7 answers
Alyrah
Student
Mountain City, Tennessee
4
Questions
Updated
619 views
What can I do before I get my degree to jumpstart my resume?
Currently, I'm a senior in high school going to college for advertisement and hospitality with a concentration in the music industry. I do some advertising and event planning for my family's concert venue, but I don't know if that's enough to beef up my resume for future jobs. What else can I do?
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7 answers
Dr H
Dr. H's Research
1326
Answers
Australia
Updated
Dr’s Answer
Hey Alyrah,
Ah well building a killer resume before you even have a degree? That’s the kind of overachiever energy that employers love because I know they do—and that will make your future self want to high-five you and if you can't see her yet well I am here tmfor that high five until she finds the time capsule!
Since you’re diving into advertising and hospitality in the music industry, here’s how to rock your resume before graduation.
1. Intern, Volunteer, or Just Show Up Like You Belong
Music venues, festivals, and PR firms always need extra hands. Offer to help with social media, promotions, artist relations, or event planning. Even if it’s unpaid, the experience (and connections) are golden. Plus, you might just get free concert tickets—so, win-win.
2. Build a Portfolio of Your Work
Your resume says you did event planning? Cool. But a portfolio shows it. Make a simple website (Wix, Squarespace, or even Instagram) with:
Flyers, posters, or social media posts you’ve designed
Videos or photos of events you helped plan
Testimonials from artists, guests, or your family’s venue
It’s like a greatest hits album—but for your skills.
3. Get Your Name Out There
Start a LinkedIn page (yes, even if it feels way too serious for the music industry). Connect with event planners, venue managers, and industry folks. Comment on their posts, share your experiences, and boom—you’re networking without the awkward small talk.
4. Create Something of Your Own
Start a music blog, podcast, or TikTok reviewing concerts, artists, or industry trends.
Organize a small local event—an open mic night, a battle of the bands, or even an online networking event for aspiring music industry professionals.
Employers love doers—show them you don’t wait for opportunities, you make them.
5. Learn Extra Skills That Set You Apart
Your degree covers the big stuff, but adding extra skills makes you irresistible:
Graphic design (for making killer promo materials)
Social media marketing (knowing TikTok trends is practically a superpower now)
Video editing (event recaps and promos are a huge part of advertising)
Basic accounting (because budgets exist, unfortunately)
6. Put Your Family’s Venue Work to Good Use
You already have experience—now, make it sound impressive on your resume:
Instead of "Helped with events," say "Coordinated marketing and logistics for live music events, driving X% audience growth."
Instead of "Ran social media," say "Developed and executed social media strategies, increasing engagement by X%."
Numbers make everything sound more legit. If you don’t have stats? Estimate—just don’t go full inflated rockstar ego mode.
. Find a Mentor
Reach out to someone in the industry for advice—musicians, venue managers, PR reps. People love sharing their experiences, and sometimes that one conversation can land you a future job.
8. Be the Person Everyone Wants on Their Team
The music industry is fast-paced and chaotic. If you’re the one who stays calm, finds solutions, and still makes it fun, you’ll stand out big time.
Remember your Resume is Like a Hype Track
You don’t need a degree to start making noise. Jump in, gain experience, document everything, and make sure people remember you. Keep the energy up, say yes to new opportunities, and by the time you graduate, you’ll already be ahead of the game.
Now go out there and rock your resume!
You got this all the best!
Ah well building a killer resume before you even have a degree? That’s the kind of overachiever energy that employers love because I know they do—and that will make your future self want to high-five you and if you can't see her yet well I am here tmfor that high five until she finds the time capsule!
Since you’re diving into advertising and hospitality in the music industry, here’s how to rock your resume before graduation.
1. Intern, Volunteer, or Just Show Up Like You Belong
Music venues, festivals, and PR firms always need extra hands. Offer to help with social media, promotions, artist relations, or event planning. Even if it’s unpaid, the experience (and connections) are golden. Plus, you might just get free concert tickets—so, win-win.
2. Build a Portfolio of Your Work
Your resume says you did event planning? Cool. But a portfolio shows it. Make a simple website (Wix, Squarespace, or even Instagram) with:
Flyers, posters, or social media posts you’ve designed
Videos or photos of events you helped plan
Testimonials from artists, guests, or your family’s venue
It’s like a greatest hits album—but for your skills.
