Never stop fighting until you arrive at your destined place – that is, the unique you. Have an aim in life, continuously acquire knowledge, work hard, and have perseverance to realize the great life. — A. P. J. Abdul Kalam
July 26th was National Intern Day and I thought it was appropriate to post on Linkedin about all the exciting opportunities I worked in college. I have studied television & film for years, and throughout my collegiate journey, I was able to snag some cool internships in my field. I’ve worked for Jimmy Fallon, Legendary Entertainment and even FOX Studios to name a few. When I posted on Linkedin about my internship run my post was viewed over 6,000 times. My inbox became flooded with inquiries of how I was able to find these opportunities for myself.
For years, I have always painted this picture that I had this impressive resume, and have stellar interview skills that helped me push through the masses. I used to talk to students and advise them that if they could use the right industry verbiage on their resume and interview well that they too could get any internship that they desired. Unfortunately, this isn’t the full truth.
Last Fall, I read a book by a man named Alex Banayan entitled “The Third Door”, and in this book, the author writes on How the World’s Most Successful People Launched Their Careers. To articulate his point, he uses an illustration that compares the journey of experiencing success to that of getting into a club, and at the club, there are three doors.
Alex writes:
“There’s the First Door: the main entrance, where 99 percent of people wait in line, hoping to get in. The Second Door: the VIP entrance, where the billionaires and celebrities slip through. But what no one tells you is that there is always, always . . . The Third Door. It’s the entrance where you have to jump out of line, run down the alley, bang on the door a hundred times, and crack open the window to get in.”
I agree with this idea and would say that there are three similar doors to getting an internship in media. The First Door would be the main entrance that many people take, where an applicant goes to a careers page, fills out an application and prays to get an email. The Second Door (which I feel like I utilized) comes from the career fairs where an individual meets a recruiter directly at their school or when a professor personally recommends a student for a job. The Second Door comes from the privilege of going to a film school or being lucky enough to have a person in your direct network who can assist.
Every internship I got was because of The Second Door. I was able to work at Legendary Entertainment because as a grad student, I received a personal email address to the hiring manager who also happened to be an alum of my school. My internship at the Tonight Show was granted to me because the recruiters at NBCU came down to my campus looking for diverse talent. Not once have I ever earned an internship alone off of cold applying on a careers page. Even now as a college graduate looking to apply for full-time roles, I struggle to get attention to my resume. Today I don’t have access to recruiters like I did as a student, I don’t have the security of a campus career service specialist looking for opportunities on my behalf. I’m on my own.
My present reality is one that many young people face while even in college. The truth of wanting to work in entertainment but having no access to recruiters or specialists that can champion your applications. The reality of not having family that can bring you on in or knowing that you have what it takes to learn but having no one willing to take a chance on you because you “lack experience”. I get it. It’s tough. I know from experience that trying to find the Third Door in entertainment is difficult, and it is set up that way on purpose.
As a young professional looking for my first post-grad job, I’ve found some Third Door tips that can assist you in snagging an internship in entertainment.
1) Be Prepared
It should go without saying that when you find that connection or that person who can give you the opportunity you desire, it is essential to be ready. That means being clear about exactly what you want to do, have the clean and tailored resume to back it up and be able to pitch yourself. So often, when I converse with college students about opportunities in entertainment, they have no idea of what they want to do or why they deserve a chance. Be prepared. Your resume should be free of errors, one page and neat. You should understand the intricacies of the job you are looking to apply to and be aware of industry trends where appropriate. Showing up is half the battle so always be ready to show up when the opportunity presents itself.
2) Be Loud
Lil Wayne says” Real G’s move in silence like Lasagna” well, unfortunately, snagging an internship is rarely done by Real G’s. When you have decided what you want to do, make sure that everyone you come in contact with is aware of your aspirations. There’s nothing wrong with being ambitious and letting folks know what you’re trying to do because you never know who can help. You’d be surprised by who’s college roommate, best friend or auntie has the opportunity that you seek. Let your friends and family know what it is you are trying to do because they may be able to connect you to someone that can help.
3) Use Linkedin Wisely
I have a premium Linkedin account that I’m using because they offered me a free trial. (The Premium features cost upwards of $35–look for a free trial FIRST). With my premium Linkedin privileges, I have been able to send InMails to recruiters as well as connect with individuals at companies that I aspire to work. Adding Talent Acquisition Specialists and people with the title Recruiter in their headline is one thing, but often, these people have flooded inboxes already. I have found it easier to connect with other employees in entry-level roles at a company and have them champion my application to a recruiter since they are in the building.
4) Create
There are so many free ways to create content that can lead to opportunities. Whether it is YouTubing, posting blogs on Linkedin or Medium, creating content is a great way to get attention, and it is free. You can write reviews; you can tell stories about your experiences or even make short films. The entertainment industry is all about getting attention. With the right type of content and engagement, the recruiters will come to you.
Working in entertainment is not easy. There are millions of people just like you wishing they could work in this field. Everyone has the desire, but not everyone has the resilience to keep on trying. I believe if you follow the advice above and don’t give up, you too can snag whatever opportunity you desire. Trust me; YOU CAN DO IT. It may just take time.
I’m always here to help, email me at sumlinchristopher@gmail.com for more questions. Purchase my book Dealing with this Thing Called College, where I share more intimate details on how I snagged my internship with FOX Studios.