Working in the music business is the dream of thousands around the planet, but not everyone has what it takes to make it in the world of entertainment.
Getting a job in music is tough. It’s not as difficult as fighting a tiger or holding your breath for seven minutes, but finding work in music today is certainly not easy. There are thousands, perhaps even millions of hopeful job-seekers, most with some level of education and experience, and only a limited number of roles. That is the way it has always been, and that is most likely the way it will remain.
Over the last several weeks, we’ve spoken to hiring managers from record labels, publicity firms, music venues, and numerous other industry businesses. They all claim to be consistently looking for new hires that bring something unique to the table that will help push their companies to higher levels of success. In fact, many say that they are willing to create jobs if the right person or persons come along.
In this episode of Music Biz, host James Shotwell breaks down the one requirement of every career in music. There are many roles you can take on, but they all demand one thing that may determine whether or not you get the job of dreams.
Facebook seeks an experienced Music Data Analyst to develop and activate insights about content on digital platforms. The analyst will develop and implement tools for forecasting and tracking music partnerships and will report on trends and performance to business development, product, media partnerships, operations, legal, and finance teams. The position is full-time and based in our main office in Menlo Park.
Columbia & Jefferson City, MO, an 8 station cluster, is looking for an experienced Promotions and Marketing Director to lead and manage the promotions effort for a competitive, award-winning group of stations. Responsibilities include digital marketing, coordinating and implementing on-air and on-line promotions, and developing events in order to promote the stations’ image and presence in the community. This position requires a high degree of organizational skills, attention to detail, time management and a personal disposition that works well with creative co-workers in both programming and sales.
This position works collaboratively within and across the organization to develop and execute single ticket marketing plans for the CSO, Pops, May Festival and Vocal Arts Ensemble to drive single ticket sales. The ideal candidate will have a private sector head and a public sector heart, with an ability to drive ticket sales among new and existing audiences while using data to understand the success of these efforts. The ideal candidate will also be curious and forward-leaning, with the ability to develop concepts for and execute new ways to connect audiences to music.
Assist in the development and implementation of a professional, monetarily self-sufficient entertainment and cultural arts program for the United States Corps of Cadets.
Maintain contact with cadets and faculty to determine requirements and/or stimulate interest in a program of cultural, educational and recreational value.
Serve as a program advisor and arts specialist to several arts and entertainment clubs and seminars including but not limited to music, theatre, dance, and art.
Develop marketing campaigns, public relations and publicity which will serve to stimulate interest in the fine and performing arts programs at the United States Military Academy.
Serve as plans and programs manager and as a central point of contact for all performance matters including but not limited to resolving problems related to pre-concert details, audience development and participation, artist/performer hospitality and reception, and satisfying contractual requirements set forth by the artist or contractor.
We are searching for an individual to handle different aspects of our websites, work with our digital products and support our customers. In this role, the right person will help us maximize revenue opportunities by assisting in various digital products under the Cumulus C-Suite umbrella as well as the market’s/stations’ own assets (e-mail, website, streaming, podcasts, video and social). If you have the skills and expertise, this is the position for you! You should have experience in graphic design, copy writing and video shooting/editing. Experience with Photoshop, PowerPoint and WordPress is preferred along with proficiency with MS Office programs. The ability to learn new software is a must. You also need to possess strong communication skills, problem solving skills, be able to prioritize projects and interact with our customers.
Superlava Records is new label which is primarily based around acoustic-guitar based groovy pop. Similar artists: Dandy Warhols, Black Keys, Kooks, Duffy, Aretha Franklin, PJ Harvey, Shocking Blue, T-Rex, Rolling Stones, Toots and the Maytals, Marlena Shaw, Ike and Tina, Nancy Sinatra etc…. We aspire to be a modern-day groove oriented guitar/pop Motown style label. Although we’re based in Long Beach, we have musical roots in London, UK.
We’re seeking an all-around superstar marketing assistant to help get this vision off the ground. Note: songs, studio, and some artists already in place.
The Creative Synch Licensing department is responsible for placing Warner Brother Records’ music in films, trailers, television shows, promos and sports programming.
Our Music Legal group manages all music-related commercial transactions. This job will support complex commercial transactions that involve music rights. The client base includes Business Development and Marketing clients across all of Google, meaning that you’ll be exposed to numerous product areas throughout Google. You’ll work with our clients on the various legal issues and business strategies related to commercial agreements, and you’ll also assist with the continuous development of the commercial team and its processes. Diligent and proactive, you bring excellent business judgment and strategic thinking, along with the ability to work independently as well as collaboratively in a collegial, fast-paced team environment.
Mood Media is seeking a Music Programmer to join our growing National team in Austin, TX or Charlotte, NC . This creative role will conceptualize and manage branded music experiences and programs for national corporate clients and consumer offerings, keep abreast of music trends, and coordinate client relations.
A Music Programmer is responsible for choosing music to capture the essence of a brand, experience design concept or consumer target. Candidate must have a background in creating brand or consumer experiences with Music. As a result, the ideal candidate will need to have a creatively focused background, having worked within media or a creative agency (radio, television, new media, advertising, design). While they must ultimately demonstrate significant creativity in the job, he/she must also demonstrate discipline and a strong corporate acumen, as they will regularly interact with a variety of brands across multiple industries. A Music Programmer for Mood Media must also demonstrate a multi-dimensional relationship with Music, either as a musician, a DJ, a producer or promoter in addition to the required experience.
Assist the Director of Entertainment with pre-production and advancements with national level artists and specialized entertainment. This may include entertainer requirements based on contractual riders.
The Director, Music Programming is responsible for managing the selection of music available across TouchTunes core network and national accounts experience. From the thousands of new releases each week, this position works to identify key releases from established and developing artists across a broad area of musical styles across multiple genres. Additionally, the Director will oversee the delivery of client–focused music programming to El Media’s clients. The position will work across the company to assist in the definition and development of select internal and external tools that help maximize the presentation and merchandising of music across our platforms.
In this role you will be responsible for the overall performance of the NA Region for Gracenote’s Music product line. Leveraging the Gracenote NA sales team as a key resource, your focus will be on using your successful past experience in the digital music market to identify, develop and drive new and established business for Gracenote’s industry-leading connected Music experiences for digital media service providers & device manufacturers. As the music domain expert, you will leverage this market knowledge to lead the product and sales teams to develop and expand new business opportunities.
