Maybe it hasn’t happened yet, but it’s going to…

Halfway through the commencement speech, you’re going to realize that after the dinner with your parents is over, college will be as well. You may have not been planning for this moment, in which case you may have a small freak-out called the “post college crisis”. I’m telling you, it happened to me. Actually, it happened to me 2 times, because I went to college twice (oops). So relax, you’re going to be fine if you do the right things and put some thought into making the right choices. I graduated Berklee last May with a B.M. in Music Business, and I was exactly where many of my friends are, which is in senioritis mode. (post conducting Stravinsky, you realize you haven’t been to History of Western Music in a month… and if you went, you slept.)

Here are some things for the soon-to-be Berklee grad to remember:

1. You just graduated from f***ing Berklee. You must either be a complete boss at music, an amazingly hard-worker, a hustler, or a combination of all three. Don’t let the fear of the future blur out what you just accomplished. Most people who attend Berklee do not graduate, and do not come even close. They flunk out, decide it’s too much work, or move home because they miss their girlfriend/boyfriend. If you stuck around, you have the guts and the talent to succeed in the real world. You have to use the accomplishment of completing Berklee as the foundation of your confidence to pursue your goals post-college.

2. Loans are coming. Berklee is an incredibly expensive school, and I think it’s worth every penny if you absorbed what you needed to from the faculty, students, and alumni. Again, Berklee is incredibly expensive. Read this and plan for these repayments.

http://www.usnews.com/education/best-colleges/paying-for-college/articles/2012/05/21/7-ways-to-prepare-for-student-loan-repayment

3. This leads me to my next point. Your folks may be expecting you to get a job and become independent in a short period of time. While Berklee may have advanced your young musical career, it doesn’t mean you’ll be John Mayer, Passion Pit, BT, (or Revocation if you’re into metal) right off the bat. You may have to get a day job to support yourself, live with roommates, and work on your music when you can. THIS DOES NOT MEAN YOU ARE A FAILURE. It means you are a hard-worker, and will grind it out to do what you love. The majority of famous musicians had day jobs at one point, and not everyone is Bieber, relax. Working a job you probably don’t want is part of your 20’s, and if you keep your eye on the prize, your music career will advance and you’ll notice the progress. Some Berklee students may land a great salary paying job after graduation, especially Music Therapy majors and Music Education majors. If you can get one of those jobs, fantastic. But realize that the Bachelor of Music may not land you a great job, and you may want to pursue a graduate degree pertinent to your field of interest if you’re looking for a great salary. Most musicians are not in it for the money, and do what they need to do to live the lifestyle they choose and have the freedom to work on their music.

4. If you’re moving away from Boston, think twice. The biggest thing you have going for you right now is momentum, and momentum is tough to get back once you lose it. You’ve spent the last 2-5 years working hard and developing your resources and network in Boston. Whether you have a ton of friends or not, you know people who are working hard in every facet of the music industry, or have access to them through Berklee. You may have played around the area and already developed a fanbase. Unless you’re locally famous in some other area, have a ton of gigs with guarantees lined up, or have a big job waiting for you, the grass is not always greener. Moving back in with your folks may help you financially, but you may sacrifice progress and a large network of people who want to help you succeed, and who can use your expertise (you graduated from Berklee and you probably know something about music or a related field). Getting a day job in Boston may help you stay in the area, continue to develop your band or your music, and will keep your network strong. It’s cold in Boston, but you can move near the beach once you’re a huge success. The strength of your network is directly related to how fast your career will develop, and your Berklee network in the Boston area is probably the strongest part of your arsenal whether you realize it or not. I think I said network 500 times already. Here is 501, NETWORK.

5. Realize that you are most likely some form of an entrepreneur, and embrace it. If you’re an independent musician, a sub-contractor working at a studio, an independent composer, or involved in any music field where you act as your own boss, congratulations, you’re a business owner. Be prepared by learning the basics of business entity options, how to balance your checkbook, how to plan for paying taxes, and how to stay organized. The more you strengthen your business sense, the more prepared you’ll be to seek out opportunities to advance your career. If you have a music business degree, you might already have a leg up. If you don’t, fear not and read some basics on starting your own business. If at all possible, check out The Lean Startup by Eric Ries, The Tipping Point by Malcolm Gladwell, and The Cluetrain Manifesto. If you’re up to it, check out On Competition by Michael E. Porter. Being a successful business owner requires time management skills beyond belief, and you have probably already mastered this by juggling your coursework at Berklee. Now it’s time to apply those skills to your work life.

6. Your portfolio has never been more important than right now. If you’re a solo artist or in a band, it’s time to sharpen up your online presences and “act as if” you’re a professional musician pursuing a long term career with financial success. Look at logos, merch, press kits, one-sheets, and ways to improve your social media. Look at what the top local and regional acts in your area are doing to engage their fans and organize and develop their social media presences. If you’re a composer or a film scorer, look at what other successful film scorers and composers have done in your market, and focus on presentation of the content you have. If you need some help in these areas….

7. Use the Career Development Center. You paid an insane amount of money to attend Berklee, and you owe it to yourself to use all of the resources available. The CDC can help you get in touch with Berklee alums in your area for career advice specific to your field and your market. Many students move to LA, Nashville, or NYC after graduation. There are alums in pretty much any place you move that can give you some real-world advice. The counselors at the CDC have written best-selling books and worked in most facets of the music industry. You have nothing to lose by setting up a short meeting, and asking a few questions you may have about your career post-graduation.

8. Get to know the attorneys teaching at Berklee in the music business department. Ask any successful musician what the biggest expense of their career was, and I’ll bet you find that 90% of the time it’s legal costs. If you’re a musician with copyright and PRO questions, a booking agent, promoter, manager, or involved in any way with making music, you should consider planning ahead. The attorneys in the MB department will answer any questions you have, and in many cases work for free or a deeply discounted rate while you’re at Berklee. Once you graduate, you most likely will pay a lot more. I’m an independent concert promoter, and I wish I had used the expertise of the attorney professors at Berklee more. Contracts and copyrights can be a huge pain, trust me.

9. Realize that you just absorbed 2-5 years of elite music academics, and it’s going to take some time to process and apply it usefully. I went to almost every clinic while at Berklee, and every successful Berklee alum says the same thing. It takes time to really understand and apply what you learned. Continue to practice and use the work ethic and techniques you learned in school, but understand that not every successful musician has mastered every course at Berklee. You’ll begin to personalize what will help you to succeed in your field, and what may not be pertinent in your work life. You’ll see. A few years from now, you may still practice your ear training, but you probably won’t be arguing with your peers about pitches in songs (being in the Berklee bubble). Focus on your music/career.  Everything will make sense once you process the knowledge you just crammed into your head over the last few years.

10. Above all, be patient. Good things take time. If you keep your nose to the grindstone, use the tools Berklee taught you, and do your best to succeed… chances are, you will. Enjoy making your music and the journey of working towards success in your field. Don’t change the things you were doing that helped you to succeed in college. Rather, use that same attitude consistently in everything you do, and you’ll see how your Berklee education is crucial in your everyday life. Martin Luther King Jr. said it best. “Intelligence plus character – that is the goal of true education.” You’ll find that as time goes on, Berklee was a vital part of developing both. Be patient, use your momentum, use your talent and your work ethic, and the rest is history.

Congratulations, and best of luck.