Three Takeaways from Berklee's Career Center Internship Expo
A representative from GFD Productions talks to a student at the Career Center's 2017 Internship Expo.
Image by Mike Spencer
With midterms rounding the corner, it can feel daunting to explore the possibility of an internship in the spring or summer. Thankfully, Berklee has done some of the heavy lifting. The college’s former Career Development Center and Office of Experiential Learning merged with Boston Conservatory’s Career Center this year, and the combined department kicked off its union with an Internship Expo in David Friend Recital Hall and the Loft this month.
More than 20 employers(Opens in a new window) across the arts and entertainment industries participated in the expo to recruit for internships, offering students a jump start on their careers. The following is a sampling of tips to help land an ideal internship, a list culled from students who attended the expo.
Do the Research
Even a quick glance at a company’s website can give you enough information to make an impression on a representative, and it will allow you to make a better connection with that person in the few minutes they might have.
Know What You Want
Members of the Career Center team are there to help you figure out what you want out of an internship, but you can help that process by asking yourself a few questions ahead of time:
- How do you learn best—with a mentor, on a team, or through solo projects?
- What aspects of the music industry fascinate you?
- What cities would you like to live in for a semester?
Employers appreciate interns who know what they want and can immerse themselves in a learning and working experience with confidence and self-awareness. If all of this is making your head spin, remember the most important tip of all...
It’s Going to Be Okay
Employers want you to succeed, because your success is their success. Berklee’s new Career Center is full of resources and people who will support you—from your first day on campus to your first day on the job. Explore the Career Center website, connect with a career advisor, and talk to fellow students who have already completed internships.
Chandler Dalton is a sixth-semester student majoring in music business/management.
Participating Companies
Arnold Worldwide(Opens in a new window)
Avedis Zildjian(Opens in a new window)
BMF Media(Opens in a new window)
Boys and Girls Clubs of Boston(Opens in a new window)
Creative Artists Agency(Opens in a new window)
Do617(Opens in a new window)
GFD Productions(Opens in a new window)
Gratitude Sound(Opens in a new window)
Kids' Orchestra(Opens in a new window)
Mass Music and Arts Society (MMAS)(Opens in a new window)
National Youth Development Council(Opens in a new window)
NV Concepts(Opens in a new window)
RbR Production Group(Opens in a new window)
S(Opens in a new window)helter Music Boston(Opens in a new window)
SpeakEasy Stage Company(Opens in a new window)
The Best Seats(Opens in a new window)
The Dance Complex(Opens in a new window)
The Record Company(Opens in a new window)
Wolf Trap Foundation for the Performing Arts(Opens in a new window)
Yobe Inc. (Opens in a new window)
Virtual Meetups
Sony Music Entertainment/Columbia Records
Gibney Dance
United Talent Agency
Universal Music Group
