entail?

Maggie Shi: I do a lot of the writing and editing for the site. I write features, smaller blurbs and teasers, headlines, and cookbook reviews, which means recipe testing! I also interview chefs, edit biographies and other copy, and help brainstorm for story ideas. I do a small amount of production, but my job is mainly editorial.

Mc: Do you work long hours?

MS: Well, we relaunched the Web site in November 1999, so there were a lot of late nights and weekends, hours of database entry, extra writing and editing assignments . . . But, thankfully, that's over now.

Mc: What other new media jobs have you had?

MS: I started out in new media fresh out of college, in August 1997. I was an editorial assistant at Condé Net, where I worked mainly on Epicurious, the food site, so moving to Food Network was a natural transition.

Mc: Do you have a background in computers?

MS: I didn't take any computer classes at school. I have a pretty strong writing background. I was an English major at Princeton and worked for its daily newspaper as a reporter and then an editor. I thought I was heading for the print magazine publishing world after graduation, but I guess I was wrong.

Mc: Do you need tech knowledge for the work you do?

MS: Technical knowledge isn't really necessary, though it's definitely an asset. I have HTML experience, which has allowed me to help out in a lot of ways on the site.

Mc: Do you plan on staying in this field?

MS: I'm not really sure what I'd like to do next; maybe a move towards content management or project management. But who knows, maybe I'll ditch the whole new media business, go to cooking school in France and open my own restaurant in New York.

Mc: What advice do you have for people starting out in new media?

MS: It's not as glamorous as it sounds! Not everyone who works in new media ends up a millionaire. That said, be open to new experiences and change. Don't be afraid to take on new challenges, even if you don't have experience in a particular field. I've found that a great attitude and enthusiasm are sometimes more important than previous experience or specialized skills. And, finally, if you find something you're passionate about, just go for it.