|
"Industry Spotlight" is our monthly series where we interview professionals from across the entertainment industry about their current jobs and career trajectories. Our hope is that you will learn more about the positions you're already interested in, discover new roles you may not have considered, and utilize the wisdom of those who've paved the way before you to forge your own path for success.
This month's Industry Spotlight is a special edition, where we sat down with a Talent Acquisitions Manager at a global media firm who previously worked at a communications-focused staffing and recruitment agency. Here, he shares his insight into the recruitment process and key advice for job seekers. HOLLYWOOD RESUMES: What does a recruiter do and what is your day-to-day like? RECRUITER: It varies a bit by company and type of recruiting role, but in general it's a recruiter's job to find the best candidates for open positions. We collaborate with hiring teams and business leaders to craft job descriptions, sometimes make recommendations on how to structure the teams, post job opportunities, review applications/resumes, source for passive talent, coordinate the interview process from start to finish, and extend job offers. Day-to-day includes meetings with hiring teams and business unit leaders, spending time in the applicant tracking system (ATS) reviewing resumes for open positions, conducting initial phone screens, attending events, reporting on recruiting metrics and KPIs, and looking for qualified talent on LinkedIn and other sourcing channels. HR: What's the first thing you look for when screening candidates? RECRUITER: The first thing we look for is if the candidate has the necessary hard skills to do the job. Because no matter what, that is needed. However, that is not enough to proceed to the next round. We also pay close attention to communication style/ability, personality, and soft skills. Does the candidate have an ego, and if so, will that be a detriment to this team? Can they describe things clearly? Do they seem confident? Have they prepared/done research? Believe it or not, we're also listening to the candidates to understand what they are looking for in their next role. They could have every single skill needed, but if the role doesn't align to their career goals, it won't be a successful hire. Finally, we are also thinking about the future -- perhaps this role may not be a fit, but maybe there are others now or down the line that would be better. Given the active job market and low unemployment rate these days, recruiters need to think ahead and be strategic if they are going to successfully fill their open positions. HR: What's the #1 resume mistake you see? RECRUITER: Misaligned dates of employment. For example, we'll see Job A from December 2015 - January 2018, and then Job B from January 2017 - June 2018. While it's possible someone held two jobs at once, make sure that's clear if it's the case. Along those lines, sometimes we also see certain dates on the resume, but then when talking to the candidate they give us different dates or time in the role, and that conflict can cause concern and lack of trust in what's being communicated to us. Bottom line is, don't be afraid to tell the truth, and if there are gaps in employment, that's OK -- just find a way to address them on the resume and the phone screen (and you don't have to account for every single little thing you did, it's understandable that candidates will have some minor gaps in employment history for a variety of reasons). HR: How should candidates use LinkedIn? RECRUITER: LinkedIn can be a powerful tool. First and foremost, make sure you have a professional profile. That includes a professional-looking photo, and most (if not all) of the sections filled out. Link your role to your company's page if they have one (and if they don't, take the initiative and make them one!). Another thing that's very helpful for recruiters is if you include two key pieces of information for each job: 1) a brief overview of the company or business unit/division you work for, especially if it's not commonly known, and 2) a summary of your key responsibilities. These two snapshots provide some great information all in one place. Also, leverage your network! Reach out to mutual connections, ask for introductions to recruiters or professionals you want to meet, and be willing to pay it forward and help others! And finally, if a recruiter does reach out to you, respond! You don't have to be interested in the role, but it never hurts to start the relationship. HR: Many of our readers are looking to make big career transitions -- i.e. freelance to full time, returning to work after time off with family, switching career paths entirely -- what can they do to convince a recruiter they're right for a job in a new sector? RECRUITER: This is a great question, and I've found myself in this situation in my own career as well. First, you need to know the market and come to the conversation with knowledge. You need to understand the role you are applying for and what the requirements are, and whether you have them or not. I'd say it's less about "convincing" and more about "exploring" -- make it a collaborative partnership with the recruiter, be very open and clear about what you are looking for and why, and what areas of your background and experience can apply. Also, admit to what you don't know or don't have experience with -- most companies, while they have a list of requirements for each job, will hire people who don't hit every single box. Remember, other skills are important, too -- personality fit, soft skills, communication, ambition -- these all can help your case. And finally, be realistic -- if you've been a graphic designer for 10 years and now you want to be a TV executive, you're not going to be able to start at the same level as someone with 10 years of relevant experience. Be ready to have that conversation, admit to what you do and don't know, be realistic about your expectations for the job and salary, do your research, and you'll probably then be well on your way to landing that career transition you are looking for. HR: Tell us about ATS - how important is it to tailor your resume to them? What keywords are absolutely imperative? Do all companies use the same ATS? RECRUITER: There are tons of ATSs out there that companies use; it's essentially recruiting software. Many are similar in how they function, but each have their own strengths and nuances. My first piece of advice is not to worry too much about it. The ATS is more for the recruiting teams to manage open positions, applications, pipelines, job status, candidate status, etc. However, certain ATSs are more advanced than others and may use technology to help match a resume to a particular role. So, first and foremost, make sure you have a solid resume as a foundation. This means it's detailed, hits the important points, and can be adaptable. Then, it doesn't hurt to tailor your resume to the job description. So, if you see a job description touting certain skills or using specific keywords, there's nothing wrong with making sure your resume matches some of that verbiage or addresses those areas...but only if it's true! It may increase your chance of matching in the system and getting contacted for the role. But again, I wouldn't drive yourself nuts trying to do this to perfection. Just develop the best resume that showcases your professional career and professional self and make tweaks here and there to align to the the job description, and you should be in good shape.
