An internship is an opportunity for an individual to gain real-world experience in a field that is of interest to them. 9 times out of 10 these positions are filled with college students looking to build there resumes and hopefully use this as a tool to improve their chances of landing a full-time job. In todays society experience is everything, and a good majority of entry level positions are seeking potential employees with at least 1-2 years worth of experience.
My name is Cheyenne Dunbar, and I am Key Signature Entertainment’s 2016 summer intern. I embarked on this journey not only for self discovery; to see if this was the right fit for me, but also to learn about the event industry because knowledge is power. For me an internship is about diving head first into it. I didn’t want to just sit in an office all day like I do with my part-time job; I wanted to get out and get my hands dirty so to speak.
Last Saturday, June 25, I worked my first event. The event was a concert from Freedom Parks – Freedom Summer Series that Mecklenburg Park and Recreation puts on every year. I honestly didn’t know what was in store for me, but I thoroughly enjoyed myself that day. I was able to see how an event operates from start to finish. We arrived several hours before the show start time to begin behind the scenes preparations. Each member of the team was doing his or her part for the success of the show. Between getting musicians checked in, getting their equipment unloaded and taken down to the stage, listening to each group do their soundcheck, making sure everyone was fed, and on top of that dealing with being accidentally double booked with another party for the same building.
It was definitely a steady stream of tasks to handle, and we were able to work out a solution with the other group that was accidentally booked with us. Having experienced that situation I truly believe the key to a successful event is planning ahead and giving yourself enough time to do everything. That way you’re not rushing around trying to be everywhere at once, and if bumps arise you have enough time to properly deal with them. I worked the merchandise table once the performances kicked off from 6-9p.m, and was able to enjoy the concert like everyone else. I even met Matt Marshak, a popular contemporary jazz artist. His demeanor was inviting and he came across as a very relaxed and normal kind of guy. On the plus side I also got a signed copy of his latest album, so Im excited to listen to it this coming weekend.
Saturday was also more than just working an event, it was family oriented as well. I was easily welcomed by the other members and I felt a part of the team; instead of like an outsider which I truly appreciated.
This experience thus far has been an amazing one. Not only have I been soaking up everything I can about the event industry, but my skills and knowledge have also been put to the test. Working here has required that I think outside the box, but in a way that also works for me. I’m not here to do what someone did before me, I’m here to make my own unique contributions that’ll hopefully continue on and be useful to Key Signature once Im gone.
Key Signature Entertainment 