3. Get Your Name Out There
Start a LinkedIn page (yes, even if it feels way too serious for the music industry). Connect with event planners, venue managers, and industry folks. Comment on their posts, share your experiences, and boom—you’re networking without the awkward small talk.
4. Create Something of Your Own
Start a music blog, podcast, or TikTok reviewing concerts, artists, or industry trends.
Organize a small local event—an open mic night, a battle of the bands, or even an online networking event for aspiring music industry professionals.
Employers love doers—show them you don’t wait for opportunities, you make them.
5. Learn Extra Skills That Set You Apart
Your degree covers the big stuff, but adding extra skills makes you irresistible:
Graphic design (for making killer promo materials)
Social media marketing (knowing TikTok trends is practically a superpower now)
Video editing (event recaps and promos are a huge part of advertising)
Basic accounting (because budgets exist, unfortunately)
6. Put Your Family’s Venue Work to Good Use
You already have experience—now, make it sound impressive on your resume:
Instead of "Helped with events," say "Coordinated marketing and logistics for live music events, driving X% audience growth."
Instead of "Ran social media," say "Developed and executed social media strategies, increasing engagement by X%."
Numbers make everything sound more legit. If you don’t have stats? Estimate—just don’t go full inflated rockstar ego mode.
. Find a Mentor
Reach out to someone in the industry for advice—musicians, venue managers, PR reps. People love sharing their experiences, and sometimes that one conversation can land you a future job.
8. Be the Person Everyone Wants on Their Team
The music industry is fast-paced and chaotic. If you’re the one who stays calm, finds solutions, and still makes it fun, you’ll stand out big time.
Remember your Resume is Like a Hype Track
You don’t need a degree to start making noise. Jump in, gain experience, document everything, and make sure people remember you. Keep the energy up, say yes to new opportunities, and by the time you graduate, you’ll already be ahead of the game.
Now go out there and rock your resume!
You got this all the best!
Thank you, this is really helpful.
M.
Thank you, this is amazing! I really needed it.
Sama
If you have any further questions on how to achieve some of the numbered item from Dr. H please reach out.
Keith Miller
Keith seems to have a treasure chest of experience and insights—like a wise mentor but without the long beard (probably). His advice could be gold for you, Alyrah, in tackling your curiosities. I’d totally recommend reaching out—you never know what game-changing wisdom you might unlock!
Dr H
Glad it helped Sama stay blessed dear!
Dr H
Kangana Patel
Student
24
Answers
Edison, New Jersey
Updated
Kangana’s Answer
You're already gaining great hands-on experience with your family's concert venue! To further strengthen your resume before college, consider these steps:
Freelance & Side Projects – Offer advertising or event planning services for local artists, small venues, or music festivals. Create a portfolio showcasing your work.
Internships & Volunteering – Look for internships with music labels, event planning companies, or entertainment marketing firms. Volunteering
Freelance & Side Projects – Offer advertising or event planning services for local artists, small venues, or music festivals. Create a portfolio showcasing your work.
Internships & Volunteering – Look for internships with music labels, event planning companies, or entertainment marketing firms. Volunteering
Saint P
SongWriter and Creative writer
40
Answers
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Updated
Saint’s Answer
Hey Alyrah!
You're already ahead of the game with your experience at your family’s concert venue that’s a huge plus! But if you want to really beef up your resume before college, there are plenty of ways to make yourself stand out.
First off, internships are gold. Even if they’re unpaid, getting hands-on experience with an event planning company, a local music venue, or a marketing agency will help. A lot of companies love having young, creative minds around, especially in advertising and music.
Another big one freelance work. You could offer social media marketing or event promo services for local artists, small businesses, or even independent venues. Even just running a few ad campaigns or organizing a couple of events can show real-world impact on your resume.
Since you're already doing advertising and event planning, start documenting everything. Keep track of social media engagement, attendance numbers at events, or any campaigns you’ve helped with. Maybe even create a simple website or portfolio to show off your work it’ll help you stand out when applying for jobs or internships.
Also, have you thought about getting some certifications? Places like Google, Meta (Facebook), and HubSpot offer free courses in digital marketing, which look great on a resume and actually teach useful skills. Plus, learning some basic graphic design or video editing (like Canva or Adobe Premiere) can be a game changer for marketing in the music industry.