Provide administrative and academic leadership for the Museum, working collaboratively with its Board, staff, and the College of Fine Arts to continue the growth and development of the Museum as a world leader in outreach, research, education, and preservation of the history of musical instruments.
The Music Content Marketer (MCM) will work remotely to help execute a strategy to produce and push – news stories, videos and more to gain national exposure for rising music artists. The MCM also help to engage fans on all social media platforms. We are seeking a MCM to write and create engaging and share-worthy digital content for the artists to gain popularity and notoriety online. Relocation is not required for this position.
The ideal MCM will have an eye for viral content. Additionally, the ideal candidate will have a passion for music and current events – as well as experience and desire to master all major platforms of social media as a tool for content delivery and audience engagement.
The model MCM is a creative marketing professional with experience creating viral content. He/she invests a great deal of time understanding the industry, along with key drivers of value for leads and customers. The ideal MCM combines a strong work ethic with a creative spirit, a drive to succeed and an entrepreneurial mindset, along with a willingness to learn. If these qualities pertain to you, please apply!
The Programming Manager serves as manager of the Music Programming team. This position works within the team to oversee all logistical planning and necessary communication to ensure the success of the Kennedy Center Fortas and New Music, Hip Hop, Jazz and Special Programming. The Manager must be able to make decisions, train develop, motivate and activate diverse team and exercise discretion in order to prioritize assignments and work under significant pressure, as many projects are time sensitive and involve concurrent deadlines. An eagerness to take initiative, communicate and problem solve with a positive attitude is essential.
The Maroon Cafe is an emerging music site offering a unique opportunity for the right candidate to gain work experience through us. If you want to check out live shows throughout the LA area and get a chance to interview bands, become a better writer, experience and build relationships in the music industry then this is the position for you.
Rock My World is looking for a skilled writer with experience crafting copy for a character-driven product. This person will write in the voice of our first chatbot, Jolt.ai, and will be responsible for distilling ideas handed down from technical, creative, and marketing teams into engaging content. Specifically, this person will be responsible for crafting three types of content: in-product dialogue, blog posts, and social media copy.
Join the team of The Music Center and enjoy unleashing your creative skills as you market the many music programs and supporting events of this organization.
The successful candidate will have a bachelor’s degree in marketing, graphic design, business, or a related field along with a minimum of two years professional experience creating and executing campaigns in a fast-paced environment. Specifically,
The Marketing Manager is responsible for all aspects of marketing the events of TMC, programs, and overall organization. This includes making recommendations for campaigns as well as the overall marketing strategy for the organization; creating the marketing plan and calendar leveraging trades and discounts to maximize the budget; executing the plan including placing ads, buying space, using social media; and printing and distributing materials.
The Marketing Manager will create all of their own designs mainly using Photoshop, but must also be proficient in other Adobe Creative Suite programs including In-design and Premier Pro.
This is a high production position where the Marketing Manager must be able to manage multiple priorities, be excellent at time management, and a self-starter who requires little supervision.
ownsquare Media Binghamton has a rare opportunity for a Content Specialist in Afternoon Drive on our consistently rated #1 station.
The ideal candidate has a big time interest and somewhat of a background in creating relevant, topical content for on air, online and video. You should have an understanding of the Country format and the audience that it serves. A connection with the 25-54 year old listener and an online following of their lifestyle is beneficial.
You’re willing to create cool, creative videos, are a blogging and social media machine and can carry on a meaningful conversation on the radio, or at least be willing to give it a go.
We’re moving quickly on this so submit your best material to the attention of Operations and Brand Manager Doug Mosher as soon as possible.
Alternative Press Media is looking for a confident, self-motivated individual to join our staff in Cleveland as a Digital Advertising Manager This candidate should have an in-depth knowledge of contemporary young adult culture, including the areas of music, movies & television, online, style and technology trends.
The successful candidate will have a background in media sales with a strength in digital sales. This position will oversee existing national business in addition to establishing relationships with new marketing and advertising partners for our online/digital initiatives, print publications and events/tours.
Cumulus Media’s Lafayette location is offering a great opportunity in the broadcasting industry as a PART TIME PROMOTIONS / DIGITAL ASSISTANT. As a member of the Cumulus Promotions Dept, you will represent all the Cumulus Lafayette stations as the entertainment team at live remote broadcasts and events, interacting with our listeners and clients. Working hours vary based on promotional schedule and schedule flexibility are key including nights and weekends, possibly some holidays.
Organize, conceptualize and develop topics, features and guests for The Storme Warren Show that represents the lifestyle and interests of the show’s listeners. Partner with host, Operations Manager, co-hosts and others to create engaging content, increase listenership, and enhance subscriber satisfaction and passion.
We are looking for someone with experience in music licensing sales to market and pitch our growing catalog of independent artists, songs and production music to TV/Film music supervisors, advertising agencies, broadcast networks, gaming companies, post production/edit facilities, production companies, and trailer houses. This is a ‘commission only’ position with a great commission rate. Perfect part-time gig for those who like to work from the comforts of their own environment and on their time.
Stage Manager (Peoria Symphony Orchestra – Peoria, IL)
The Stage Manager has primary responsibility for coordinating and arranging physical and logistical elements of performances and rehearsals of the Peoria Symphony Orchestra.
We need someone to help us manually sync audio for a science fiction thriller short film. We lost the scratch track audio and only have external audio and a majority of the short didn’t have a sound clapper. Looking for someone dedicated to production who would love to work on a beautiful piece.
This is for a music education company. We are looking for someone with a entrepreneurial spirit who can really take charge and build the studio in their city. To assist the studio in providing music education, the Contractor will be providing the following services (collectively, the “Services”):
· Management and hiring of teachers
· Marketing
· Managing students and contracts
· Managing schedules and studio events. (sectionals, recitals, and trips to the symphony)
· Management of group lessons. (If applicable)
· Management of website, invoices, payments, and providing the Recipient with numbers for payroll.
· Manager is responsible for all management for their Location.
