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Career Center (CC): Who was your internship with (organization/dept)?

Melissa Paulo (MP): It was at Sony Music with their Epic Records division (Sony Music is made up of Epic and Columbia). I worked with the Promotions and A&R division of the urban department (hip-hop, R&B).

CC note: A&R stands for Artists & Repertoire, the department within a record company that scouts and develops new singers, bands, and songwriters.

CC: Describe a typical workday.

MP: In a typical day, I would start by checking messages and recording them accordingly. Often, assignments would be left in the intern box; these included assembling press kits and mailing them out, burning CDs that needed to be mailed out, and recording and filing demos that are sent to A&R. Throughout the day, I would have to respond to phone calls that my boss could not get to and take care of any further clerical duties around the office. The typical workday lasted from about 10 am to 6 pm.

CC: How did you find your internship?

MP: I knew that I wanted to find an internship in the recording industry so I just sent my resume to the HR department of Sony. I had a friend who was an intern there already, so her recommendation and connection helped immensely. I was called in for an interview and was basically hired on the spot.

CC note: UC Berkeley's KALX Radio Station's Fall Volunteer Recruitment Meeting is Thursday September 12, 2002 at 7:30 pm in 145 Dwinelle Hall.

CC: What were the rewards/challenges/frustrations of your work?

MP: The reward (besides the free CDs and promo items) was the chance to see the behind-the-scenes of the record industry first hand. I was able to witness what exactly promotions and A&R entails, what goes into developing a soundtrack, and how promotions managers interpret radio numbers for their artists. I was able to be in the presence of the managers of bands that I truly admire and respect. Challenges included having to be on your feet at all times. It was often fast-paced in the office, which was quite exciting, but it could easily turn a bit stressful. However, I loved the challenge and anybody who wants to get into the music industry has to understand how ever-changing and fast-paced it really is.

CC: What were the skills needed to succeed at this job?

MP: You definitely need to be able to multi-task and be able to make decisions using your own sound judgment. Often, several assignments were thrown at me at once and I had to learn how to prioritize and get everything done in an efficient manner.

CC: Did you get paid for your work?

MP: Unfortunately, I did not. However, I did get a good amount of CDs and promo items (posters). Also, I did receive one unit for my work at Sony, due to my enrollment in an online cooperative education course at a local JC (West Los Angeles College). I also know that my recommendation from my boss and the addition of this experience to my resume may be even more valuable.

CC: Any tips you would give students looking for similar internships?

MP: Simply put yourself out there. Send your resumes out to companies you really respect and follow up. Be persistent but not overbearing. The music industry is a very competitive field to work in and it is a lot of work; yet it can be a lot of fun as well.

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