0 Comments
 If you’re looking for a job at a higher level than your current role, trying to break into the industry from a different field, hoping to move from one area of entertainment to another, or aiming to leave the industry altogether, you’ll need a resume that communicates that you’re capable of doing the job you’re applying for. The resume you used to get your last job isn’t going to cut it! But if you follow these key tips, you’ll be able to convince a hiring manager to bring you in for an interview. First, read the job posting closely. You’ll need to assess if you actually are qualified for the position (overqualified does not count as qualified). Read each element of the job posting as if it were a question; “Communicate with multiple players to manage project execution” becomes, “Can you communicate with multiple players to manage project execution?” If your answer is “Yes!,” consider why. Map that “yes” back to a skill you acquired at a previous position, and make sure that skill becomes a bullet on your resume. If your answer is “No,” that’s okay, as long as you have affirmative responses to the majority of the qualifications. If you don’t even understand the terminology in the posting, reassess if this is the best job for you right now, or if you should take some professional development courses to learn more about the field. Once you’ve determined which of your skills translate to the open role, you’ll need to make sure they’re highlighted on your resume. Your first bullet in each section should set the stage for each of your past roles to add context for the hiring manager (this is especially important if you’ve worked at smaller companies or are transitioning to a new industry). The remainder of the bullets should track back to the job posting and use as much verbiage from the posting as possible. Even if the majority of your job was spent doing something else, focus only on the relevant skills that apply to the open position. Your resume isn’t a biography, but rather a marketing document designed to highlight the value you can bring to the new company. You may also consider adding a professional summary or core skills list to your resume to highlight key elements of your background, particularly if you’re further along in your career or are making a huge transition. (If you're applying for entry-level roles, these sections aren't necessary and mostly just waste valuable space). A professional summary is a paragraph at the top of your resume that provides a quick overview of your experience and strengths and creates a story for why your multitude of skills makes you an excellent candidate. To write a professional summary, think about how you would define yourself -- if you can brand yourself with a known title (like development executive or reality TV producer) that's great, but if not, you can list a few specializations and the types of companies you've worked for. Then think about the primary qualifications the posting suggests an ideal candidate would possess and use that to fill in the last 2-3 sentences. It’s a good idea to tweak this section, even slightly, for each posting to highlight the most important skills you bring to the table and what sets you apart from other candidates. A core skills/area of expertise section can also help boost your resume, since it’ll give you an opportunity to use more keywords and showcase expertise you gained from multiple positions. This could be presented as a simple list of skills at the top of your resume, or it could be a few broader skills with some bullets describing them. For example, you can title a section “Project Management” and highlight how you managed budgets and deadlines as a line producer on set in bullet points below. If you’re going for Project Manager roles outside the industry, you’ll have that critical phrase on your resume, even though your title of “Line Producer” doesn’t directly translate. Just be careful not to include soft skills in this list -- things like “excellent communicator” or “team player” are easy to say and hard to prove. If you list a skill in this section, make sure it’s backed up by a tangible description in your resume. You might also consider a functional resume, especially if you’ve had a lot of freelance positions and are looking for a corporate role in a different area of the industry or a different industry altogether. This resume focuses more on general areas of expertise and achievements than a chronology. This is often a last resort, since employers like to see a clear timeline, but it can help keep your resume from becoming four pages long or too repetitive. In particular, a functional resume can be a helpful alternative if you’ve worked on multiple projects in a year, returned to a series for multiple seasons, or if you’ve consulted for a variety of clients in a similar capacity. Regardless of how you tackle it, make sure your resume is tailored to the job posting. Show the hiring managers exactly what they're hoping to see, and leave off the extra stuff. You might have to dig deep to remember experiences and skills that will translate to the new role, but if you can mimic the job posting as much as possible, you'll have the best shot at getting through that first hurdle of making a successful transition. Angela Silak & Cindy Kaplan  Getting an assistant job is tough -- but proving yourself as an assistant is even tougher. And you’ll definitely need to show your boss and network that you're a great assistant, because that’s the only way you’ll get promoted, recommended for future jobs, and move up the Hollywood career ladder. Being an assistant in Hollywood isn’t just about doing your year on an agency desk and then magically getting your script greenlit. If that were the case, everyone would succeed! Rather, the assistant phase of your Hollywood career is designed to separate those who really get it from those who aren’t fit for the industry. So how do you ensure you fall into the former camp? These three qualities are what it’ll take for you to stand out as an assistant.
