Music Internship - Why and How To Get One
Written by Amanda Maritan October 20th 2021
Internships are, in general, part-time work experience offered to students (or not), to put into practice what they have been learning at college. It is the big chance to have the first professional opportunity in the career they seek, build relevant networking in the industry, and pave the way for possible future hiring in a full-time job. On the other hand, internships can also be taken in summer and winter, enabling the chances of interning abroad and experiencing an exchange while doing so. Albeit, it is important to keep in mind that an internship can be unpaid, since the focus is to learn and experience the industry atmosphere, working on real cases that, mostly, are not possible to take up at classes. However, it is possible to receive college credits after completing an internship, unpaid or not, depending on the student’s school’s policy.
As mentioned before, getting an internship comes with benefits, such as positive impact in a future job hiring, since, when looking for professionals the industry also seeks previous experience and an internship is a chance to boost your C.V, but also help you to decide the direction you want your career to go. Fortunately, for those seeking a music career, there are many internship opportunities involving different areas from the music industry. Sony Music, for example, offers internship experience in marketing, finance, and A&R (artists and repertoire), while other companies open spots for production assistants, radio stations, sound design, and music library interns.
The music industry has a long internship list and is smart to apply for intern opportunities in smaller companies rather than only focusing on the big ones, like the trio Warner, Sony, and Universal Music, as a strategy (LinkedIn and the companies’ careers website will be very important on this journey, as well your college’s career office). When applying for musical interns make it clear which are your areas of interest — marketing, finances, songwriter, producer, manager — so the hirer can see where you fit in the company. In addition, build your cover letter, resume, and portfolio targeting the area you want, suiting the position you are applying to, and make sure to use strong keywords for the Applicant Tracking System. The music industry is very dependent on connections, so when applying for a position ask for a recommendation to enhance your chances to get the job.
In summary, a music internship will only bring benefits and help you to build your space in the industry. The application process is not different from jobs and other opportunities in general, but you need to work on your skills, discover what makes you shine, and use them to your advantage. As well, keep in mind to always keep improving your applications, whether or not accepted, and keep trying, if denied. It will always have more and more opportunities to grow in this huge industry, as well as different types of internships to apply.
Works Cited
Errington, Matt. A Guide to Securing Internships In The Music Business. The School of Music Business. https://www.theschoolofmusicbusiness.com/post/a-guide-to-securing-a-music-business-internship
How To Get An Internship In The Music Business Without A Single Contact. Cyber PR Music. https://www.cyberprmusic.com/get-internship-music-business-without-single-contact/
How to write a good resume. Job Bank Canada. https://www.jobbank.gc.ca/findajob/resources/write-good-resume
Johnson, Carla. Music Internship Guide: How To Get Music Industry Internships. Music Gateway, 2021. https://www.musicgateway.com/blog/music-industry/music-business/music-internship
Music industry internships. Last Minute Musicians. https://www.lastminutemusicians.com/blog/music-industry-internships/
8 Benefits of an Internship. Fremont College. https://fremont.edu/8-benefits-of-an-internship/