The Sound Designer/Podcasts is a creative design position fully responsible for the production of WBUR broadcast quality audio through digital and/or analog audio editing and mixing. Working both independently and in collaboration with podcast producers, the Sound Designer/Podcasts edits and mixes podcasts for WBUR’s iLab, a podcast incubator that generates, implements, and develops brand new podcasts. The Sound Designer records and mixes promotional announcements, and designs other material as assigned by the Manager of Podcast Productions. He/she must have first rate engineering skills plus an imaginative/creative approach to audio production and sound design for media. Must be able to envision and shape the ideas producers propose for each piece; since this will require an ability to work conceptually without a defined structure, the development of each piece will be an ongoing conversation between the Sound Designer and producers rather than a set of directives. As such, clear communication and interpretive skills are critical.
A lot has been written about the supposed dire state of the music industry, but truth be told there are a number of successful and growing companies, including record labels, that are thriving in 2016. In this column we bring together every job opening we can find from the companies responsible for building the future of the business and present them to you, our reader, in hopes of aiding you on your journey to join the global music industry professional family.
Each week we scour the internet for the latest and greatest job postings throughout the music industry. You can help us better serve our community by sending any job openings you find or have to james@haulix.com. Be sure to include the name of the company hiring, a detailed description of the position being offered, a desired start date, contact information, and any additional supplemental information you feel may be needed.
Job summary: The Integrated Marketing Manager will ideate powerful marketing concepts, craft integrated proposals and execute large-scale programs for top-tier advertising categories that will drive revenue for The FADER brand across print, digital and experiential businesses. This role is key to the ongoing success of our brand; you will work closely with sales and internal teams to help create, propose, and deliver cross-channel media marketing programs. Must love, live, breathe music, style and pop culture.
Job summary: Music Enthusiasts are critical to Heid Music’s success in creating and maintaining a “Bravo” customer service experience. This position builds and maintains meaningful relationships by assisting customers in selecting and purchasing merchandise and following through the entire sales process.
Job summary: Marketing Manager reports directly to the General Manager. This person will be responsible for creating marketing plans including: advertising, promotions, publicity, social media and media buying for Live Nation concerts for select venues in the San Antonio, TX (and surrounding) area. Additionally, the Marketing Manager needs to track spends and allocate funds for individual show budgets.
Job summary: The Senior Director, Marketing is responsible for overseeing all aspects of marketing for assigned artists and for coordinating the efforts of the label to ensure the consistency of imaging between artists and their music.
Job summary: Mood Media is seeking a Music Programmer to join our growing National team in Charlotte, NC. This creative role will conceptualize and manage branded music experiences and programs for national corporate clients and consumer offerings, keep abreast of music trends, and coordinate client relations. A Music Programmer is responsible for choosing music to capture the essence of a brand, experience design concept or consumer target. Candidate must have a background in creating brand or consumer experiences with Music. As a result, the ideal candidate will need to have a creatively focused background, having worked within media or a creative agency (radio, television, new media, advertising, design). While they must ultimately demonstrate significant creativity in the job, he/she must also demonstrate discipline and a strong corporate acumen, as they will regularly interact with a variety of brands across multiple industries. A Music Programmer for Mood Media must also demonstrate a multi-dimensional relationship with Music, either as a musician, a DJ, a producer or promoter in addition to the required experience.
Job summary: The International department works every act on Warner Bros. Records outside of the United States. That includes marketing, promotion, publicity and communication. They communicate with artists, managers, the domestic label and all international territories in order to build artist careers globally.
Job summary: The Manager of Audience Solutions will play a critical role in the success of Live Nation Sponsorships Data Solutions and Insights. As we’ve expanded our capabilities, Live Nation Entertainment (LNE) needs a product-oriented and analytical candidate with digital experience to assist and execute our data strategy. The Live Nation data universe spans across a variety of spaces from an expansive eCommerce platform to digital content sites to on-site festivals and venues. We are looking for someone who is comfortable among a variety of data types, getting into the weeds, and enjoys problem solving.
Job summary: As an Associate Label Relations Manager, you will be the key point of contact for our labels and provide the best music experience for our customers. Label Relations own the existing music relationships, drive collaborative efforts internally and externally around content launches, events, and cross-category promotions. Label Relations Managers work closely with Marketing, Merchandising, Content Acquisition, Operations, and International teams.
Job summary: [We are] looking for someone to lead our approach to fostering communities and oversee the development of musical.ly’s heart and soul: our community. musical.ly is a global, diverse community of over 140 million people, and in this role you will play a key part in representing that community, acting as the eyes and ears for musical.ly. This is a full-time position based in our Santa Monica, California office.
Job summary: Townsquare Media Bozeman is looking for a Brand Manager/AM drive host for News/Talk AM 1450 that has actively developed market leading radio stations & brands. Candidate must:
Show by example the importance of the relationship between station and the local community.
Be extremely creative in the development of unique content, promotions and multi-media strategies.
Positively balance their vision for a radio station with the needs of the business.
Help extend their brands in a marketplace and understand the significance of that for station performance.
Breath personality, understand the right balance of topics, news and lifestyle for the target and considers social networking and digital platforms as the key to the future and leverage that to the station’s advantage.
Relentlessly create an environment of constant creation & implementation of dual purpose ideas that grow ratings and revenue.
Win in a competitive landscape with enthusiasm, high standards for themselves and those who work for them.
Have creativity, heart, passion and intelligence.
The right candidate will live in beautiful Bozeman, MT, building relationships and growing their value in our community. If hired, you will be a part of a successful and growing radio company that highly values its brands, talent and family of employees. We hire great people, we provide them support and freedom to execute creatively and develop their talent and brands…and in return we expect performance.
Job summary: The Label Relations team manages hundreds of label relationships across the globe with a network of Manager’s in different Spotify territories. This position will serve as primary point of contact for our label partners, specifically in the United States, but also working with international teams. The Label Relations Manager will focus on developing & maintaining excellent relationships with Spotify’s content providers by enabling them to maximize the service as both a sales and promotional platform.
Job summary: At Spotify, we’re focused on providing the right music for every moment. We’ve connected millions of people to their favorite songs and created a service that people use to discover and share music they love. The fast-moving, high-impact Conversion Team at Spotify is responsible for converting free Spotify users to a paid Premium subscription across 60 markets around the world. We’re seeking an outstanding Conversion Associate to help us accelerate our global subscriber growth.The Conversion Associate will support our Conversion Team by building, testing and scaling world-class marketing campaigns. We are seeking someone collaborative, nimble and detail-oriented to work cross-functionally on the delivery of emails, ads, and other marketing materials.
