Category: Job Search Tips

How watching your favorite TV shows and movies can help your Hollywood job search

11/29/2018

You flick on the TV. As you settle in to watch your favorite show, a little voice nags in the back of your mind... “Shouldn’t I be productive? Shouldn’t I revamp my resume so I can apply for a new job?”

Sure, if you watch TV or movies 100% of the time, you won’t get too far in your career. But, considering that you’ve opted for a career in entertainment, watching content is a part of the job. And not just any content -- your favorite shows can help you during your job search.

But how?

Well, if you’re up to date on your favorite shows, you’ll be ready to talk about them in an interview. During an entertainment industry interview, you will almost always get asked to name your favorite shows and movies and what you're watching now. And there's nothing worse you can do than answer that question with, “I don’t really watch many TV shows or movies.” A close second is naming a show and not being up to date on it. Imagine you tell your interviewer that your favorite show is Grey’s Anatomy, and it turns out she's also a fan. If you’ve answered this question honestly, this is the perfect situation -- you can geek out about the latest goings-on of Grey-Sloan and turn the interview into a casual conversation, a great way to make interviewer like you. But if you've missed the last three seasons and can't contribute to the discussion, you’ll have lost the interviewer’s trust. You'll never have this problem if you watch tons of TV -- if you spend enough time watching content, you'll likely have multiple favorite shows to pull from that you could speak about intelligently in an interview.

And yes, binge watching your favorite shows can serve as great interview preparation, but this practice is useful on a broader level as well. When you have a good sense of the content landscape, you'll have a clearer picture of the kinds of content you like, and this can help you narrow your job search. When you watch your favorite shows, take note of who produced them and add those companies to the list of employers you’re interested in working for. Many Hollywood hopefuls move to LA and cast a wide net -- they're trying to get a job at any company in the industry, regardless of what content the company produces. In our opinion, that should be a last resort strategy. Your initial focus should be on finding a job that will help you grow into the the kind of role you always dreamed about. A narrower job search will allow you to focus on cultivating a targeted network, plus you’ll find it easier to write cover letters and connect with interviewers who share your enthusiasm. And once you get the job, you’re a lot more likely to enjoy your role. If you never watch sci-fi movies, why would you want to spend 60 hours a week reading sci-fi scripts as a development assistant? You have to consider what will really make you excited about going to work every day, and watching TV and movies regularly can help you find that passion.

Isn’t it great when something most people think of as an indulgence can actually boost your career? Next time you get sucked into a Netflix binge, settle in and enjoy it guilt-free -- after all, it’s getting you one step closer to your dream job.

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Applying for jobs doesn't have to be scary!

11/2/2018

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Unemployment. Slower career progression than anticipated. Having an abusive bos s or toxic work environment. These career woes can be terrifying. We put so much emphasis on career as a measure of self-worth that dissatisfaction about employment status can have an affect on all areas of our lives. Even worse, these feelings of despondency can make it harder to get motivated to apply for jobs and could impact the way you're perceived in an interview. Employers want to hire excited candidates, not depressed ones. So how do you break this cycle?

Take a deep breath. By refocusing your fear into productivity, you’ll find a new job in no time. Here's how we recommend tackling three of the most anxiety-inducing aspects of the job search:

1. You don’t know what you want to do. Whether you’re newly unemployed or just sick of your current job, you may be wondering what’s next. It’s normal to be anxious when your future is uncertain. But the flip side of anxiety is excitement. Instead of focusing on the paralysis of choice -- too many possible jobs that none seem “perfect” -- aim to learn more about yourself. Make a list of all of your skills and interests, and then brainstorm jobs where you could make use of these skills and interests. Then, write down all the reasons you don’t want each job you've come up with. Maybe you can’t afford the additional schooling that may be required, or your interests only align with half of the responsibilities that the role demands. Eventually, only a few jobs without “cons” will remain on your list, and you'll have narrowed your options into a manageable few. At this point, all you have to do is research the remaining jobs. Look up current and old job postings for similar positions and look for patterns. Set informational interviews with contacts who work in the areas you’re interested in. Vet each role carefully, and when you've assessed which career path(s) sound right for you, conduct a targeted job search that only includes these types of positions.

2. You don’t have the right network. Whether you’ve exhausted your current network or are looking to transition into a new field where you don’t know anyone, you may find the old adage of “it’s not what you know but who you know” overwhelming. But the good news about people is that you can always meet more! We have a few tried and true strategies for building your network -- aside from the (hopefully) obvious tip of attending networking events, you can start to cultivate more meaningful relationships by telling everyone you know what your employment goals are and who you want to meet. By the rules of Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon, someone has to know someone. You should also focus onbuilding out your LinkedIn profile and contact list. And in a pinch, you can even cold email possible connections and hope to find a kind soul or two who'd be willing to help.

3. Your resume isn’t strong enough. Maybe you’ve been out of the workforce for several months, or you’re looking to transition to a new type of role and don't know how to play up your strengths. Or maybe you just haven’t updated your resume in a while are feeling overwhelmed. Concern about your resume is valid -- you need to present yourself well on paper in order to stand out from the pack. But pat yourself on the back -- you’ve already taken a major step toward creating a great resume simply by subscribing to our newsletter and reading our tips! If you’re still feeling stuck, don’t be afraid to ask for help. Working with someone to craft your resume -- whether it’s a professional service or a trusted friend -- can help you zero in on your skills. An objective outsider will be able to point out what's missing in your current resume and what elements are irrelevant or distracting. He may even recognize talents that you didn't realize you had! Settle on a clear list of skills that you feel confident about, and work to match the verbiage of the job posting to craft a strongresume. It takes time to build a great resume, but time is nothing to be afraid of.

