How to get an internship

[Synical Beats]

Hi. Can anyone one, partically studio owners give some insight on how to get a internship. I've heard before that you need a resume. However I'm pretty sure that their not interested in your job at mcdonalds 6 years ago. So any insight on this subject matter would benifit greatly. Thanks IAV

[Harley-OIART]

Check the forum search function. There are some good threads from the past that have advice from top pro's telling it like it is. Pretty much it is exactly what your looking for.

http://www.gearslutz.com/board/search.php

This thread is gold, and it was found by typing 'Internship' into search:
Advice on Studio Internship

That Help?

[Harley-OIART]

P.S. Resumes are important. Like all resumes though, they should apply to the position you are seeking. In otherwords don't make 50 copies of the same resume and hand it out to every place you are trying to get a position at when one is a fast food restraunt, one is recording studio, and another is a sales position. Cater the resume to the job.

Include information that relates to the job you are seeking is what I'm getting at.

McDonalds could be relevant to a studio, just depends on how you word it. For example maybe mcdonalds had 'loss prevention policies' (i.e. prevent theft) and you learned alot about what it takes to keep property safe, or what it takes to keep a safe working environment (neatness and tidiness)

There are lots of good webpages which will tell you how to do a nice professional resume. Try google.

[Synical Beats]

thanks alot man, I appreciate the insight. I'm a check out the search engine

[Ken Lewis]

One other note on internships, because i get emails and phone calls regularly from people asking me to hire them.

1. an internship is a professional position. It may not be paid, but you will be working in a pro environment and if you cant figure out how to professionally present a resume, why would a pro studio trust you around their gear or clients?

2. I think prior studio experience is less important than showing a good track record of being able to hold a job and responsibility, so put decent prior work experience on your resume if you dont have studio experience. I wouldnt expect you as an intern to do much if any technical stuff, but i would highly expect you to be trustworthy, hard working, and professional.

3. write a cover letter specifically targeting the person and studio you want to apply at. not a casual email. I cant tell you how many times people casually email me looking for internships. "yo Ken, need some free help?" you have got to be kidding me if you think thats the way to a job paid or not.

4. If you do land an internship, and its unpaid, keep this in mind. You are actually getting paid very well. You are getting paid in real world work experience. you are getting paid at on the job training. someone (is hopefully) taking some of their time to teach you, show you the ropes, etc... You can often learn more at an internship than you can at an expensive college, treat the job with that respect. without my internships, i would have never landed a paying gig.

5. Do your job to the utmost of your ability and NEVER EVER EVER EVER bitch about ANYTHING!!!! almost EVERY succesful person in this industry was a grunt at one time or another, myself included. Nobody wants to hear your complaints. nobody. If your making coffee, make the best damn pot of coffe anyone ever had and make sure the coffee stays fresh. If your answering phones, act like its the most important cleint in the world calling. If your cleaning, make it spotless. take pride in your job no matter how trivial and you will be rewarded for it.

6. The best interns make the best assistants. The best assistants make the best engineers, producers, etc... Only the best people in this business survive it. Decide from the beginning if you want to be the best and carry yourself accordingly. If you dont want to be, the next guy will, and when he moves up and you dont, go look in the mirror and ask why.

[Flymax]

Studio owners/managers get bombed by packages and resumes from audio school grads.
I think your best bet is to use your connects, be persistant and humble.
Keep a lot of lines out and keep on touching base with the people who say "Not right now"..

my $.02

[Synical Beats]

Originally Posted by Ken Lewis

One other note on internships, because i get emails and phone calls regularly from people asking me to hire them.

1. an internship is a professional position. It may not be paid, but you will be working in a pro environment and if you cant figure out how to professionally present a resume, why would a pro studio trust you around their gear or clients?

2. I think prior studio experience is less important than showing a good track record of being able to hold a job and responsibility, so put decent prior work experience on your resume if you dont have studio experience. I wouldnt expect you as an intern to do much if any technical stuff, but i would highly expect you to be trustworthy, hard working, and professional.

3. write a cover letter specifically targeting the person and studio you want to apply at. not a casual email. I cant tell you how many times people casually email me looking for internships. "yo Ken, need some free help?" you have got to be kidding me if you think thats the way to a job paid or not.