Job summary: The FADER is looking for a dynamic and strategic Project Manager. This is an opportunity for someone to make his or her mark in a successful and fast growing environment. Day to day responsibilities will include overseeing The FADER clients, executing branded events and content programs, coordinating activities between multiple internal departments, financial reporting and maintaining the overall health of client/agency relationships. Position will report to The FADER Marketing Director.
Job summary: The ideal candidate would have a great sense of humor, be detail oriented, not be easily offended, be able to multitask and coordinate multiple projects to completion, and be supportive in a team atmosphere. Above all, the applicant must be reliable, responsible, and punctual.This position is expected to start out as part-time (approximately 20 hours a week, minimum) and grow relatively quickly into a full-time position. We offer a fun and engaging environment, long-term opportunities, and room for growth and advancement for the right person. Full-time employees also receive full benefits, including health insurance, company-matching retirement savings, paid holidays, vacation, and more.
Job summary: Assist in supervising, training, and motivating staff of approximately 50 College Marketing Reps. Under direction of College Label Services Director, work closely with various departments within WEA & ADA and at the labels to outline and implement college marketing strategies for priority artists and projects. Provide critical support functions for College Label Services department including maintaining daily communication and follow-up with reps and assisting with hiring and training of new recruits.
Job summary: Heid Music is looking for a part-time team member to join our Appleton, WI team. We select team members who take pride in their work and embrace our concept of providing “Bravo” customer service and pursuing our passion for making music. Music Enthusiasts are critical to Heid Music’s success in creating and maintaining a “Bravo” customer service experience. This position builds and maintains meaningful relationships by assisting customers in selecting and purchasing merchandise and following through the entire sales process. Qualified candidates will ideally have a Bachelor’s degree in Music or Business along with musical instrument knowledge and/or playing experience. Minimum of a high school diploma is required. Previous retail or outside sales experience is preferred. Band instrument knowledge is highly desired.
Job summary: We are currently seeking a talented Audio Artist to join our team and help build educational game and entertainment experiences. Our ideal candidate will have the ability to handle both technical and artistic issues during game development as well as be able to work quickly in a team atmosphere with schedules and reliable milestone delivery. Passion for audio design, SFX, VO recording and cleanup, and musical composition are crucial. The applicant will be working on a variety of projects, under direction of our audio designers. Previous experience with creating and placing audio hooks, mixing and leveling audio, and working with game teams is prefered.
Job summary: The Manager of Tour Merchandise is responsible for all aspects of the tour revenue stream. From A to Z, everything related to selling artist branded product on the road is their responsibility. This position requires integration of all departments including art, production, logistics and finance.
Job summary: The Artistic Planning Assistant works with the Associate Director of Artistic Planning, Artistic Planning Manager and Artistic Planning Coordinator to provide a full range of departmental administrative support. The Artistic Planning Assistant reports to the Associate Director of Artistic Planning.
Job summary: The Executive Director will oversee all IRRMA operations including supervision of IRRMA staff and volunteers. The Executive director reports directly to the Executive Committee of the Association and ultimately to the IRRMA Board of Directors.
Job summary: Assist music archivist and music faculty in catalog of music holdings.Under direction of music archivist and music faculty, catalog music holdings. Process requests to borrow music, in accordance with established borrowing policies. Under supervision of music archivist, update electronic database of holdings. Identify, distribute and file music. Under supervision of music archivist, assess condition of music.
Job summary: Live Nation is seeking an exceptionally bright, multi-tasking and self-motivated Administrative Assistant to directly support at the SVP level. This is a great opportunity for an experienced and enthusiastic candidate to work and grow in an innovative, fun, and creative environment. The role will be based in Hollywood, CA.The Administrative Assistant will provide a full range of administrative support including scheduling meetings, maintaining calendars, making travel arrangements, processing expense reports and assisting with special projects.
Job summary: The Project Coordinator, Industry Event Marketing will be responsible for assisting with hands-on project management of large scale and highly visible industry events such as CES, SXSW and Cannes as well as agency events, sponsored conferences and “owned and operated” events. As Project Coordinator you will work closely with members of the Industry & Agency Marketing team to manage the execution of these events by working cross functionally with almost every department within Pandora. This role will ensure the successful and seamless rollout of these programs enhancing Pandora’s industry presence and marketplace positioning.
Job summary: The Communications Coordinator plays a vital role in maintaining up-to date messaging and external communications through the Houston Grand Opera website and social media channels. Providing services to all departments within HGO, this position acts as the central source of all web and social messaging. Working closely with the Communications Manager, the Communications Coordinator must be aware of all current messaging strategies to implement consistent messaging online.
Job summary: Job responsibilities include (but are not limited to) managing all administrative aspects of work for an EVP of A&R, as well as more detailed project management and independent projects on various levels. Requires an intelligent, flexible, proactive, organized and independent person who is willing to engage in typical administrative/clerical duties as well as more complex project work related to all aspects of the record-making process.
The only thing more difficult than figuring out a way to not sound desperate or like a complete suck up when writing a cover letter is figuring out how to present yourself and the skills you have acquired through a resume. Many of us grew up making our own, single sheet resumes through Word or a similar program, but as anyone trying to find a job in the world today will tell you that method is now considered the bare minimum in terms of presentation. Especially in industries like music where competition is tough and jobs are hard to come by, doing the bare minimum rarely gets you where you want to be.
So, in an overcrowded marketplace where talent is everywhere and substantial employment is always hard to come by, what is someone like you to do?
Two words: Get creative.
I recently read a story about a man in San Francisco who had been having trouble getting even as much as an interview, let alone a real shot at landing a job. San Francisco is considered one of the toughest job markets in the United States today, and the city itself often ranks as one of the most expensive places to live in the world. To stand out from the competition this man disguised himself as a delivery man and delivered a box of doughnuts to person responsible for hiring at the various offices around the city where he hoped to maybe find work. Inside each box of doughnuts, in addition to the confectionary treats that got him in the door, would be a copy of the man’s resume. Check it out:
Out of 40 deliveries, the man in this story landed 10 interviews.
