FAQs

General

Business Careers in Entertainment Club (BCEC) is the largest, oldest, and premier entertainment business organization on campus. Additionally, our expertise in entertainment and the diverse skill set we bring remains unique, as we offer both creative and technical skills and studies. This allows us to take on multi-faceted projects with any type of company. We also include a General Membership committee along with our 10 different industry-specific committees, including Music, Film, Media, Digital Marketing, Fashion, Video Games, Sports, Beauty, Television, and Technology.
BCEC focuses on fostering a community of students interested in the intersection of business and entertainment. With that, we also adopt a work hard, play harder culture. Every committee hosts socials including: retreats, karoake, dinners, and more! We also host BCEC wide socials not limited to Big/Little challenges every month, Yacht End of Semester Banquets, and club-wide day trips.
A casual one-on-one meeting with BCEC Directors, Exec Members, or Senior Advisors. It’s a great opportunity to ask questions and learn more about BCEC, and the committee(s) you’re applying for. You get a maximum of TWO coffee chats with any combination of BCEC members!
Not at all - BCEC focuses on passion and dedication to learning about the entertainment industry. Our Board & Exec team includes a range of majors from Media Studies to Data Science to Economics, so BCEC welcomes people of all educational backgrounds! You also do not need previous experience to join BCEC, but highlight any skills you have in your application!
GM = General Membership & General Membership Committee Member. You will be one of 40 committee members, working on 1 of 4 industry-specific projects with 2 GM directors, 2 senior advisors, and 1 project advisor. You will have additional opportunities for leadership in BCEC, including acting as a Committee Intern or Team Lead. As an industry specific CM, You will be one of 8 committee members in our 10 industry-specific committees with 2 directors and 1-2 senior advisors
Each project differs greatly in scope but regardless, you'll work with leading entertainment companies. With a industry specific team of 2 directors, 8 committee members, and 0-3 GM interns (based on committee need), our projects typically span a 12-week period, commencing in early February and ending in early May. Our GM teams include 2 directors, 10 committee members, and 1 project advisor. Through your time in your project, you will learn new skills such as marketing, product strategy, event management, feature design, business analytics, and more!

Recruitment

The recruitment process includes 1 meet the team, 2 info sessions, and daily tabling & coffee chats with our entire board & executive team. During all of these events, you'll be able to learn more about BCEC, ask any clarifying questions, and understand what opportunities we offer.
The CM application process includes 1 written application, 1 zoom interview, 1 social mixer, and 1 in-person interview. The GM application includes 1 written application and 1 zoom interview. For new members, both sets of written applications include 1 general Why BCEC question and 2 committee specific questions. For returning members, both sets of written applications include 1 general returner question and 1 committee specific returner question.
Absolutely! We encourage ALL students regardless of year & major to apply to BCEC, your year and transfer status will not affect your application.
You can apply to one of the following options:
GM only
1 committee
1 committee + GM
2 committees
2 committees + GM
You should apply to the committee that you have most interest in when combing the projects you’ll be working on, interest in the industry, and professional development opportunities. If you have any questions about each committee, be sure to coffee chat the directors or senior advisors for more.
You do not need to attend ALL the recruitment events, but we strongly recommend attending an Info Session and/or our Meet the Team event! These events will help you understand more about BCEC and our committees. Additionally, we recommend doing at least one coffee chat (max of two) with a director, exec member, or senior advisor. If you have any quick questions, feel free to stop by during tabling from 9-5 every day on Upper Sproul!
Show your passion and interest as best as you can! Show up to Recruitment Events & do you Coffee Chats to understand BCEC as best as you can!
Absolutely not! During all interviews, we focus on asking question that encompass passion, committee & project specific knowledge, overall skill set, and situational project questions. We do not ask typical "casing" or math-based questions during any point of the BCEC interview process.

General Advice

Membership

As a committee member, you'll learn a range of technical and soft skills, depending on the project scope you're working on! This can include but is not limited to: decking, trend analysis, market research, content creation, data analysis (including excel, python, etc), and more!
Nope! Although we work directly with companies to provide our members with industry experience, our committee members' work remains under a Statement of Work contract. This means that we do external, contracted work for a company that does not require a work permit or any documentation, as it's not technically a part of the company!
BCEC application is on a semesterly basis, but we do have opportunities for automatic returns to the club on a semester-to-semester basis!
Our weekly time commitment includes 1 club-wide Thursday 8-10 pm professional meeting or social weekly, 1 two-hour committee-specific meeting, and any other time commitments for your committee (including presentation preparation, workshops, project work).
1. Real world and hands-on experience and impact on projects that include midterm and final deliverable presentations with established point of contacts within the entertainment industry 2. Professional Development that includes recruiting advice, haas application workshops, resume/cover letter/and interview prep meetings, networking and alumni events, professional mentorship, office tours, and more! 3. Skill development with industry knowledge, design & decking workshops, technical skills (excel, python, etc), content creation, and more! 4. A community of individuals within your committee and BCEC passionate about entertainment business and work hard, play harder culture!

How should I approach a coffee chat? Are they Important?

“Coffee chats are super important for getting to know the directors of the committee you’re applying to and the rest of the exec or board team. They’re casual but still professional—an opportunity to connect with someone in the club, hear about their experiences, and pick up some helpful insights. To make the most of a coffee chat, do a little research on the person, have some thoughtful questions ready, and most importantly, just be yourself! It’s a chance for us to get to know you beyond your application and resume, and it’s also a great way for you to ask any questions you have about the recruitment process.”

- Britney Doan | SP25 Beauty Director

Do you have any interview tips or advice?

“Interviews are all about showing us your authentic self and how you think, so don’t be afraid to let your personality shine through! Don’t worry about being perfect and taking time to think about the question -- we’re more interested in how you approach problems and communicate your ideas -- that thoughtfulness is actually a bonus! Most importantly, treat it as a two-way learning experience and a chance to advocate for your values towards making changes within the entertainment and business world. We're so curious to learn about you!”

- Fiona Rhee | SP25 Vice President of Business Affairs

What are directors looking for in a Committee Member (CM) or General Member (GM)?

“We prioritize passion over everything; we want to see that you are excited to work on these projects and join the club, rather than having the most knowledge or experience. Everything is teachable, so we want to see how your unique perspective and skillset continues to make BCEC the Best Club Ever Created! GM is especially great to develop your confidence in consulting, while working on exciting projects and forming a strong sense of community at Cal.”

- Lily Salazar | SP25 GM Director

What is the best part about being in BCEC?

“The best part about being in BCEC is the community. As a transfer student knowing no one, BCEC gave me some of my closest friends that I have continued friendships with long after the consulting project. It's allowed me to grow professionally through the projects, adding vastly to my resume, personally through the soft skills of collaboration and communication, and socially through the countless friendships I've made among my committee as well as fellow BCEC members outside my committee.”

- Mathias Yamakoshi | SP25 External Vice President

What is the hardest part about the application process?

“The hardest part I think always comes down to the final interview, I think genuinely just being yourself showing your passion/knowledge of the industry but also your willingness to learn, grow, and gain new experiences from bcec will make you stand out. And take a breath!! Realize that we are all ALSO students!”

- Christine Doan | SP25 Fashion Director