Introduction

This is probably the question I get asked the most by people. It’s an intriguing question, and certainly one I don’t take lightly. I know from first hand experience what it is like to want very badly to find a way into what looks like the exclusive club of the record industry. The problem most people have is that the typical moves one makes to get a job in other industries don’t seem to apply to this one. If you want to be a doctor, lawyer, accountant, hair stylist, etc., there is a fairly standard path to take that will lead you to your destination. Additionally, if you want to enter fields like this, it’s usually fairly easy to find someone who is already doing this and who can guide you. On the other hand, in the record industry there’s not such a clear path. Furthermore, fmost people don’t know anyone in the industry to talk to who could help them. So, what is the aspiring music industry participant to do? Well, the first thing you need to do is make certain you don’t get discouraged. Just because there’s no easy path doesn’t mean there’s no path. Beyond that crucial element - which really is the most important, if you don’t believe that you can land a job in the music industry, you won’t - there are some other things you can do to greatly increase your odds.

Expand the scope

The first thing I recommend everyone doing is taking a step back and reconsidering what they view as the music industry as simply the four companies that make up the major labels, and perhaps a handful of the larger indies. You are wildly underestimating the playing field. You have to remember that while the sales of music are down, the consumption of music is way up. What this means is that music is being used in more ways now than it ever has. It has become a central or adjunct component to businesses that only a few years ago had no connection to it whatsoever.

Consider for instance how important music has become to Starbucks. While they’re the obvious example, there are countless other companies, from Toyota to Song Airlines (who have both started “labels”), to advertising houses, to cell phone networks, to computer manufacturers (iTunes, anyone), where music is a huge part of their business. The companies desperately need people who are passionate and knowledgeable about music. Music provides the entrée for you to bring innovation to established companies, and thus do something significant. It is therefore crucial that you not simply think of the established record labels as the only games in town when searching for job opportunities. There are companies out there who are dying to leverage music to increase brand awareness for their core business, but don’t know how to go about it, someone like you may be just the person to help them. Additionally, there are plenty of businesses out there who may not have even considered how music might figure into their business. Once again, if you are able to guide them, you will not only secure yourself a job, but also put yourself in a position to really be creative and impactful in that job.

From entrepreneur to employee

Of course, as suggested above, if you’re trying to convince someone who isn’t presently using music in their business to do so, you’re forced to come up with innovative concepts. In essence, you’re identifying a need and filling it. This is precisely what entrepreneurs do. I would suggest that if you have this ability to see opportunity and come up with ideas to fill it (and I think all people do), you should consider entrepreneurship as a path to employment. I speak from first-hand experience here. I am certain that had I not started my label that I would never have ended up working for (and eventually running) a much larger label.

Think about it for a second, what better way to prove to a prospective employer that you would be able to contribute to her business than to give them some examples of your own successes. The record industry is absolutely full of people who are working at labels (or various other music industry-related fields) who got there because they had started their own ventures. What happens is that by starting your own venture you exponentially increase your experience base and your contact base. In order to survive as an entrepreneur you’ve got to get out there and do it. So you learn. You also start connecting with others in the industry. This is a powerful combination. Having knowledge and connections is pretty much a guarantee that you will get a job. Combining these qualities with the axiomatic quality that an entrepreneur is someone who is ambitious and a hard worker, pretty much seals the deal that — should you want it — you’ll be able to get a job in the industry. Of course, many entrepreneurs can’t imagine working for anyone, and turn down countless job offers because they prefer to keep growing their own company. That said, it does lead to job offers, and having options is always a good thing

One last thing. If you think you’re two young to start a business, consider that some of the great labels (DefJam, Elektra, Saddle Creek) were started in college dorm rooms.

