Good Interns
Top Three Tips for Interns
or
How to be a good intern in the sports & entertainment business!
Kirk Wakefield, Professor of Sports & Entertainment Marketing, Baylor University
1. Get In.
a. Many of these companies have 100s and 100s of applicants. Your first goal is to get in. If you are in the Baylor S3 or M&E programs, we can get your foot in the door.
b. Do NOT expect to be paid. Do not expect transportation costs to interviews to be paid. The supply of positions and demand of applicants means that most do not have to pay.
c. If you or your family are not able to support you during this time, you should get a part-time job to support your dream. LA, NYC, Boston, and the like are way expensive. Austin, not so much. So, choose wisely.
d. You may be able to get some help from alumni networks (Baylor has associations in NYC, Nashville, and elsewhere) on leads for housing or part-time jobs.
2. Volunteer.
a. Gary Keller of Keller-Williams Real Estate says that this is the “Era of Extra.” If all you do is the average job, what everyone else is doing, you will get the average results: no job. You must go above and beyond if you want fabulous success. See diagram.
b. Assuming all else equal in terms of skills, the main things that employers and network contacts are evaluating are WORK ETHIC & INITIATIVE. They are looking for people who can get it done!
c. Be one of the first ones in and last ones to leave.
· Don’t take long lunch breaks—do working lunches whenever possible.
· Again, if you do what everyone else does, you will get what everyone else gets.
d. Remember: Not every task you do is a fun task. Do it. It leads to the fun ones.
3. Network.
a. You will gain experience and knowledge in the internship, but the MAIN thing you gain is contacts with people who want to hire great workers who will be fabulously successful.
b. You are trying to get into the Major Leagues, into Hollywood, On Broadway. It’s not easy. No one is handing out jobs. Or high starting $.
· Have a long term plan if you are paying off student loans. Make sure your family understands.
c. Always ask for business cards. Always have some available.
· If they don’t make you business cards (ask), then make your own ($30).
d. Always follow up with any contact with a personal email or written note.
· You NEVER know who knows whom who knows someone else who might be in a position to help later. Plus, it’s always nice to be nice to the nice.
e. Maintain regular contact with key contacts and fellow interns.
· You NEVER know when a fellow intern might be THE someone you need to know later on.
· Always be respectful to all fellow interns and co-workers.
· Do not be harsh/critical of others to colleagues…it will get back to your boss.
f. Never say anything negative about any of your superiors to fellow interns, co-workers, or interviewers.
· Negative comments about your prior bosses in an interview will lead the interviewer to conclude that you will not get along with him/her either.
