Embrace the Unexpected

You’re probably wondering why I haven’t written a post of all people. This would be because I have been busy relocating and interning! This summer I am a Digital Imaging Intern with the CMT.com department of CMT (Country Music Television) in Nashville. Because it’s a part of Viacom (which includes MTV, Nickelodeon, etc.) and a television network, I must be extremely careful about what I blog about.

One thing I think is crucial for aspiring professionals to work on is being diverse and well-rounded. You can work towards this in many ways, but it starts with taking risks and being open to opportunities. Growing up, my family moved four different times (four different states). Needless to say, I have been forced to adapt numerous times. Although I disliked my parents at the time for ripping me away from my friends, moving was one of the best things that happened to me. It forced me to become extremely independent and learn who I was and wanted to be.

I believe internships are similar to studying abroad in that (while it is on a smaller scale), it forces you to challenge the ordinary by taking chances and having extraordinary experiences that will help you on the road of life.

When thinking about opportunities to help you build skills to obtain a career, be open-minded. I started my internship search in December. Yes, December. I went to Barnes and Noble and looked up the Art Assistant of every single magazine I liked. Using Ed2010’s resources about how email addresses are usually formatted, I emailed hundreds of people my resume and a cover letter specific to each magazine or company. While my search didn’t really become satisfying until March/April, I was on top of it which I think is imperative in such a competitive market.

Rather than work with creative services or production this summer, I’m working on the website (CMT.com). This experience (which is different than my previous graphic design internship at University Directories and my campus involvement with Kaleidoscope and the Daily Tar Heel) will, I feel, very much help me become well-rounded. The internship combines photography, news, blogging, editing, writing captions, resizing images, building galleries, and learning various programs such as working with Getty Images.

The biggest perk to the internship is covering the CMT Awards (June 9) and the CMA Fest (June 10-13).

Although I originally expected to be in NYC this summer, I am thrilled by this experience and think it will infinitely help me build more skills to be appealing to potential employers. Chances are your career path may not be what you were expecting either.

Talk to you soon!