Name: Bobby

Company Name: BMI

School: Tulane

How did you find your internship?

I had always been interested in the music industry and my father referred me to a friend of his who worked at BMI. I met with him just to gain some insight on working in the industry and the idea of an internship came up. He passed on my resume to the artists relations department and after an interviewing with my boss, I was asked to intern for the summer.

Why this internship?

I had interned for a record label in the past and didn’t like the vibe I got from that side of the industry. BMI is a non-profit that represents songwriters so it seemed to be a better fit for me. And they have connections everywhere.

What were your general responsibilities?

My responsibilities ranged day to day. Overall I was mainly researching new bands, music, radio, ect. I spent at least half of my day on the internet. The other time spent in the office mainly consisted of helping out with event planning and just hanging out discussing the music industry.

What was a typical day like?

I usually got in around 10:20 due to train schedules spent the first hour or so checking emails and catching up on what was going on for the day. The rest of my morning was usually spent researching and helping out on specific tasks for the day. Any down time was filled with an ongoing research project that my boss had given me on the first day that lasted throughout the summer.

Did you receive any perks, benefits, or compensation?

Though I did not receive any formal compensation or benefits, the experience and connections are what made this internship most worth while. Also, I was frequently invited to after hours and guest list events.

Where did you live?

I lived at home. Wish I hadn’t.

Future plans?

I am still not sure what I want to be doing. The music industry is really complex and has a lot of different opportunities – so well see…

Any particular advice?

Never turn down an offer to go to an event in the music industry- especially if your boss gives you the invite. Music industry work is full time 24 7. If you want the job you need to put in the effort as an intern.