Music PR Internships templates and frameworks Templates

Start by asking them to name three artists they genuinely follow and why. Listen for specificity—not 'I like music'—but actual knowledge of releases, collaborations, or industry context. Then walk through a scenario: 'You're pitching a mid-level indie artist's new single to a playlist curator at a major DSP. What angle do you use?' Their answer reveals whether they understand the difference between promotional language and what playlist curators actually care about. Ask directly: 'What's the worst PR pitch you've ever received, and why was it bad?' Candidates who can answer this have read industry communications critically. Finally, set a real problem: 'Give me a three-sentence pitch for [a real artist they've just named].' Don't correct grammar on the spot—assess whether they've understood the brief and identified what's genuinely newsworthy about the artist. Strong candidates ask clarifying questions.

Adapt the artist scenario to match your actual client base (e.g., classical, hip-hop, electronic). Don't accept 'I'm just really passionate about music' as a substitute for demonstrated knowledge. Weak candidates often can't distinguish between a personal preference and a pitchable story.

[INTERN NAME] starts [DATE]. By start day, complete: (1) Email and calendar access set up; (2) Added to relevant Slack channels and shared drives; (3) Physical workspace arranged (desk, chair, parking if applicable); (4) Three client briefs printed or PDF'd and annotated with key contacts, recent coverage, and current campaign focus; (5) Log-in credentials for Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube, and any in-house CRM—tested and working. First task (to be completed by end of day one): Listen to three client releases in full, take one-page notes on each, identify one genuine story angle for each release. On day two: Sit in on a real pitch call (observation only). Day three: Shadow an existing team member for one full day. Provide reading list: [AGENCY] house style guide, [PUBLICATION NAMES] recent coverage of our genre focus, last month's media database updates. Assign a named mentor (not you) for questions during first month. Clear expectation: mistakes in first month are expected; silence or guessing is not.

Adjust publications and platforms to your agency's specific focus. The annotated briefs are crucial—don't skip this step. Assigning a peer mentor rather than yourself reduces your workload significantly and accelerates the intern's integration. Make it explicit that asking questions is safer than guessing.

Format: 30-minute one-to-one, structured around four dimensions. (1) Output: Did they complete assigned tasks? Were deadlines met? What quality issues emerged? Specific examples only—'Your press release was unfocused' is unhelpful; 'The lead paragraph buried the collaboration with [ARTIST] which is the actual story' is actionable. (2) Pitch quality: Have them walk you through one pitch they've written this month. Ask: 'Why would a journalist care about this?' If they can't answer without referencing the artist or label's preferences, the pitch needs work. (3) Music knowledge: Have they engaged with client releases, DSP playlists, competitor activity? Can they name two recent trends in the genre they're covering? Weak knowledge here means they'll struggle to identify real news. (4) Professional skills: Are they asking the right questions? Do they follow up on feedback? Are they reliable in stand-ups and deadlines? Create one clear action for next month—not five. Document everything and share brief written notes within 24 hours.

Monthly reviews prevent small problems from becoming big ones. Be specific about what 'good' looks like in each dimension. Avoid vague praise ('great energy'); focus on measurable output and thinking quality. If an intern hasn't improved on a previous point, name it directly.

A pitch is a conversation starter, not a sales document. Before writing, answer: (1) What is genuinely new? Not 'new album'—what makes *this* album newsworthy? Collaboration? Sonic shift? Commercial momentum? (2) Who is the right recipient? Editors covering hip-hop news aren't interested in a 'human interest' angle. Genre specialists want craft and industry context. (3) What do *they* want to write about? A music journalist covering a reunited band wants the conflict, the 20-year gap, or the artistic evolution—not band members' favourite foods. The pitch should answer: 'Why should *your* readers care?' (4) Keep it under 120 words. Opening sentence: the actual news in seven words. Second paragraph: context (artist relevance, commercial track record, release date). Third: quote that adds something journalists couldn't find themselves. Call to action should be soft—'happy to arrange an interview' or 'full track available on request'. Close with one-line artist bio and specific contact info. Common intern mistakes: treating the pitch as a biography; overloading with track credits; assuming all media outlets are identical. Weak pitches fail because they answer the label's questions instead of the journalist's.

Walk through a bad pitch alongside a good one side-by-side to show the difference. Have interns rewrite the same release three times for three different outlets (playlist curator, genre blog, mainstream title) to show how angle and language shift. Use real client examples—anonymised if necessary—for critique sessions.