Obviously, when stories like this go viral copycats are bound to make themselves known. You might not be able to get away with pulling off the same stunt as the man in the story above, but you could find a way to apply his ingenuity to the field and companies where you wish to work. I remember a publicist for a wildly popular metal label telling me about how his application was printed in blood red ink on black paper. That kind of creativity takes about 10 seconds to implement and can make all the difference between whether or not you get called in for an interview.
I wrote last week about how those seeking work in music would be wise to “find a need and fill it.” While I do believe that to be the best way to seek out work in music, you still need to convince whoever you are looking to work for/with that they you’re worth the money it would cost to bring you on as an employee. A creative resume or a creative presentation of your resume is a good way to do that, and it shows you’re willing to go the extra mile when most others would settle for the bare minimum. That’s the kind of drive that separates stars from bands that never make it as big as their music suggest they should be, and it’s what every employer in music is looking to find in new recruits.
James Shotwell is the Digital Marketing Coordinator for Haulix. He is also the Film Editor for Substream Magazine, host of the Inside Music podcast, and a 10-year music writing veteran. You should really follow him on Twitter.
There was a time in music when being really good at one thing was enough to secure some form of employment. If you could talk to people in radio about new music and sound convincing, you could get a job. If you could hustle merchandise at shows and keep good records, you could get a job. If you understood how to find and contact music writers about new artists, you could get a job. As long as there was one thing you could show others you understood how to do better than they themselves could do it, you could find a job somewhere in music.
For better and worse, those days are now long gone.
In today’s music business, having a plethora of skills is key to securing employment more often than not. The budget for staffing is tight across the board in music, so employers are actively seeking individuals they believe can fulfill the needs usually met by a team of people. As a result, simply knowing how to do one or two things really well is no longer enough to justify the need for someone to give you a job. Aspiring professionals today need one or two strong skills, as well as several other skills or talents that can be applied to whatever role they seek. If you’re looking to do publicity for example, writing and sending clever emails is no longer enough. Those competing for publicity roles today are good at emails, cold calling, social media outreach, and they have a good ear for finding new talent because, more often than not, they started their own PR firm and have already worked with several small time artists they know through school or friends. These people are essentially unpaid professionals, and they have already worked on everything that a paying role would ask of them and then some. That is what you have to assume anyone competition with you for a job has already accomplished, and you need to make sure you do some of those things yourself if you want to even be considered for a role in this industry.
It wouldn’t be possible for me to outline everything you need to do in order to make yourself appear as a strong candidate for any job in the industry as the needs for each individual role will vary greatly from job to job. I can, however, help you make one change to your current behavior that will enable you to expand your skill set while still refining the skills you’ve already developed. To do this, you need to recognize that your current to-do list is a mess, and you should also understand most other people have horrible to-do lists as well because they, like you, expect to much. They seek to ensure they do everything they can to position themselves for employment, and through doing so create a list of tasks so daunting that completing the tasks can feel next to impossible. The reminder of how much remains undone eats away at you in time and, slowly but surely, you begin to doubt your ability to reach the next level of this business.
To fix this, not to mention simplify your life as a whole, throw out whatever to-do list you currently maintain and start creating today lists instead. By this, I mean creating a new list of goals each and every morning that outlines everything you need to do that particular day in order to be ready for the next morning. The amount of things you need to do in a week or month will not change, but the feeling you have toward what is left unaccomplished will because you won’t be looking at several days or weeks worth of work at once. Instead, your brain will see 5-10 things that, with hard work, can most likely be accomplished between sunrise and sunset on a single day. With each completed task, that already small list shrinks, and as you near the end of your daily to-dos your confidence in your ability to maintain this level of output over the long haul will grow.
But how does this help me find employment in the music industry?
Good question. Employers at every level are going to expect you to tackle multiple projects at once, and each of those projects will have their target completion date. If you tell yourself you can do it all at once you’re only going to end up frustrated and exhausted, but if you break down your longterm goals into manageable daily chores your ability to progress on each item from day-to-day will flourish. Your brain will stop worrying about the overall deadline and start concerning itself more with tasks at hand, which in turn will relax your mind enough so that you are able to think clearly and creatively amidst the chaos of this business.
I’m not going to lie to you: Finding steady employment of any kind in music today is next to impossible, especially if you’re just starting out. The competition for any job, big or small, is fiercer now than at any other point in the history of the entertainment business. This frustrates job seekers and complicates the selection process for most business owner, but at the end of the day it’s actually a blessing because it means only the truly talented and hardworking individuals end up working full-time. The people who find themselves in a position to influence real change not only know how to make change happen, but they possess the organizational skills needed to make the most of the opportunity they have been given.
A lot has been written about the supposed dire state of the music industry, but truth be told there are a number of successful and growing companies, including record labels, that are thriving in 2014. In this column we bring together every job opening we can find from the companies responsible for building the future of the business and present them to you, our reader, in hopes of aiding you on your journey to join the global music industry professional family.
Each Sunday we scour the internet for the latest and greatest job postings throughout the music industry. You can help us better serve our community by sending any job openings you find or have to james@haulix.com. Be sure to include the name of the company hiring, a detailed description of the position being offered, a desired start date, contact information, and any additional supplemental information you feel may be needed.
Job summary: The Tour/Production Associate will sit within the Global Touring and Global Attractions divisions of IMG Artists. The roles purpose involves the servicing and logistics coordination of concert dates, performances and tours worldwide for a variety of dance companies, attractions (world music, musical ensembles, theatrical attractions, etc.), film with orchestra projects, and symphony pops, and individual artists involving ongoing touring activities, individual dates and extensive tours as well as servicing the day-to-day activities of a wide variety of artists.
Job summary: Unit Job SummaryThe Performance Program Coordinator provides scheduling and logistical support for the Department of Music Performance Program and its sixteen ensembles for their concert performances and other activities across campus.
Job summary: In partnership with the Executive Director, the Membership and Programming Coordinator has responsibility for achieving planned and budgeted objectives of the organization and providing day-to-day coordination in five key areas.
Job summary: Dead Horse Branding is a branding agency with very highly skilled and versatile representatives. We are after a team member who has experience in Marketing, Publicity and Sales. The three essential skills you need to successfuly complete either one of those jobs.