4. If you do land an internship, and its unpaid, keep this in mind. You are actually getting paid very well. You are getting paid in real world work experience. you are getting paid at on the job training. someone (is hopefully) taking some of their time to teach you, show you the ropes, etc... You can often learn more at an internship than you can at an expensive college, treat the job with that respect. without my internships, i would have never landed a paying gig.

5. Do your job to the utmost of your ability and NEVER EVER EVER EVER bitch about ANYTHING!!!! almost EVERY succesful person in this industry was a grunt at one time or another, myself included. Nobody wants to hear your complaints. nobody. If your making coffee, make the best damn pot of coffe anyone ever had and make sure the coffee stays fresh. If your answering phones, act like its the most important cleint in the world calling. If your cleaning, make it spotless. take pride in your job no matter how trivial and you will be rewarded for it.

6. The best interns make the best assistants. The best assistants make the best engineers, producers, etc... Only the best people in this business survive it. Decide from the beginning if you want to be the best and carry yourself accordingly. If you dont want to be, the next guy will, and when he moves up and you dont, go look in the mirror and ask why.

Thank you very much Mr. Lewis for the insight. I know a man of your status knows what your talking about so I'm going to take those things to heart and go about applying them.

[Synical Beats]

Originally Posted by FLYMAX

Studio owners/managers get bombed by packages and resumes from audio school grads.
I think your best bet is to use your connects, be persistant and humble.
Keep a lot of lines out and keep on touching base with the people who say "Not right now"..

my $.02

Thank, for the advice. Now I know that its a fine line between being confident in yourself as a worker and be humble enough to take whatever they throw at you. The way I feel, If a studio owner is nice enough to just let me hang around the gear, then I'm more than willing to pay HIM for it.

[Solar]

Originally Posted by Ken Lewis

One other note on internships, because i get emails and phone calls regularly from people asking me to hire them.

1. an internship is a professional position. It may not be paid, but you will be working in a pro environment and if you cant figure out how to professionally present a resume, why would a pro studio trust you around their gear or clients?

2. I think prior studio experience is less important than showing a good track record of being able to hold a job and responsibility, so put decent prior work experience on your resume if you dont have studio experience. I wouldnt expect you as an intern to do much if any technical stuff, but i would highly expect you to be trustworthy, hard working, and professional.

3. write a cover letter specifically targeting the person and studio you want to apply at. not a casual email. I cant tell you how many times people casually email me looking for internships. "yo Ken, need some free help?" you have got to be kidding me if you think thats the way to a job paid or not.

4. If you do land an internship, and its unpaid, keep this in mind. You are actually getting paid very well. You are getting paid in real world work experience. you are getting paid at on the job training. someone (is hopefully) taking some of their time to teach you, show you the ropes, etc... You can often learn more at an internship than you can at an expensive college, treat the job with that respect. without my internships, i would have never landed a paying gig.

5. Do your job to the utmost of your ability and NEVER EVER EVER EVER bitch about ANYTHING!!!! almost EVERY succesful person in this industry was a grunt at one time or another, myself included. Nobody wants to hear your complaints. nobody. If your making coffee, make the best damn pot of coffe anyone ever had and make sure the coffee stays fresh. If your answering phones, act like its the most important cleint in the world calling. If your cleaning, make it spotless. take pride in your job no matter how trivial and you will be rewarded for it.

6. The best interns make the best assistants. The best assistants make the best engineers, producers, etc... Only the best people in this business survive it. Decide from the beginning if you want to be the best and carry yourself accordingly. If you dont want to be, the next guy will, and when he moves up and you dont, go look in the mirror and ask why.

Hello Synical Beats!

first of all, i thank you for starting this thread and i would like to thank M r Ken Lewis for these great advises and all other one that did respond to this thread. Really appreciate!

[Synical Beats]

Originally Posted by Solar

Hello Synical Beats!

first of all, i thank you for starting this thread and i would like to thank M r Ken Lewis for these great advises and all other one that did respond to this thread. Really appreciate!

No prob...I figured that these are questions that every inspiring engineer and producer should know the answer 2