During the summer before my final semester of college, I managed to talk my way into a highly sought-after internship at one of the biggest studios on Nashville's Music Row. I was excited because I was sure that meant I would find hundreds of opportunities to sit in on sessions with major-label artists and top-notch engineers working on cutting-edge gear. Imagine my surprise one day when I was handed a tube of cookie dough, a spatula and instructions on when to bring treats to the in-session clients.

I remember standing there, utensil in hand, thinking about how only moments before, I'd been invited by one of the aforementioned clients to sit in on an orchestral tracking session. I protested the assignment to the studio manager, pointing defiantly in the direction of the main control room and asking why one of the other interns couldn't handle the odious task of baking and serving. I pointed out that the whole purpose of internships is to give future engineers the opportunity to learn. And that's when the revelation hit me: She was giving me a chance to learn, and the lesson being offered was far more important than anything I could have picked up by watching an engineer's hands hovering over a console.

I always thought school was the first step down the road to becoming an audio engineer. But in my years since graduation — while accruing studio hours and experience, and while choosing and training interns myself — I've come to the realization that school is actually more like the little booster step that readies you for your first step down that road. Don't get me wrong; in the age of digital audio, education is practically essential, whether in the form of work-study, certification or a degree program. As computer skills become crucial for virtually every stage of production, more and more employers are looking for signs of education in potential new-hires. There is simply so much to learn about the audio world that entry-level engineers have to be conversant with topics like console theory, principles of digital audio and the basics of signal flow before setting foot inside a studio — even in an internship capacity — which is why it may be startling for entry-level engineers when they first discover that virtually none of their assigned tasks draw on their expensive, hard-earned educations.

There is so much more to becoming an engineer than book learning and practicum. We have to learn how to function in a professional studio environment, how to interact with clients, how to appreciate the little things it takes to make a facility appear as though it functions effortlessly to those who pay for its services. And, most importantly, we have to learn how to interact with senior staff.

Fresh-faced, eager new hires tend to feel their body of knowledge bursting at the seams, and just about every one of us — at some point or another — has countered a senior engineer's instructions with the phrase: “But in school…” It's an impulse that's difficult to resist because we feel like we understand the hows and whys, and we don't see the point in beating ourselves over the head with methodology. However, the senior staff is senior staff for good reason. They've endured years of training and have paid their dues, and while they can serve us by sharing invaluable nuggets of knowledge, we can serve them by making their lives easier. That brings me to the Golden Rule of assisting: The engineer's word is gospel, at least while you're working for him or her. So much of audio production is subjective and preference-oriented, but to the person on whose shoulders the success of a project rests, there's only one way to do things. Live by that, and your senior staff will love you.

While working that very same internship where I baked cookies for clients, I frequently ran setups and teardowns with the studio's resident second engineer. He and I repeatedly butted heads over the issue of cable wrapping, because he insisted that all cables had to be coiled right-handed, starting at the female end. I didn't agree: I figured over-under was the same regardless of which hand or which end started. Eventually, he explained that he had a methodology for tossing out cables that he felt was impacted by my left-handed wrapping. He felt my refusal to comply adversely affected the efficiency of his setup, and that in turn adversely affected his ability to perfectly complete the session engineer's setup. Even though I didn't agree that it mattered either way, I decided to do it his way, if only to keep the peace. His whole demeanor lifted. Instead of wasting time debating the merits of cable wrapping, he had the time and the inclination to share seconding tips with me.

Although most entry-level gigs are more about attitude than aptitude, becoming fluent on a wide variety of equipment is a pretty good way to advance quickly. Arm yourself with a “yes sir, right away sir” outlook and an encyclopedia-like knowledge of a facility's gear roster, and you'll find yourself with more trust, more responsibilities and one step closer to the work you wanted to do in the first place. The question is how to best go about finding opportunities to learn a facility's gear.