Job summary: This position is responsible for developing music marketing strategies, tactics, and programs in direct partnership with music content providers for iTunes and Apple’s streaming music products as a leader of the music marketing team. These programs and campaigns will be well-integrated with, and driven in part by domestic and international priorities established by iTunes Label Relations, Music Programming, iTunes Marketing, Product Marketing, Sales & Marketing and Apple Marketing Communications teams. This position and team will focus on best-practices, priority and special projects across the music industry and across media verticals where music is a key component.
Job summary: Middle West is in search of a driven full-time day-to-day assistant to work with its Minneapolis-based managers. Ideally, applicants should be Twin Cities-based or willing to relocate.
Job summary: Sony Corporation of America (SCA) is seeking a Marketing Specialist to join the Customer Journey and Cross Marketing group. This position will be located in San Diego, CA. The primary responsibility for this position is to execute CRM programs across several Sony business units to drive revenue, increase engagement and build proof points for global program roll out. The marketing specialist will use first party data to better create, target and measure customized consumer experiences that drive loyalty and customer value. This position requires good organization skills and the ability to handle many projects simultaneously to meet deadlines. The Marketing Specialist must work with many individuals across Sony as well as with outside partners and Sony business units.
Job summary: CraveOnline is seeking an Integrated Marketing Coordinator to join a high-energy, collaborative team of designers, marketing specialists, developers and project managers to manage and to facilitate the creation of integrated marketing campaigns across several sites. We are focused on providing integrated and innovative experiences to our clients. The Integrated Marketing Coordinator is based in NY and reports to the Senior Director, Integrated Marketing who is based in NY.
Job summary: The Coordinator of CRM Analytics’ primary role is to support the practice of WMG’s CRM analytics and strategic planning operation. Sitting on the team’s CRM Analytics group, the Coordinator’s primary duties include independently managing a variety of day-to-day activity of key CRM projects and operational support for analytics programs, specifically but not limited to: Design and documentation of analytics processes and operations, critical support to develop meaning analysis for global consumer marketing teams, and day-to-day analytics and marketing technology support. This person is entrepreneurial-minded and technically savvy who does not mind digging deep into the technologies or data, as well as exercises excellent communication skills and the ability to multitask across multiple projects.
Job summary: Join the Boston Symphony, in a dynamic position as the Associate Director, E-Commerce and New Media that encompasses the management, implementation and creation of all internet and New Media platforms. You will be responsible for supporting the overall marketing strategy by utilizing a variety of online and media platforms to enhance the corporate brand, explore new initiatives and enhance revenue content opportunities. To be successful, you will need to be a creative self-starter who can analyze and adapt new technologies and strategies to support the overall organizational goals.
Job summary: Key administrative support person for day-to-day digital marketing in the Digital Media & eCommerce department, focused primarily (but not exclusively) on our broad “urban” roster of artists, covering rap, hip hop, R&B, and beyond. Experience in community development, editorial/content and marketing support. The ideal candidate is interested in the intersection between consumer online behavior, music and technology. This person reads blogs (tech / entertainment / lifestyle), installs every new app just to try it out, and has a passion for leveraging the Internet to drive artist careers and revenue. They live on social media, lifestyle blogs, and discover new music in interesting ways.
Job summary: We are hiring a person, not a position, for the Sound Productions marketing team. We believe in providing every tool and opportunity to our team members and growing them for success. We don’t have employees, only team members, and are very proud of that. We invest in each of our highly effective and talented team members for their professional growth and aligned goals with the other Sound Pro teams.
Job summary: Our Seattle, WA-based client produces pro-audio and music products with brands known worldwide! The company is currently expanding their product lines, incorporating mobile devices and cross-platform UI applications within specific digital products. If you love music (or the technology around making music) and have experience building mobile apps (iOS/Android) you will love joining their engineering team.
Job summary: While iHeartMedia employs over 20 thousand worldwide, the iHeartRadio Division based in New York City runs more like a startup. We are looking for a Director of Digital Monetization to serve as the key touch point between our digital product and national sales teams. This role will be instrumental in identifying digital revenue opportunities and developing our go-to-market strategies. You will work with a variety of key teams including editorial, programming, operations, sales and marketing groups and have the opportunity to meaningfully impact the revenue line of a growing organization.
Job summary: The VP of Consumer Marketing is responsible for planning and implementing off-channel marketing campaigns for MTV. With a key focus on innovation in the marketing space, this position will manage the development of campaigns in support of all priority programming and events. The ideal candidate will actively employ data to inform the planning process, and to ensure that all plans have clear goals, and the creative approach needed to achieve them.
Job summary: This successful sponsorship sales professional will be responsible for creating and selling branded, high-impact music marketing programs across our music properties.
Job summary: The Marketing Coordinator will be accountable for leading the development of the venue’s event and marketing program that includes new innovative ideas, talent recommendations, marketing partnerships, promotional activities, advertising recommendations, and VIP Host, social media and public relations coordination. This position will also execute the events and programs on-site. In addition, the Marketing Coordinator will be very creative and will find ways to increase customer spend and find new sources of business. The Marketing Coordinator will be responsible for the over-site of the venue’s brand, including market position against competitors.
Job summary: The Interactive Marketing Manager will be the main digital strategist for their own roster of artists and/or projects. They will craft and execute the digital campaign for those artists spanning promotion, social strategy, community engagement, e-commerce, and partnership opportunities with inter-departmental (marketing, radio, press, product development, etc..) input and coordination. They will continually look for new opportunities, services and platforms with which to partner and/or utilize. In addition to their work directly with artists, they will have a loud voice in forming overall departmental strategy and direction as operational digital specialists. Every campaign will come with mutually agreed upon goals and targets that the marketer will striving to achieve.
Job summary: New York Public Radio seeks a publicist who will work with the Senior Director of Publicity to develop and execute PR strategies and campaigns to reach consumer, trade and online audiences.
Job summary: To direct marketing focus & strategy, product development, label identity and artist relations for assigned RECORDS projects. The product manager will work side by side with the Co-founder- assisting with the execution of marketing strategies and artist development. The ideal candidate has an entrepreneurial outlook and will able to work creative and operational executives across all functions.
