How to Get Hired in the Music Industry (When You Don’t Know Anyone)

Almost everyone starts here:

“I want to work in the music industry, but I don’t know anyone.”

And it’s true, connections still matter. But not the way most people think.

The modern music business doesn’t reward who you know. It rewards what you do.

The people who get hired aren’t waiting to be discovered. They’re already building small things that show they understand how the industry moves.

That’s the real secret.

You don’t need permission to start your career. You need motion... evidence that you can contribute, collaborate, and communicate like someone who already belongs in the room.

Here’s how to do that, even if you’re starting from scratch.

The Myth of “Connections”

There’s an old myth that the music industry is closed off... that you need to know the right person to get in. That used to be true. But things have changed.

Digital transformation, social media, and global access mean there are more entry points than ever. The real advantage now isn’t who you know, it’s what you’ve built that people can see.

If you’ve started a small live night, contributed to an artist’s release, volunteered at a festival, or written about new talent online, you’ve already taken steps that most people don’t. Those actions create context. They give people something real to associate with your name.

That’s how doors start to open - not from cold emails, but from visible initiative.

The Power of Contribution

You can build experience in music before you’re ever paid for it.

That might sound unfair, but it’s actually liberating.

It means you don’t have to wait to be chosen. Instead you can start learning the industry from the inside out.

Here’s what contribution looks like when you’re early in your career:

• Helping an independent artist plan a campaign or upload their first release.

• Running small gigs or sessions for emerging acts.

• Volunteering for a music conference, venue, or local festival.

• Curating playlists or writing reviews that highlight new artists.

• Assisting a promoter, manager, or content creator on a project.

None of these require permission.

All of them build evidence that you understand how the ecosystem works. Even a small contribution teaches you more about timelines, communication, and problem-solving than a classroom ever could.

Build Music Industry Credibility Before You’re Hired

Let’s break this down into a practical system... how to start earning credibility in the music industry before you get hired for your first job.

Step 1: Create a visible footprint

Your name should already be moving through music spaces.

That could be LinkedIn, Instagram, Discord...

Share your journey. Post about the events you attend, the projects you’re working on, the trends you’re noticing. Don’t wait until you’re “experienced” to show up online. That’s how you get experience.

Step 2: Turn small actions into portfolio pieces

A playlist, a blog, a social campaign, a small gig - these are all tangible.

Keep a record of what you’ve done, what you learned, and who you collaborated with.

You’ll quickly build a portfolio that says, “I already think like an industry professional.”

Step 3: Be clear about your direction

Even if you’re still exploring, communicate what you’re most curious about - A&R, marketing, live, sync, management. Specificity attracts opportunity. When people know what you’re looking for, they can help you find it.

Learn by Doing (Even If It’s Small)

You’ll learn more from one real-world project than ten applications. The most successful early-career professionals I meet don’t start with a job title but with a project. They help artists. They shadow teams. They ask questions. They collaborate.

Every small project adds to your story.

It proves you’re dependable, adaptable, and engaged.

Those qualities are what hiring managers look for.

Inside Xpandr’s Breaking In programme students who begin with no experience leave with actual campaigns, case studies, and connections.

Not because someone handed them a job, but because they learned how to show their value in real time.

That’s the difference between being “interested” in the industry and being part of it.

What Hiring Managers Actually Notice

When you apply for roles, your CV might be one of hundreds.

So how do you stand out?

Here’s what actually catches a hiring manager’s eye:

• Proof of initiative: They can see you’ve done something tangible in or around music.

• Clarity: You know which part of the industry you want to work in and why.

• Communication: You can express ideas clearly and respectfully.

• Reliability: People you’ve worked with speak highly of you, even informally.

• Understanding: You get how the industry operates beyond your niche.

You can’t fake those, but you can build them.

And you can start doing that today, wherever you are.

How to Build Your Own Industry Education

You don’t need to wait for a degree or internship. You can teach yourself how the industry works and make that part of your credibility.

Here’s how:

• Study credits. Look at who’s behind your favourite artists - who managed them, promoted them, licensed them, published them. Learn those names and roles.

• Read industry platforms. Music Business Worldwide, MIDiA, Billboard, PRS, and IFPI all publish insights into where the business is heading.

• Listen to podcasts and panels. Industry interviews teach language, tone, and culture - things that matter as much as knowledge.

• Join communities. Online or local - people learn fastest when they share what they’re discovering.

Xpandr’s courses are built to accelerate this kind of real-world learning.

Inside Breaking In, for instance, you don’t just study how the industry works, you apply it through projects, mentorship, and community.

That’s the kind of learning employers remember.

How to Approach People in the Industry

The way you contact someone says more than your CV ever could.

Here’s the secret: make it easy for them to help you.

Don’t just ask, “Can you give me advice?”

Try this instead:

“I’m learning about A&R and just started curating a playlist of unsigned artists. I’d love your perspective on what makes a new act stand out to A&R teams.”

It’s respectful, specific, and shows you’ve already started doing the work.

That’s what makes people respond... not flattery, but momentum.

Rejection Isn’t the End

You’ll apply for jobs and hear nothing. You’ll send emails that vanish. You’ll get polite no’s.

That’s not failure - it’s feedback.

Every professional you admire went through hundreds of rejections.

What matters is how you respond: by refining your approach, improving your communication, and staying visible.

Persistence isn’t desperation. It’s strategy.

The Future of Industry Careers

The next generation of music professionals will have hybrid careers.

You might start in marketing and move into A&R. Or begin in sync and end up in artist development. Or blend management, content, and education.

Flexibility is the new expertise.

If you can learn quickly, communicate clearly, and collaborate well, you’ll always have opportunities... even as job titles evolve.

That’s why learning in communities like Xpandr’s matters.

You’re not just building skills... you’re building relationships, perspective, and a support system that moves with you as the industry shifts.

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You don’t need an “in” to get started in the music industry.

You need movement, contribution, and visibility.

Start small, stay consistent, and show that you understand how the ecosystem works. Help others. Share what you’re learning. Keep building proof.

When you do, you won’t just be applying for roles.

You’ll already be working in music and the right people will see it.

If you’re ready to build that foundation, to move from curious to credible, that’s exactly what we explore in Xpandr’s Breaking In programme.

We help emerging professionals build structure, momentum, and networks that last, so when opportunity appears, you’re not starting from zero. You’re ready.

Because getting hired isn’t about luck.

It’s about showing that you’re already contributing to the future of music.