 Kum-ba-yah Hollywood Resumes readers! It’s time for a motivational blog post. If you’ve been feeling down about the job search lately, read on. One of the biggest problems that a job seeker can face is a lack of confidence. Self-doubt can really get in the way of your job search, possibly more than you realize. Many people may tell you that you don’t stand a chance in ultra-competitive Hollywood, but that doesn’t mean you have to listen to them! If there’s a job you really want, you should go for it! Especially when applying for entry-level positions, it’s important to remind yourself of the value you bring to the table. Guess what? Being an assistant isn’t all that difficult, at least on a skill level, and if you’ve ever completed an internship, graduated from college, or held some form of employment, you’re probably qualified to cover a desk. In any low-level pay-your-dues-type of position, you’re perfectly capable of handling any task that’s thrown at you. Don’t forget that. Also, make sure you’re applying for jobs that are appropriate for your experience level. If you’re a recent grad with multiple entertainment industry internships under your belt, you’re ready to be an assistant – you don’t need to apply for a receptionist position. And if you’ve been an assistant for three years, you should be going for coordinator positions. Think about your skills and talents, and find a job that aligns with them. Don’t get caught up in the negativity that can overwhelm the Hollywood job search, and don’t let anyone hold you back. You’ll have to be persistent, but reach for the stars – it’s the only way you’ll find a job that makes you happy. --Angela Silak & Cindy Kaplan
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It IS possible to get a job off the UTA job list . . . if you know how to use it correctly12/8/2017  Once upon a time, the UTA job list was the holy grail of job boards – it was semi-difficult to get your hands on, and it was considered the best resource for finding open assistant positions. But that’s not the case anymore – since so many people have access to the list, the number of replies to a posting will quickly overwhelm the hiring manager, and your resume is likely to get overlooked. But there’s a way around this...if you’re willing to put in some extra time and get a little bit crafty. The key lies in our favorite social media site, LinkedIn. Instead of automatically applying to every email address on the list, think of the UTA job list as a starting point for research. With the exception of an anonymous posting, you should be able to figure out the company name (and often the hiring manager’s name) in the listing. Take this information, log onto LinkedIn, and look up that person or company. In any job application, the first line of attack should always be to look for referrals, so figure out if you have any connections who know the hiring manager or someone at the company and get them to pass your resume along. If this fails, try to figure out who the department assistant is that’s hiring, and reach out via direct email (not the generic assistant@gmail.com email that’s often included in the posting). By doing this, you’ll have bypassed hundreds of other resumes and will get yourself some real consideration. And really, this strategy works for any job board. In particular, the UTA job list has a reputation for being a life-saver, but it’s only going to work for you if you know how to use it correctly. --Angela Silak & Cindy KaplanWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview.  Today’s college students are lucky – after multiple lawsuits over the past few years, more and more companies are starting to offer paid internships. If you’re able to land one, good for you! But keep in mind that paid internships are much more competitive than the unpaid ones, and you might not always make the cut. Unless finances are a big issue, you shouldn’t completely disregard unpaid internships – many of them have added value that you may not have considered. Paid internships are typically found at big corporations. Some of these companies have very structured internship programs, and you may wind up on a team that really knows how to manage and mentor interns. But, at a large corporation, there’s also a chance that you’ll get lost in the shuffle. You’re getting paid, so no one is going to feel guilty about making you shred papers all day. The companies that offer unpaid internships are typically smaller, and as a result, they’re often more hands-on. If you land at a company that really needs the extra help, you’re going to have many more higher-level responsibilities thrown your way than you would at a large corporation. Plus, you’ll have more direct access to the top executives at the company, which is great for building your network (or getting hired later on!). So before you decide to focus exclusively on paid internships during your search, consider the potential benefits of an unpaid position. Do your research, and find the place that is going to help you most in the long run, regardless of whether or not it offers extra spending money. --Angela Silak & Cindy Kaplan |
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