Even if you're still feeling a bit unsettled, remind yourself that you are not defined by your current employment status. Life is too short to beat up on yourself and too long to feel restricted by any one path. Find what works for you now and what will make you happy now, and focus your energy on working toward that goal instead of freaking out and feeling stuck. You have the power to forge a satisfying career track -- the only thing to fear is fear itself.

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Where to look to find job postings and open positions in Hollywood

8/23/2018

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If you’ve recently moved to LA and are starting to look for a job, you may be feeling a bit lost. Although there are tons and tons of companies and open positions in the entertainment industry, you probably aren’t seeing too many good job postings if you don’t know where to look. Especially when searching for assistant positions, sites like Indeed.com or even LinkedIn aren’t always the most helpful. Here are six resources that might lead you to something great:

Referrals. Referrals are by far the best way to land jobs in Hollywood. Most positions are filled through word of mouth, so it’s essential to have a great network if you want to find out about open roles. Make a list of your top companies and start setting up informational interviews with people at those companies as quickly as you can. And don’t forget to network with people at your level! Assistants are often the first to hear about open positions.
Company job portals. After you’ve made a list of your top companies, set up aschedule for checking their job portals every day. You can submit your resume through them, but you aren’t likely to hear back unless you’ve gotten your resume into the hands of the right person. This all goes back to networking, but the portals will help you identify open positions and know when to reach out.
Trade publications. Stay up to date on the trades. Look out for announcements of new companies, new divisions, and new projects and try to figure out who’s leading the charge to fill out the new teams. You can always send a cold email with a congratulatory note to build a new relationship with someone whose latest endeavor interests you.
Tracking boards. Tracking boards are email listservs or Facebook groups that facilitate communication within the industry. Lots of job postings are listed on tracking boards, so if you’re ever given the opportunity to join one, do it! The catch to tracking boards is that you need to be invited and accepted to join, so it may take some time to get on one. If you're not on any boards yet, ask your contacts about theirs. They may be able to add you to one or be willing to forward job postings.
Paid subscription services. There are a couple of subscription services dedicated to publishing Hollywood job postings. Hollywood Job Opps and EntertainmentCareers.net are two popular ones that you could consider for entry-level positions. If you're looking for production jobs, Staff Me Up may be a good resource. Lots of people use these services, but paid members have access to postings first, so if you log in frequently, you could be ahead of the game. Even if you don't want to fork over the money, you'll still get access to valuable postings. Either way, you'll maximize your chances of landing an interview if you ping your contacts about any companies you apply to where they may be able to put in a good word.
Entertainment-focused job lists. The UTA job list is probably the most well-known collection of Hollywood job postings that goes out every week. It used to be very exclusive, but now everyone gets it, so you’ll have to be smart about applying for jobs listed there and boost your applications with some networking follow ups. You should also look for lists that may go out through your university or any professional organizations you’re a member of.

You'll notice that each of these suggestions has something in common: networking. If you want to maximize the number of interviews you’re getting, you’ll need a few allies. The good news is, many people are willing to help! Don’t be shy about reaching out -- it will pay off in the long run, and then you’ll have the opportunity to pay it forward to others trying to break into the industry.

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How should you evaluate a job offer?

8/17/2018

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Hooray! You just got a job offer! Your potential employer has decided that you’re the best fit for the role, and now you get to flip the tables on them and decide if they’re right for you. As we’ve said before, you shouldn’t always take the first offer you’re given -- put some careful thought into your decision. Accepting a new job is a big deal and will define your life for the next few years, so you should choose wisely. Here are three things to consider when evaluating whether an opportunity is a good fit:

The people. Did you get the sense that the people on your future team have fun personalities that align with your own? Can you envision yourself hanging out with them? Were they friendly during the interview rounds, or did one person rub you the wrong way? One of the most important factors that will dictate whether or not you’re happy at work is the team you’re on. So if you didn’t get good vibe from someone or have heard that your potential boss has a reputation for being difficult or abusive, you’d do better to pass on this one and continue looking for other opportunities.
Your lifestyle. Make sure you do a thorough cost/benefit analysis to determine how this career choice will affect the overall scope of your life. Start by asking the following questions: Does the role fit in with the desired lifestyle you’d like to lead (or at least get you closer to it)? Is the salary is enough to maintain or improve your current standard of living? Are the benefits going to cover whatever personal needs you have? How long is the commute? What are the hours, and are they flexible? If one of these elements isn’t working for you, perhaps there is some room to negotiate on salary or flex time to make up for it.
The role. How excited are you about the work that you’re going to be doing? You might have an offer from a prestigious company but in a role that’s below what you’re capable of. In this case, the company name is probably not going to make up for the fact that you will be bored at work. Look for a challenge and a team that supports learning and growth. You may have spent a lot of time thinking about the position and getting yourself hyped up about a potential opportunity, but it’s good to step back and reassess how excited you are about the actual role you’ve been offered.

Ultimately, you’re going to have to trust your gut in making this decision. If something feels off, try to figure out why. Is it something that’s going to hinder your experience at the company? If everything sounds great, go ahead and accept! Regardless of your final decision, this is an exciting time for you -- an offer indicates that you’re one step closer to reaching your goal and finding that perfect position.

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