In the spring of this year, I applied to several internships, one of them being Atlantic Records, and in April I got a phone call from the publicity assistant at the company saying she wanted to interview me. On my birthday, I found out I got the job.

Internships are a way to get a taste of what it’s like to work in the field. It’s important to take advantage of them because they could help you decide if that occupation is right for you.

I knew I wanted to get experience in the music industry, I just didn’t know how it would check out.

Last June, I was one of two publicity interns in a little department of Atlantic Records.

I started out with simple tasks, getting the mail, going through Google alerts, scanning articles and telephoning clients. The internship program at Atlantic Records wants their interns to get as much exposure to a real job as possible.

When I was at the company, I learned how the public relations department helped bring the media and the musicians together.

I made a marketing campaign and presented to the Chief Operating Officer of Atlantic Records Julie Greenwald. I got to attend a red carpet event for the movie, “Fault in Our Stars.” I saw how publicists take artists to reporters and see the behind the scenes of how a major event is put together.

Along with helping with events and computer work, I found a few pointers that would help me along the way of my internship. Here are a few tips that helped me succeed at my internship:

Being open with your supervisors can be difficult at first, just know that they are there for you. They chose you because they felt you were best for the job, don’t just talk to them about work, but speak to them about your life and theirs’. Befriending your boss is one of the many ways you can have open communication with them.

Attendance is important, so try to be as prompt as possible. One or two late days won’t kill you, just let your supervisor know ahead of time if you’re going to be late or if you’re going to miss a day. Being open and honest are key.

In the entertainment industry, you are given 400 things to do at one time, so you have to pick and choose what assignments are most important and least important. For example, if you’re told to do a phone call or do an excel spreadsheet, you’ll see what you should do or not do. If the task is more immediate then the other, then you’ll find out which is more suitable to work on.

Always ask questions and say hello to everyone in the department as well as other employees. It is always good to introduce yourself to everyone at your job. Make sure people get to know your name and face. Make connections and network. You never know who can help you in the future and help you land your first job out of college. One thing I did was set-up appointments to learn about other departments to see what other labels were doing.

If you find yourself not doing anything, ask your supervisors and other departments if they need any assistance. Most of the time there is something to do be done and your kind gestures will be noticed.

The skills I learned from that internship set me up for the work force and I now know, for sure, that public relations is where I want to be. The internship with Atlantic Records helped me build my resume and gain both personal growth and professional experience. I am so grateful for the time I spent at Atlantic Records, and I can only hope I can return to the company and be an actual employee.

If you need help trying to find an internship in the Journalism field, the Student Voice has a page with over ten companies and databases you can apply to.

Please visit https://www.moorparkreporter.com/about/internships/, it is updated regularly.

This post is part of the Looksharp Internship Blog Competition. To read more about the competition and view other posts go here.