Job summary: To thrive in this role, you will love variety, work independently, communicate well and be super organised. Experience of working with digital media within an entertainment, broadcasting or publishing sphere is essential. The right candidate will have ability to oversee complex deals with and have the ability to negotiate and execute new business within a range of exciting new sectors.
Job summary: Reporting to the VP of Marketing, the Director of Public Relations will manage all corporate communications and messaging for Vevo. You will serve as the primary point of contact between the company, its executives and the press community for all Industry and Consumer press.
Job summary: This is an exciting marketing role focused on executing tactics to drive success for the TouchTunes sales team and B2B channel customers. You will work across business groups and leverage multiple marketing channels to drive engagement with the TouchTunes network of smart jukeboxes, mobile app, and other in-venue solutions.
Job summary: Complex Media is looking for a motivated and successful Account Director to join our leading young men’s platform. You will be a part of a top-notch sales team, selling integrated marketing programs across desktop, mobile, video, branded content and print. We have an entrepreneurial culture where you can lead the sales and marketing efforts for your client list. This role is based in our NYC mid-town headquarters.
Job summary: The role of the Digital Media Buyer is a day-to-day focal point and is tasked with executing digital media planning/buying and client service activities associated with assigned accounts. You will be integral in the development and management of effective digital strategy and media buying/. This role will report to the SVP of Digital Marketing.
Job summary: We have a new opportunity available for a Digital Account Manager to drive growth in market share, revenue and artist exposure across digital music platforms. Reporting to the Director of Digital Strategy, the successful candidate will develop sales and marketing strategy and create opportunities to further enhance Universal’s presence across these services.
Job summary: This successful sponsorship sales professional will be responsible for creating and selling branded, high-impact music marketing programs across our music properties.
Job summary: The Licensing Marketing Manager will be responsible for developing plans and executing projects that support the Sales & Marketing strategy surrounding ASCAP’s Licensing team responsible for licensing the musical works of ASCAP’s members to hundreds of thousands of businesses – from traditional media to venues to online services. This includes day-to-day management of marketing and analytics for ASCAP’s Licensing pipeline from new leads to completed licenses. The Manager will collaborate with the Licensing, Product, Marketing and Website teams to execute marketing/communications, increase conversions, launch new initiatives, and track analytics, as well as facilitate an effective workflow between the Marketing Department and all other cross-functional teams.
Job summary: As our Creative Director you will: drive brand guidelines and standards, help us nail compelling online assets, raise our game on marketing site designs, consumer-facing content experiences, and asset for online ads, grab our customer’s attention through awesome email templates and compelling sales collateral, all while leading our team of ridiculously talented Communication Designers.
Job summary: Two New York-based musicians (Michelle Citrin and Galeet Dardashti) seeking Project Manager with a passion for working with artists. Starting date flexible – spring, 2015. $20/hour approximately 9-12 hours a week part time with room to grow. Work in Prospect Heights, Brooklyn based studio, with possibilities for telecommuting.
Job summary: Responsible for community development and campaign execution for a diverse roster of artists. Includes day to day promotional activities, creation and maintenance of artist web and social channels as well as coordination with partners overseeing web development, operations and production.
Job summary: The Marketing Coordinator will assist in developing and implementing marketing and advertising ticket sales campaigns and ABC media campaigns for CMA Music Festival, CMA Awards, CMA Country Christmas and Songwriters Series through traditional media outlets as well as online and social networking mediums. Responsible for fulfillment of all advertising and promotional needs. Assist in developing strategic media partnerships and coordinate fulfillment of contracts. Responsible for general department support as needed.
Job summary: Full-time Publicity Manager is responsible for generating and executing publicity campaigns with online outlets and social media influencers. This includes press release creation, pitching and securing publicity for company’s client roster by generating relevant stories, securing interviews and mixed-media placements while keeping internal staff and clients up to date progress. This position demands high level project management and creativity. Familiarity with online and print media advertising is ideal but not required.
Job summary: The Licensing Marketing Manager will be responsible for developing plans and executing projects that support the Sales & Marketing strategy surrounding ASCAP’s Licensing team responsible for licensing the musical works of ASCAP’s members to hundreds of thousands of businesses — from traditional media to venues to online services. This includes day-to-day management of marketing and analytics for ASCAP’s Licensing pipeline from new leads to completed licenses. The Manager will collaborate with the Licensing, Product, Marketing and Website teams to execute marketing/communications, increase conversions, launch new initiatives, and track analytics, as well as facilitate an effective workflow between the Marketing Department and all other cross-functional teams.
Job summary: Manages all aspects of team sales efforts including, universe of prospective customers, existing customers and key accounts. Ensure continuing new business market penetration and preservation/growth of customer base.
Job summary: The ideal candidate will work closely with colleagues in Artist Services, partnering with a team of Producers responsible for artist websites and fan clubs. The Digital Marketing Manager will work with Creative, Engineering, Tour Marketing and other internal departments throughout Ticketmaster and Live Nation to execute on the artists’ digital strategy.
Job summary: This role is responsible for managing initiatives to support business development to drive Digital Licensing sales. This role will give direction to Sales for growing new business through targeted prospect areas. Included in this work is developing and delivering tools for significant business areas; sales lead generation, new licensee prospecting, prospect validation, market and service analysis, and music use memoranda. The role will also include managing others as needed.
Job summary: The Cleveland Orchestra is currently seeking a dedicated individual with a passion for music to join the Operations team as the new Operations Coordinator. This newly created position supports the Orchestra by coordinating the planning and implementation of concert logistics and assisting Operations Management in researching and planning orchestra needs for tours and runouts. The Coordinator will support concert productions and events at both Severance Hall and Blossom Music Center and assist with tour preparations. He/she will act as a primary liaison between external vendors and internal departments to communicate and secure production needs.
Job summary: The Director, Database Marketing will actively support the Company’s effort to acquire and leverage customer leads in the previously owned vehicle segment. This individual will manage a team of two, including himself/herself. The main focus of the role is to help SiriusXM acquire and evaluate customer names and addresses for new owners of used vehicles with inactive radios with the goal of marketing trial or subscription offers to those subsequent owners. On a monthly basis, SiriusXM acquires millions of leads through various sources: third party list vendors (3PL), service dealers (Service Lane), and others tbd. This group will be responsible for designing and implementing a database marketing strategy that can efficiently evaluate the best leads to activate and market to, based on external and internal data. He/she will report to the SVP, Direct Sales & Marketing.