And don’t sleep on networking! Go to music industry events, follow professionals on LinkedIn, and don’t be afraid to reach out. A quick “Hey, I love what you do, and I’m looking to learn more” message can open doors.
If you want to go all in, maybe start your own music blog or event series. Even if it’s just small-scale like reviewing local concerts, promoting indie artists, or organizing listening parties it shows initiative, which employers love.
So yeah, you’re already in a great spot. Just keep stacking experience, making connections, and documenting what you do. If you need help shaping your resume, I got you!
Good Luck!
Saint
You're already ahead of the game with your experience at your family’s concert venue that’s a huge plus! But if you want to really beef up your resume before college, there are plenty of ways to make yourself stand out.
First off, internships are gold. Even if they’re unpaid, getting hands-on experience with an event planning company, a local music venue, or a marketing agency will help. A lot of companies love having young, creative minds around, especially in advertising and music.
Another big one freelance work. You could offer social media marketing or event promo services for local artists, small businesses, or even independent venues. Even just running a few ad campaigns or organizing a couple of events can show real-world impact on your resume.
Since you're already doing advertising and event planning, start documenting everything. Keep track of social media engagement, attendance numbers at events, or any campaigns you’ve helped with. Maybe even create a simple website or portfolio to show off your work it’ll help you stand out when applying for jobs or internships.
Also, have you thought about getting some certifications? Places like Google, Meta (Facebook), and HubSpot offer free courses in digital marketing, which look great on a resume and actually teach useful skills. Plus, learning some basic graphic design or video editing (like Canva or Adobe Premiere) can be a game changer for marketing in the music industry.
And don’t sleep on networking! Go to music industry events, follow professionals on LinkedIn, and don’t be afraid to reach out. A quick “Hey, I love what you do, and I’m looking to learn more” message can open doors.
If you want to go all in, maybe start your own music blog or event series. Even if it’s just small-scale like reviewing local concerts, promoting indie artists, or organizing listening parties it shows initiative, which employers love.
So yeah, you’re already in a great spot. Just keep stacking experience, making connections, and documenting what you do. If you need help shaping your resume, I got you!
Good Luck!
Saint
Loved reading this, thanks!
Sama
Suzanne Panzica
Logistics and Customer Experience Director
4
Answers
Richmond, Virginia
Updated
Suzanne’s Answer
I do not work in your specific industry, but the same principles apply in most career paths. To get experience quickly, getting into an internship and increasing your knowledge by taking training would be the best start. Also, work to find paths that will showcase your work so you gain interest by potential customers. Another area you may want to consider is joining your local Rotary or Chamber of Commerce to get connected quickly.
Additional Training
Internships
Rotary and Chamber of Commerce
Suzanne recommends the following next steps:
Vianna Beltre
Cook
2
Answers
New York, New York
Updated
Vianna’s Answer
My recommendation is that you take multiple trainings that go hand in hand with your career, whether online or in person, you can try to get volunteer work that goes hand in hand with your career.
Good Luck !!
Good Luck !!
Isaiah Johnson
Tax Accountant
27
Answers
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Updated
Isaiah’s Answer
Experience is always good to have on your resume. Recruiters and people looking for new hires have also told me that they like to see applicants who have other things going on outside of work, they like to see extra curriculars whether that be clubs, volunteering or sports. All these things catch recruiters eye, but in general, anything that you can point out to on your resume and use to show that you are dedicated and can work well with a team/others is always a good thing on a resume!
Sophia Molina
Scoop
8
Answers
Austin, Texas
Updated
Sophia’s Answer
Your experience seems very adequate for a starter job. You should find a summer job or internship in a field that connects your experience and what you want your future job to be so that you can find new ways to apply your knowledge in the future. I would also look for some companies ahead of time to see what their requirements are so that you could start getting experience. Some jobs require years in the field or a related field so it's always better to start early. It all comes down to what you wanna do, what you wanna be, and what you want the rest of your time in this job to be like. The more opportunities you take, the better chances you have of finding "the one". You can only grow by making mistakes and being in everyone's shoes, so do your best to find jobs, internships, and certifications.