What I Learned From Interning In The Media & Entertainment Industry
For the past year and a half, I’ve been interning in the media and entertainment industry. Being fascinated by pop culture and media at an early age, I always dreamed of having a career in the entertainment industry—but I had no idea where to begin. I thought the media and entertainment industry was this unattainable goal that I would never be able to reach.
Fast forward to the Spring semester of my Sophmore year. The end of April rolled around and I didn’t have an internship set in place for the summer. While I packed up my belongings from my dorm and returned to my hometown for the summer, I felt like a failure. It wasn’t until I received a call from Cheddar, a startup news network when my life shifted and everything fell into place.
Since Cheddar, I went on to intern at VH1, a subsidiary of Viacom (check out the Intern Takeover I did for them here), and The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. Looking back on my scared Sophomore self, I never thought I would have been able to handle the media/entertainment industry. With my experience, here are a few things I have learned throughout my journey:
It’s all in the details
Being a social media intern, I quickly learned to pay attention to the small details. From double, and even triple, checking my work before sending it to my managers, to making sure the conference room looks tidy before an important meeting, it’s the little things that go a long way.
It’s a small world
I would roll my eyes whenever someone mentioned this saying because there was NO way the media and entertainment industry could be small. Turns out, they were right and I was wrong. Since everyone knows everyone in the media and entertainment industry, it can help leverage your career and connections. Make sure to treat everyone with kindness and the utmost respect—especially as an intern!
Get ready to hustle
The media and entertainment industry is extremely fast-paced. There have been times where I have had to juggle tight deadlines and different projects. I’ve learned it’s important to roll with the punches and remain as calm as possible. I’ve learned that I love working in fast-paced environments, so I know the media/entertainment industry is the place to be!
You will never stop learning
Since the media and entertainment industry is constantly changing, you will always be learning new things. Whether it’s a new skill or a new thing about your organization, it’s important to act like a sponge and be willing to absorb new information. It’s my last week as an intern for The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon and I’m still learning!
Nikki Iannantuano is currently interning as a Social Media Intern for The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon in New York City. Upon her December 2019 graduation from Rutgers University, she hopes to fully immerse herself into the world of digital. She can be found on Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, and SquareSpace.