Job summary: As Business Development Associate, you will play a key role in building our sales and marketing engine to support our fast-growing business. You will work side by side with our CMO to support all sales and marketing initiatives and will report directly to the CEO. Through high value communication you will work to establish the credibility of Jamplify and our brand within the live events market. You will make our organization top of mind for customers when they market and book concerts.
Job summary: We’re a unique collection of engineers, musicians, designers, marketers, and world-class sellers with a common goal: to enrich lives by delivering effortless personalized music enjoyment and discovery. People—the listeners, the artists, and our employees—are at the center of our mission and everything we do. Actually, employees at Pandora are a lot like the service itself: bright, eclectic, and innovative. Collaboration is the foundation of our workforce, and we’re looking for smart individuals who are self-motivated and passionate to join us. Be a part of the engine that creates the soundtrack to life. Discover your future at Pandora.
Job summary: Representative will generate revenue through proactive outbound and inbound calls with established accounts. In addition to making and logging sales they will assist customers with any non-credit needs such as product information and order tracking information when necessary. They will work closely with their credit representative, referring all billing and credit questions to that department. They will also follow up on leads for new accounts, utilizing information lists received from in-house reports and other sources. They will build and enhance relationships with accounts through consistent sales and service.
Job summary: You will work with the Music Editor and wider editorial team to deliver world-class news content for Shazam, specifically around headlines and picture selection, helping to deliver a compelling and successful editorial product for the company. A real all-rounder, you’ll be creative with words, images and treatment ideas on the biggest musicians in the world. This is a newly created role.
Job summary: You will act as liaison between music users and copyright owners. As a Licensing Specialist, you will call on dance schools, restaurants, bars, hotels and other businesses that play music in order to sell performing rights licenses.
Job summary: Recruits and assists prospective writers, publishers, producers and artists to BMI by performing the following duties either personally or through the direction of others.
Job summary: This position is responsible for assisting the Merch Production department. Admin, data entry, and work flow system support which includes sourcing Merch items online, accessing art files, creating PO’s, tracking production schedule and tracking shipments.
Job summary: We are seeking an individual with expertise, experience and deep passion for music. The person in this role will curate genre pages/channels on the PledgeMusic website and across our other music channels such as: Soundcloud, Spotify & YouTube. They will also be the conduit for determining the content and features for the PledgeMusic weekly newsletters. This individual will support PledgeMusic’s Head of Marketing and should have experience in monitoring social media, running digital marketing campaigns, data analysis and creating strategies for digital campaigns in music and entertainment.
Job summary: The Coordinator, Advertising will coordinate advertising initiatives for RED/’stache media by developing strategic marketing campaigns that not only drive awareness and sales for RED artists but also bring in additional revenue for ‘stache media.
Job summary: As a liaison between Market Manager, station Account Executives and advertising clients, the Sales Assistant provides general support to the radio/digital Sales Department including the preparation of recaps, sales reports, creating sales proposals, correspondence, sales pieces, competitive requests, faxing and/or emailing spot times to clients, answering phones, and maintaining contract files.
Job summary: This successful sponsorship sales professional will be responsible for creating and selling branded, high-impact music marketing programs across our music properties.
Job summary:Bandcamp is seeking a mind-bogglingly talented individual for our design team to help us create new products and features, improve existing ones and make our site and mobile apps shining beacons of wonder for all who gaze upon them. You will design. You will code. You will have a positive impact on the lives of hundreds of thousands of artists and their millions of fans each and every day. You will feel good. You will feel as good as I do right now.
Job summary: Seeking an Operations Manager who is responsible for the day to day and event operations at the newly developed Amphitheater in Nashville, TN. This includes but is not limited to de-winterization and winterization of the facility, managing event staff, reporting and maintaining incident logs, and on-site, day of show operations responsibilities.
Job summary: Reporting directly to the COO, the Digital Marketing Manager will be responsible for handling artist digital content management for all artists and the Latium brand.
Job summary: Reporting to the Head of Operations, CraveOnline, the Social Media Specialist is responsible for developing clearly-defined social media strategies in a manner that supports the CraveOnline.com brand as well as other CraveOnline Media properties. This position is responsible managing projects across all social media channels to help achieve our overall brand objectives and growth metrics.
Job summary: The Interactive Marketing team at Warner Bros Records spearheads all digital marketing initiatives for the label’s diverse roster including urban, rock and pop artists. They are responsible for building out the digital, mobile and social components of an artist’s overall marketing plan – including but not limited to: digital promotions, artist website development and optimization, fan acquisition and engagement, creation/implementation of digital tools and products to increase fan engagement, paid media campaigns, etc… Additionally, the team is relied upon to be industry-leading innovators in the digital space, anticipating consumer trends and substantive technological advancements.
Job summary: Reporting to the Head of Research & Instruction Services, and serving as a branch manager, the Music Librarian is responsible for all aspects of the operation of the Music Library. This includes circulation, reserves, collection management, cataloging, e-resource management, and bindery in conformity with Holy Cross Libraries policy. It also includes staff and student supervision, team participation and project management, campus liaison work, and participation in professional development.
Job summary: We are looking for a savvy Content Producer with strong video skills to join our growing Community and Content team. Working on digital and social channels of our incredible roster of Artists, the successful candidate will relish the opportunity to utilise their diverse experience in the hands-on production of video, photographic and written content. Reporting to the Community & Content Director, this position also runs the day-to-day management of the Universal Music Australia social channels.
Job summary: Pandora Media is looking for a systems-focused Business Analyst for our Revenue Operations Department. The right individual will be a key contributor to the overall Sales Technical Operations team with a focus on improving our internal sales software and driving aggressive efficiency for end users. End users of the systems include Sales, Client Services, Trafficking and Finance teams. The goal of this position is to support Pandora’s strategic initiatives with a focus on partnering with the Sales and Revenue Operations organizations to understand their priorities and pain points. The role will involve information gathering, business process analysis, system support, training and documentation, and measurement. The Business Analyst will partner cross-functionally with Product, Engineering, Quality Assurance and Enterprise Systems teams to build solutions and measure their impact.
