If you want to try something a little different (bearing in mind you're competing with millions of others looking towards the same career path) :
- Read 3-5 music industry books to gain a general understanding of the music industry. I'd recommend : Donald Passman's "All you need to know about the Music Industry" and Artist Management & Marketing - Amy Thomson. (The latter has a phenomenal amount of info on dealing with musicians and people in the industry, even if Management & Marketing aren't specifically for you.) Also, find out how Publishing works. Few people can be bothered to learn about this unsexy side of the business but that's where the money is and in terms of competition, having a high level understanding of publishing will help you stand out.
- Once you have some industry knowledge. Start a process of "Idea Networking" - Spend 20 minutes per day coming up with freeform ideas - could be absolutely anything to do with music - i.e. Find a list of artists that are a perfect fit for a particular brand (i.e. Sponsorship deals) or a series of events. Or perhaps write out a marketing/release strategy for an existing artist who has a lot of streams but hasn't quite broke through. Maybe even create a pitchdeck for a new artist who would be a great fit for a bunch of specific record labels. Don't limit yourself (i.e Don't ask for permission) Just think big and act. Your first hundred or so ideas will be garbage but that's fine, after 2 or 3 months you'll refine the idea muscle and awesome ideas will pop into your head on a weekly basis - Then move to the next step.
- Take your best ideas and shortlist them based on what resonates with you the most. Refine the ideas into a real plan. Build a 90 day roadmap for your plan. List the ideal people you need on your team to execute on the plan. If you don't know them personally, build a dream team and write a brief description of the role they'll play.
- Creat your Hot100 list of dream team people and industry people (mentors) that you need to pitch to or ask advice from.
- Finally (The hard part) - Get on the phone for two hours each day. Aim to speak to these people and your only goal is to pitch your idea (dream team people) and/or ask advice (from a list of mentors who have already done something similar to your idea.) You're not asking for anything in return. You're just getting to know people "face-to-face" and share your best ideas.
- I'll emphasise that last point. The goal is to network via great ideas. At the same time your building relationships with people who could potentially partner with you to actually execute on a great idea and you're also making yourself known to mentors, providing value in the form of fresh ideas. Something that is quite rare in conjunction with the ability to be fearless and get on the phone with the right people.
-#1 Rule: The quickest way to make it in the music industry is to make yourself valuable to the biggest players. #2 Rule: Don't ask permission. #3: If you follow the same path as others have laid out in terms of a "careers" you can, at best, expect to have a mediocre career. And while that's fine, the glossy sheen of being "in the music business" will quickly wear off and it will become a regular job like any other.
- That's it! Follow this routine as standard, even if you're looking for regular jobs in the mean time and it will open doors for you that you couldn't possibly imagine right now.