reading…you should know more than what's going on in entertainment-know what's happening in the world. You should, on a daily basis, be reading a major newspaper like the New York Times , Washington Post , Wall Street Journal , or the Los Angeles Times and listening to National Public Radio, news radio, etc. The more you know and the more you are interested in the world around you, the more interesting you will be!

 

Another tool regarding trade magazines is that they give you access to the names and titles of entertainment industry players. Let's say you read in an article that a producer has just signed a deal with one of the networks to produce a TV show. Contact the producer-see if they can use the help of a bright and motivated intern. Very few people use this strategy when it comes to jobs and internships. It can be very effective. Trade magazines are a great source of possible contacts.

 

5. Try getting informational interviews. Now that you've accumulated names of alumni, and possible contacts from trade magazines-as well as any personal contacts you may have--maybe you should try to meet with some of them. What are you doing during spring break? Ditch the traditional spring break get-a-way and head for Hollywood . Besides there are great beaches in southern California-oops this is a working vacation-sorry, no time to work on your tan! Spring break would be an excellent time to try and meet with entertainment executives. You need to plan ahead, though! Write to the folks on your contact list and let them know when you'll be in town. Tell them you're looking to get career advice and ask if you could meet with them for 20 minutes one day. You'll need to follow-up your letter with a phone call. In fact, your letter should state that you will give them a call the following week to see if an interview can be arranged. This is a great internship-hunting tool that not many applicants use.

 

Getting Nominated (What Do Hiring Executives Look For In An Intern?)

 

Romelle Ecung, Director of Recruitment and Training for Dreamworks, looks for students who can communicate effectively and are passionate about the industry. She adds that students should have the ability to articulate how their background relates to the position. If the student has no previous entertainment experience, Ms. Ecung says that internship candidates should use extracurricular activities to gain skills and experience. “Get involved, take an active role in helping whatever organization you are part of meet its objectives.” An executive at CBS states that students should be enthusiastic, flexible, eager to learn and possess a strong work ethic. Don't forget to research the company-know what they do! Sounds simple, but many applicants don't do their homework. You don't want to be an average applicant!

 

And don't worry about your major. Entertainment hires students studying journalism, communication, business, liberal arts, etc. What you must focus on is why you would be a good intern. Ask yourself: what can I do for the company, not what the company can do for me. You must be able to spell it out. Provide examples of past work experience and/or school projects to back up your claims. Oh, and don't forget to let them know you have good typing and computer skills (if you don't have them, get them!).

 

Location Shooting

 

What if you can't make it to Los Angeles or New York ? Then get relevant experience where you can. Try interning at one of your local television or radio stations. If that's not possible, try getting an internship at a local public relations or advertising firm. You could get great experience, build some terrific transferable skills and, of course, get great references!

 

Be a Star! (How To Be A Great Intern)

 

You've landed that prize internship! Now is the time to get on the “A” list. One of the downsides of an entertainment internship-other than the fact that very few are paid-is that many of your duties will be pretty much run of the mill. You'll be faxing, filing and working phones for the most part. Doesn't sound like a whole lot of fun? Welcome to the entertainment. But (there's always a but!) there is hope. Edith Mendoza started off as an intern in Press Relations for CBS. She is now the Director of Comedy Development for the

The above is an excerpt from The Last Job Search Guide You'll Ever Need: How to Find and Get the Job or Internship of Your Dreams, which is available for sale for $19.85 in our bookstore or $27.00 at Amazon.com but for free to those who subscriber to our free career newsletter. This hot new book contains job search secrets of the most experienced, most knowledgeable and most respected career experts. Learn career planning, job hunting tools and tactics, interviewing, cover letter and resume writing (lots of samples!), networking, and how to find an internship. Written by 149 career experts. To receive a free copy, subscribe to our free career newsletter.

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