Clear Objectives
Moving from an environment where my aspirations and career goals are outliers from the majority of my peers’ goals to a city where my dreams become part of the majority, is an overwhelming idea. As a result, I had to shift my focus away from the abundance of people in Los Angeles striving to achieve the same goals as myself, towards the motivations of the other interns I have been able to work with this summer in relation to my own. I have been able to learn a lot about the way in which I must position myself as a valuable brand and asset in which a company will want to invest in the future.
Each intern at Populus, and anyone aiming for the same outcome, has had different experiences and opportunities that has led us all to strive to establish a career in the entertainment industry. After networking with the other interns and learning what makes this industry appeal to them in addition to their experiences within the entertainment world, one of the most important lessons I have learned is how imperative it is to gain as much experience in a variety of aspects in this industry. This initiative will thus put one in a competitively advantageous position. Another important lesson I discovered is the importance in having a pointed and clear direction towards my own future goals, and minimizing as much ambiguity within those goals as possible. Of course it’s necessary to be able to adapt in any industry, and to be able to change perspectives as the industry evolves and grows.
Beginning in a field such as entertainment marketing, you have to face the fact that the idea of marketing remains the same but the way in which it is perceived, delivered, and received does not remain fixed in any way. As a result, this constantly changing career forces those who strive to work in it to remain ahead of trends. Every marketing related course I have taken serves as a constant reminder to never settle within any trend or form of marketing because in an unknown span of time that trend, form of marketing, or platform may become irrelevant. Additionally, in entertainment, where the number of people who aspire to establish a career in it far exceeds the number of jobs that are available creates an “easy hire-easy fire” dynamic and mindset within a company. Anyone already established in the entertainment industry will tell you networking and creating solid relationships is one of the best ways you can set yourself up on a successful path in entertainment. However networking will never prove to be successful without the following. Having a clear vision and confidence while presenting the objectives you have set for yourself, either on paper or in person, is an imperative strategy in which one can get ahead over competition. Doing this in complement with gaining a wide variety of experience and taking advantage of as many opportunities as possible in the entertainment industry are some of the best lessons I have learned interning in the entertainment industry this summer.