Business school grad finds her niche in the music industry
On a bright summer day in 2015, Melissa Ruiz walked on stage to receive her degree at Arizona State University’s W.P Cary of School of Business. Her family cheered and chanted her name alongside the rest of the parents in attendance for their grads. With a big smile on her face, Ruiz knew she was ready to pursue her career in the music industry. With her bachelor’s degree in hand, she was determined to go and find a job to open many possibilities. Ruiz knew she could make anything happen for herself.
Ruiz, 27, is currently a social media manager for the GRAMMY Museum in Los Angeles. She is responsible for planning, implementing, managing, and monitoring the company’s social media strategy to increase brand awareness and improve marketing efforts and increase sales. As a hard worker, she is passionate about music, which led her into this industry.
“Growing up in my household, my parents were always listening to different genres of music,” Ruiz said. “Of course, they have open ears about it because my dad would listen to Duran Duran, and my mother would be listening to The Doors, The Who, and others.”
Ruiz became a music lover because of her parents’ music through the early years. From music genres like classic rock, pop, punk, and hip hop, there was a diversity of all kinds of music. Later down the road, she would land an internship at Warner Bros. Records, where she excelled in due course; she would later be promoted to digital marketing coordinator and eventually would become a junior manager of digital marketing.
“My time at Warner’s was very hands-on, and it helped me grow a lot. When I stepped into that role, I truly did not know what I was getting myself into. The only other job I had was In-N-Out burger. This was my first real job, and what I learned in school it allowed me to step into an industry I wanted to work in,” Ruiz said.
According to Ruiz, she met a girl on social media who landed an internship at Warner Bros. Records. “The way I got my start was a random thing. I met a girl through Myspace; we were both fans of Avenged Sevenfold, and we talked through forums on there about the music we like and the songs of this band. She interned at Warner Bros. Records before I did, and I hit her up and asked her for some tips on how she was able to land an internship there. She ended up recommending me there, and I started my internship there,” said Ruiz.
Having connections online and talking to people, you never when doors or chances can open for you. When someone gets the chance, pounce on it because entries like this will not happen again, and someone else may be lucky to get this golden opportunity to work at WB records. Although hard work and dedication also work in favor, for Ruiz, this was probably the best thing to happen to her.
For Ruiz, having the chance to work in the music industry has been a blessing and by chance. She kept working hard as an intern and landed a full-time position with the company in due time. During her time working at Warner Bros., she met many musicians and engaged with them; Green Day, Gorillaz, Linkin Park, Neil Young, to name a few. Not many people get the chance to meet and work with famous groups or artists as Ruiz has.
This internship at Warner Bros. Records for Ruiz was a stepping stone toward something more prominent in the industry that would open many doors. During the time at WB, the digital marketing coordinator position did not exist at all, but it eventually became a new position for Ruiz. It started to gain traction from the people who work there, and they saw her as the candidate to fill that role.
With her experience as an intern, she eventually got the coordinator position that became a full-time job. In the end, Ruiz left her work after five years; she enjoyed being there because she learned a lot and was a very accomplished person there. It became a journey for her as an intern towards a junior manager; it became a growth cycle and experience. It helped her achieve one of the brightest moments in her life and to other opportunities knocking at her door. Eventually, she left on her own to take a better job.
“My highlight in life — it’s hard to pinpoint, but I would say getting into the music industry itself is hard, and for me, it was my goal,” said Ruiz. For her, it was a dream to work for a record label like WB Records at the time because she made her ambitions happen. Setting aspirations and working toward them like Ruiz has anything is possible. She is a perfect example of making your dreams become a reality and is extremely happy with her career job. With everything working out for oneself, you can achieve the most significant things in your own life as she has.
Some perks of Ruiz’s current job as a social media manager for the GRAMMY Museum are attending the Grammys live to see it in person. It is a perk for Ruiz, but since her group of people, she works to make things easier because they are a highly creative team. She will ask what she wants for content for social media.
For example, if Ruiz wanted to set something up for an artist, she would like to do a social capture that brings together online activity surrounding the organization of people and the work and influence that brings effectiveness and the value of work. No one can stop her from doing that, and she can create many opportunities for artists, which is a part of her job as a social media manager. She does not have to throw the hierarchies of bosses because she has mastered her craft.