"Industry Spotlight" is our monthly series where we interview professionals from across the entertainment industry about their current jobs and career trajectories. Our hope is that you will learn more about the positions you're already interested in, discover new roles you may not have considered, and utilize the wisdom of those who've paved the way before you to forge your own path for success.
This month, we sat down with Casting Director/Producer Francine Dauw, Owner of Aberrant Creative, a boutique casting and production company that specializes in casting for unscripted and branded content. Recent credits include DOGS (Netflix), DR. PIMPLE POPPER (TLC), and SUPERNANNY (Lifetime). HOLLYWOOD RESUMES: In one sentence, how would you define your job? FRANCINE: I find really amazing stories for different types of projects, and sometimes I produce and direct them too! HR: What is your day-to-day like? FRANCINE: A lot of emails and a lot of phone calls! Honestly, every day is different, which is why I like that that I get to do many different things in this industry. I run a casting company and also produce and direct documentaries. HR: What do you like most about your job? FRANCINE: Talking to people and uncovering their stories, learning as much as I can about them, and then figuring out the best way to tell those stories. HR: How did you get your current job? FRANCINE: I worked very very hard for many different companies and then realized I wanted to do things differently. I took a very big chance and went out on my own...but this is where I will say my partner in the company, Matt Shelley, comes in. He was a big believer that we could make this company successful and do things differently, and he championed us. If he hadn't done that, I really don't think I would be doing what I am doing now. I would probably still be working for other people, not as happy. HR: What was your first job in Hollywood? FRANCINE: I interned for a documentary production company for 2 years. Started out as intern there, and by the very end, I was the production manager on a documentary called "Nursery University" for the company. HR: What are key attributes someone would need to succeed in your position? FRANCINE: Extremely self-motivated, a good listener -- both to your subjects and your clients -- and must be willing to work all hours of the day and night to get the job done right! Must never settle. Must expect big things from your colleagues but also treat everyone with respect and dignity. HR: If you don't like ____________, you won't like my job. FRANCINE: If you don't like working very long days and on the weekends and having nearly every holiday ruined, don't run your own production or casting company. HR: What’s something you do in your job that an outsider wouldn’t expect (and maybe you didn’t expect before you took the job!)? FRANCINE: When you are a producer or run a company, yes, you are the "top dog," but being the top dog often means you are still doing small tasks. If a client or cast member could really use a coffee, and you are the only one around, guess what? You go get that coffee! HR: What’s a mistake you made early on in your career? FRANCINE: Not admitting mistakes and being defensive when I didn't know all the answers or did make a misstep! Now that I have 16 years of experience under my belt, I am often admitting when I don't know something or when I have made a mistake. HR: If you could give one piece of advice to someone trying to break in/move up in the industry, what would it be? FRANCINE: Work hard. I really mean that. Always ask your boss at the end of the night, "What else can I do to help you?" Just that simple question gave me more responsibilities and had my bosses put more trust in me, and therefore pushed me ahead of other team members, got me bigger job titles and more money...climbing that ladder! Thanks, Francine! |
Hollywood ResumesWelcome to our career tips blog! To receive our updates via email, sign up for our weekly newsletter. You'll also get access to exclusive discounts, offers, and resources! Categories
All
Archives
December 2019
|
RSS Feed