Internships

Perhaps starting a business simply isn’t do-able right now for you for whatever reason. Well, another way to start making those ever-important contacts and gaining knowledge is to intern. As a former intern, I can assure you that it did indeed lead to a job for me. Of course, internships are competitive these days, and some are better than others. Too often interns get buried in some mailroom and don’t make any connections beyond the other interns stuck in the mailroom with them. Typically, internships are what you make of them. Normally, there will be one or two interns that rise above the fray and get offered the job. My advice on how to be one of those people is to find ways to help beyond simply doing what you’re instructed to do. Find a way — in a manner that suits your personality — to stand out. This isn’t easy and requires a bit of grace — you don’t want to stand out by being cocky or ostentatious. Remember the following:

• Be dependable
• Go beyond the call
• Always do good work
• Ask questions (but don’t talk too much)
• Be confident, but not cocky
• Be energetic
• Offer suggestions very cautiously, and in the most humble manner possible
• Ask what else you can do to help
• Don’t be obsequious
• And, most importantly, be energetic and have a positive attitude

This last item really is the most important. As someone who has hired (and, unfortunately fired) many people, I can tell you that the quality I look for more than any other is someone who is energetic and positive. I would always rather have a positive and energetic competent person than a moody, lazy , genius any day. I can train and teach a positive and energetic person. I want to be around that person.

This speaks to another important point about interning (or work in general), be very careful whom you associate with in your job. A large percentage of American employees (and interns) are what is referred to as negatively engaged employees. What this means is that they are unhappy with their work (typically they’re also unhappy people), and thus derive what little joy they do out of life from hoping for and tacitly contributing to failure. You will find these people by the vending machines, walking the halls, or texting/IM’ing their equally miserable friends more than you will find them doing anything productive. They are, quite literally, poison. They will eventually be fired or quit. But before they go, they will take otherwise good people down with them. Identify them quickly in your internship (it’s not hard to do so), and then avoid them like the plague!

While internships can be very valuable, do remember that they are what you make of them. Also realize that most employees must offer college credits to their interns for legal reasons. So…if you’re not in college, it may be tough to get an internship.

The Power of “loose ties”

Throughout this article I’ve mentioned the importance of connections in finding a job in the music industry. As I noted at the beginning, unlike many other industries, it is unlikely that you know someone directly in the music industry who can help you. Therefore, it’s imperative that you break out from your network and make these connections. Certainly starting your own company or interning at an established company will help you to do this, but short of that you still must find a way to begin cultivating a network.

In his brilliant book, The Tipping Point, Malcolm Gladwell speaks about a phenomenon he refers to as “loose ties.” The best way to illustrate this idea is with an example. If you and five or six of your friends are sitting around on a late spring afternoon talking about where you’re going to work over the summer break from college, chances are you’re not going to get any tips from your friends. This is because they know the same people you do! That’s why they’re your friends. Any job opportunity they know about, you likely know about also. It’s a closed circle. Now consider that the next day you have to take a plane ride home to visit your parents. On the flight you sit down next to someone you’ve never met before, and you strike up a conversation. You explain to this person how you’re looking for a summer job in the music industry, and — lo and behold — this person happens to know someone who is working at a music management company, and would be happy to give you an email address. Certainly something similar to this happened to you at some point. Someone you’ve just met is able to offer you a valuable connection. This is because this person is connected to a whole new social network, and this person represents a “loose tie” for you to connect to this network.

While I’m not suggesting that you just start randomly asking people for contacts in the record industry, I am suggesting that you cast a wide net, and that you look beyond your closed loop of close friends. Of course, you have to — once again — do this with some grace and style, but people are often more than happy to help if you present your situation clearly and genuinely.

Summary

The process of getting any job is a difficult one. The process of getting a job in the music industry is a very difficult one. However, it is do-able. In order to do it, you’ve got to first broaden your definition of the music industry and look for opportunities beyond the traditional ones. Next, you’ve got to begin building knowledge and connections. This can be done by starting your own venture or by interning. All the while, you must be expanding your contact base by moving out of your circle of friends and acquaintances and leveraging the loose ties you encounter. Finally, you’ve got to be prepared when opportunity arises. This means having a great resume, interviewing well, and having the energy and positivism to make you irresistible to an employer.