Entry-level positions for aspiring Business Operations Directors in Entertainment
Colin, a Director of Business Operations at a Fortune 100 entertainment company, strongly recommends internships as "a surefire way" to enter the industry, emphasizing the importance of paid opportunities to build networks and secure full-time roles. They advise against unpaid internships, calling them "the biggest scam," highlighting their own successful transition from an internship to a full-time position.
Internships, Networking, Entertainment Industry, Entry-Level Positions, Career Advice
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
Colin Sommer
Director, Business Operations
Fortune 100 Entertainment Company
Chapman University
USC: Master of Communication Management; UCLA: Master of Business Administration
Advertising, Public Relations
Arts, Entertainment & Media
Operations and Project Management
Took Out Loans, Worked 20+ Hours in School, Greek Life Member, LGBTQ
Video Highlights
1. Do as many internships as possible to make connections and gain experience.
2. Prioritize paid internships; avoid unpaid internships.
3. Internships can often lead to full-time employment offers after a successful completion.
Transcript
Thinking about undergrads or early-career folks interested in a role in the entertainment industry, what sorts of entry-level positions would you recommend?
My biggest advice to someone considering a job in the entertainment industry, especially undergraduates, is to do internships. Do as many as you can.
I'll caveat that by saying you shouldn't do unpaid internships. Most internships these days will pay. I remember doing some internships for free and getting school credit, and that is the biggest scam of my lifetime.
If you are doing a job, you should be paid for that job. There are many internship opportunities out there across entertainment studios and even at some tech companies diving into entertainment.
Internships are a surefire way to get into the entertainment industry. You'll make network contacts with people on your level and with potential future bosses and employers. Many times, if you do well, you can actually get hired out of an internship into a full-time job.
I truly feel like internships are sort of the secret, that's not so secret, to the entertainment industry.
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