Photo Courtesy of Vanessa Chouest

“Right now, I’m working at Primary Wave. They are basically the inner workings of a record label. There are managers, attorneys, a financial team, music publishing team and A&R. I am the publishing intern, but I’ve been working on A&R stuff, which stands for artists and repertoire. Before I landed this internship, I was working for a digital music magazine where I would create posts that varied from music reviews to promoting new songs and new artists. However, I didn’t feel seen in [that] position because no one was really looking at my posts. Nonetheless, it was a very career-building position for me because I was able to obtain different connections to people in the music and media industries, as well as add experience to my resume, which looks good when applying for jobs. No internship position is too small. You really have to put yourself out there and demand what you want, and don’t let anyone step over you. You are in charge of your own experience. First things first, you have to find what you are passionate about and see if you can realistically apply this passion to a lucrative career. It’s all about securing the bag, but you have to feel spiritually aligned with your own core values while doing it. If your job is not creatively stimulating you, then you’re just wasting time. You have to be patient with entry-level internships and positions – the big money will come later and you’ll be grateful you stuck it out. For me, music has always been a part of my life. I grew up singing in my church choir. As time went on and as I got older, it didn’t feel natural for me to pursue the performance track, but I still wanted to be a part of the music industry. So, that is how I got interested in music management and music publishing, which is just the behind-the-scenes aspect of the music industry. I can still contribute my love for music and get that money. I have been involved in Hofstra Concerts since I was a freshman. I worked my way up from a general member to Coffee House Manager, and now I am the Advertising Co-Chair in my final year at Hofstra. It has been a rewarding experience and I have forged great friendships through it. I would definitely advise all Hofstra students to utilize the resources that Hofstra offers while they are here. I have been at the forefront of planning concerts that feature some of the biggest names in music, such as DRAM for [Music Fest]. These experiences at Hofstra exposed me to the music industry in a small way [and] piqued my curiosity in other fields, which led me to bigger endeavors such as my current internship. So, in summation, get involved on campus.”