How hard is it to get a good job in the music industry?

How do I get a job in the music industry?

• Answer:

  The music industry is anything but the glamorous picture it seems to be from the outside. Before getting into the industry, be prepared to deal with unearthly working hours and a high level of pressure. The typical areas of work in the music industry are recording, mixing, singing, songwriting, operating workstations, producing, directing and more. Start your job hunt online. Register with a recruitment website and find out the openings under the Entertainment and Music sections. Make it a habit to browse through the employment sections in all the popular newspapers. Note that when you are looking for jobs in your area, a local rag or newspaper would be a better help than a national daily. Now, this one is a no-brainer. If you know of a reputed production house or studio, just walk in and seek an appointment. Don’t be disappointed if you are unable to elicit a favorable response the first time. Keep trying and eventually if you have good credentials, you will succeed in finding and impressing upon the concerned person. Volunteering to work for a month for free is a good idea. It will enable you to show your skills and also network with other professionals. Even if you don’t make further progress you can always ask for an experience letter that you can furnish elsewhere. Network well. Try and meet people from the music industry; spread the word in your circle of friends that you’re looking for a break in the industry. This is one lesson you will do well to remember even after you get the job you want. Another important step is to subscribe to entertainment and music trade magazines. These magazines have very specific job requirements unlike the more general newspapers or recruitment websites. Moreover, they are an excellent way to be abreast of the developments in the music industry. Make good use of social networking websites. Join online communities and spread the word around. Start an audioblog or put up your video on sites like Youtube. In case of an audioblog, don’t forget to get a Creative Commons license to prevent plagiarism.