Unpaid internships create legal exposure under UK employment law and guarantee you're hiring from a narrow pool of financially privileged candidates. Establish: (1) Hourly rate (suggest £11–14/hour minimum depending on location and experience; minimum wage may apply). (2) Defined hours: typically 35 hours/week or negotiated flexible arrangements if supporting study. (3) Duration and trial period: three-month initial placement with two-week notice on either side. (4) Specific deliverables: intern is responsible for [X pitches per week], [Y admin tasks], attendance at [Z meetings]. (5) Training investment: allocated time for feedback, mentoring, and development—explicitly built into workload planning, not 'when we have capacity'. (6) Written agreement covering confidentiality (clients' strategies, unreleased music), non-disparagement, and what happens to work produced (agency retains rights). (7) Progression path: if converting to permanent role, outline salary expectations, benefits, and skill gaps to address. Document everything. Vague 'internship offers' breed resentment and turnover. Clarity protects both of you. Many interns will take slightly lower pay for genuine learning and clear progression; they'll stay longer and produce better work.

Consult an employment lawyer on your specific contract template. Make salary and progression transparent from the start—this reduces later disputes and attracts serious candidates. Clear expectations mean fewer surprises and easier exits if the fit isn't right.

Every Monday, assign work using this structure: (1) Task: [Specific deliverable]. (2) Context: 'This is for [CLIENT NAME]'s campaign launching [DATE]. The story angle is [ANGLE]. Why this matters: [IMPACT ON CAMPAIGN].' Interns who understand context make better decisions. (3) Reference material: 'See last month's campaign brief [LOCATION]. Reference how [PREVIOUS CAMPAIGN] positioned [ELEMENT].' Don't expect them to guess. (4) Success criteria: 'This should be ready by [DAY/TIME]. It's good when: [specific criteria—e.g., under 100 words, includes recent chart position, identifies three relevant outlets].' (5) Approval process: 'Send to me or [MENTOR NAME] by Wednesday for feedback; final version due Friday.' Build in review time—this is where learning happens. (6) Independence level: 'Handle this solo; ask only if you hit a genuine blocker' (developing) or 'Draft this with [MENTOR]; we'll review together' (learning). Track capacity: if an intern is receiving more feedback requests than delegated work, you're still overburdened and need to adjust expectations or hiring.

Overly detailed instructions waste interns' time; total absence of context frustrates them and produces weak work. Hit the middle ground. Weekly assignment clarifies expectations and prevents 'I didn't know that was urgent' excuses. If you're spending more time reviewing than producing yourself, your delegation needs adjusting.

Initiate this conversation at three months (if considering continuation) and again at six months (if considering permanent role). Structure: (1) Feedback on performance: Specific wins—'Your pitch for [CAMPAIGN] landed features in [OUTLETS]. That's strong work.' Real gaps: 'Your relationship-building with DSP curators needs development; I want to invest time here.' (2) Their perspective: Ask directly: 'How are you finding it? What's working? What's frustrating?' Listen. Many interns leave because they feel invisible or uncertain about direction, not because the work is bad. (3) Progression: 'If you stay, here's what development looks like: [X skills to strengthen, Y projects to own, timeline for salary progression or permanent role].' Make this concrete, not abstract. (4) Commercial reality: 'The budget for a permanent role is [£X–Y], or I can offer [X hours at £Z/hour] on flexible terms while you develop [skill].' Don't promise roles that don't exist or pay that doesn't fit your budget. Vagueness kills retention. (5) Timing: 'I need to know by [DATE] if you want to continue; that gives us time to plan hiring.' Clear deadline prevents drift and signals seriousness.

Don't wait until someone hands in notice. Semi-regular check-ins ('How's it going?') should lead naturally into formal retention conversations. Transparency about budget constraints is better than false promises. Good interns will often accept lower pay or flexible hours if progression is clear and genuine.

When an intern is leaving (whether departure or transition to other team members), assign two days for structured handover. Create a document covering: (1) Active campaigns: Which client campaigns are in progress? What's the current status, next milestone, key contacts? (2) Relationship map: Which journalists, playlist curators, or industry contacts have they built rapport with? How did that happen? (3) Processes they've developed: 'I always email [CONTACT] on [DAY] with new releases because they prefer that to calls' or 'The best way to get [PUBLICATION] to listen is via [METHOD].' (4) Common stumbling blocks: 'This client always changes briefs last minute—here's how I manage it' or 'This outlet's editor moves fast; you need to turnaround pitches in 24 hours.' (5) Files and locations: Shared drive structure, where templates live, which spreadsheets track what. Don't assume the next person will guess. (6) Attitude notes: 'This journalist is sharp but direct—don't over-explain' or 'This client is collaborative—loop them in on strategy early.' Document in a shared space and give it to the person inheriting the work. This isn't about blame; it's about continuity. Departing interns often appreciate being asked to formalise their knowledge—it signals they've genuinely contributed.

Make this handover voluntary and paid if it's beyond their contracted hours. Some interns will invest time in this; others won't, which tells you about their professionalism and investment in the agency. Don't rely on memory handovers. Formalised documentation protects against key-person dependencies.