I've interned and worked at huge facilities and tiny boutiques, ranging from music studios to radio stations to post houses, and the one thing I learned about the difference between them is that it's much more difficult to get gear time in a big, high-profile studio than in a smaller house. Frequently, big studios are booked virtually nonstop, and any downtime is filled with setup and teardown or held for senior staff to work on private or smaller projects. Although the chance of stumbling upon a big, exciting opportunity may be greater at a large, infamous facility, the chance of actually sitting behind the console may be greater at a smaller one. During my last internship in Nashville, I chose a small two-room post house located off of Music Row. I was the third person in a two-person operation, and in no time, I found the engineer asking me to man Pro Tools while he watched over my shoulder. Once I proved I had the right attitude, he was willing to let me prove my aptitude and I developed Pro Tools skills I would have never developed in a controlled school environment. The client list might not have had the brag-factor of a larger studio, but the experience I gained from hands-on opportunities put me far ahead of my competition when I went out into the world looking for a paying gig.

That said, it's important to remember that the whole point of an entry-level position is to develop an understanding of how studios work, how to exist in the hierarchy of the industry and how to develop the right attitude while proving, and improving, aptitude. So what are the things we should all learn as we're first starting out?

First: technology. Pay attention and follow up on topics that seem suspiciously simple. Regardless of whether you intend to go into music production, post-production, installation work or broadcasting, become familiar with timecode issues, video decks, Pro Tools plug-ins and, yes, even those antiquated analog open-reel tape machines. Learn about ISDN, routing, patchbay basics and memorize a few commonly used microphones. I once worked for an engineer who liked to rattle off a list of required microphones only once, and he used the speed and completeness of his second's retrieval to gauge whether he would let that person work for him again. Knowing model numbers paid off in that instance.

Second: professionalism. While it may seem obvious, studios are businesses, and as businesses, they rely on clients for revenue. For many of us, part of the appeal of this industry is the idea of working in a casual environment where the dress code is only slightly more formal than that of a rock concert. However, there are many facilities where the dress code is “business casual,” even for the entry-level staff; it is better to dress up than to dress down until you're sure of what your employer expects. I recently trained a studio assistant who liked to show up for work in ripped jeans and safety-pin-riddled T-shirts. And while the head of audio didn't mind his casual attire, the head of the more conservative video department worried about what clients would think when they saw him, and asked him to please avoid client areas such as lobbies, lounges and hallways. Unfortunately, with that as his first impression, he never found enough opportunities to prove that he could excel despite his appearance. Lesson learned: When in doubt, err on the side of conservatism.

Third: client/workplace etiquette. Understand that at any given moment, there are hundreds of other entry-level engineers out there who would be willing to do your work twice as hard for half the pay. Understand, too, that any self-respecting studio manager won't think twice about canning you if you jeopardize an expensive, hard-won relationship with a client. Because of that, always be aware of what you say and do when you're around a client. Be aware of your body language, be careful not to dominate conversation, remember to be polite and that a little subtle flattery never hurt anyone. I worked at a facility where one client insisted on ¼-inch tape for all of his dub orders. We hired a studio assistant whose first reaction to this information was to turn to the client and say, “Really? I didn't think anyone was using ¼-inch anymore.” He meant no harm and was just trying to make friendly small-talk, but the client took it as an insult and later informed the department coordinator that he'd been made to feel stupid. Luckily, he needed no more placating than a formal apology, but I guarantee you, if it had come down to losing the client or losing the assistant, the decision would have been simple. Likewise, be aware of how you speak and act around senior staff. Making an engineer feel like you doubt his or her methodology probably won't win you any favor. Better to be more respectful than necessary than not respectful enough.

With the right combination of good attitude and good aptitude, an internship or entry-level position can accelerate anyone toward bigger and better opportunities. Enthusiasm is crucial, as is respect, politeness and the sponge-like ability to absorb knowledge. With so much competition in the job market, finding ways to stand out as the best choice is what will put you ahead. And learning those ways can only come from working your way up from the bottom. Education gets you to the door, experience gets you in and learning from experience sends you down the path to full-time engineering.