In our next iteration of Republic Recommends, Sydney Feinberg, our Manager of Media, gives her wisdom on being a woman in the music industry. Learn from her amazing tips and let us know if you’ve applied any to your career!
What does your role/department oversee?
My department oversees press and media at large. This includes putting together press campaigns and pitching artists for late night TV’s, NMF playlists for media outlets, and other press opportunities. Whenever you see an artist in any form of media, we have likely helped secure that.
I work with artists like Claire Rosinkranz, Camylio, JESSIA, Johnny Orlando, Jordan McGraw, and Ryland James, among others.
What do you like to see most in an application?
I almost appreciate just as much when someone tells me what they haven’t experienced or what they didn’t love. Sometimes I think figuring out what you don’t want to do is just as valuable as finding out what you do want to do.
I love seeing more than just experience and what you’ve done–I love seeing if there’s anything a little bit fun. Like a semester abroad, or even just a class that you really connected with, that really spoke to you. Sometimes you can just be in college and learn a lot from college.
My favorite question to ask interns or people that I’m interviewing for is, “What did you do in your last role that wasn’t part of the job description?” I think sometimes, the best way to succeed in a job is to find the cracks and help fill in where people aren’t necessarily thinking about. How can you solve problems that other people don’t even know exist yet?
What’s your best advice for women looking to work in the industry?
Fake it till you make it–just like confidence, it’s a mindset. And you don’t have to be confident to act confident. I think a lot of times acting confident builds actual confidence. And I wish I could explain that to other people because I wish I myself knew that years ago.
Trust the work that leads you to where you are–I often have to remind myself that I’ve worked hard to be in my position and am deserving of my role. It’s important to offer this same encouragement to the people around you.
Ask! I was my own advocate. I emailed my current boss monthly prior to getting the job: “Hire me, hire me, hire me!” Persistence is key.
Any resources you love?
She Is The Music