Chicago Job Vacancies

Internships

Southern Records' Chicago office, located in the Logan Square / Bucktown neighborhood of Chicago, is seeking interns starting 1st February. Positions will also be available in March and April.

Southern Records is both a label and a distribution company with offices in Chicago, London, Le Havre (France) and Berlin. The Company was founded in the UK over 20 years ago as a recording studio and then developed into a label partner with seminal bands such as Crass, Subhumans and Rudimentary Peni. Our US office has been in existence for the last 14 years and continues to grow, distributing such labels as Dischord, Constellation, Brassland, among others. Southern's own imprint label is also run from the same office.

An Internship at Southern will offer a wide range of duties and give an intern exposure to the inner workings of a distribution company and label, as well as the music industry as a whole. For an especially motivated individual we would be open to possibly tailoring a position to meeting someone?s specific interest. This being said those with a large degree of personal initiative and a real passion for independent music will benefit the most from this internship.

The type of work an intern at Southern can expect to do:

  • Assisting our PR team with mail outs and follow-ups.
  • Pulling and packing orders for distributors and our mail order department.
  • Preparation of newsletters and content for our web site.
  • Collating and filing press clippings and PR reports for labels.
  • Preparation of sales and PR literature (one sheets, biographies, press releases).
  • Assisting sales team with order input and sales tracking.
  • Reviewing and responding to demo tapes and distribution submissions.
  • Attending gigs and liaising with bands, helping run merch stalls etc.
  • Show Promotion, both locally and nationally.
  • Assisting in checking stock levels.
The type of skills a Southern intern should possess:
  • Experience working in a professional office: Arriving to work in a timely manner, Professional phone skills, basic knowledge of all standard software (i.e. MS Office on a Mac platform.)
  • Knowledge and real passion of the current landscape of independent music.
  • For Sales internships previous sales and marketing internships is a BIG PLUS.
  • Previous press experience is also attractive.
  • Having a vehicle is a personal plus!
  • Applicants must be least 18 years old.

The above list is a guideline only. Responsibilities will be discussed in greater detail prior to an Intern being accepted.

We expect that interns work a minimum of 8 hours a week and maximum of 25. This is an UNPAID position and schedules are flexible around our interns' other commitments. This internship can be done for college credit and we will complete necessary forms for academic requirements, as well as give references to deserving interns. A completed internship with Southern does not guarantee employment at Southern.

How to apply

Please send resume with two references and details of any prior working experience applicable to a position in an independent record company. You may also wish to include details of your experience with Mac OSX software and Word/Excel working knowledge. In addition please answer the below questions and email your complete application to ad40086@southern.com, or send to: Internship Applications, Southern Records, PO Box 577375, Chicago, IL 60657.

  1. Why are you applying for an internship at Southern?
  2. What experience do you hope to gain as an intern?
  3. What type of work would you ultimately hope to pursue in the future?
  4. Who are your three favorite musicians/bands and why?
  5. What are your three favorite books and why?
  6. What magazines do you read on a regular basis?
  7. In your opinion, is the availability of music for downloading (whether legally or illegally) a positive development, or a negative one... and why?
  8. What, in your opinion, should differentiate an independent label from a major?
  9. What date are you available to start working at Southern, and what date would you like to finish?
  10. What hours/days are you available to do your internship?