THE MUSE #107
In this edition: Abby Garcia shares five essential tips for optimizing your job search in the latest from “What I Learned by Doing.”
What To Do When Finding Work Feels Like a Full-Time Job
by Abby Garcia
New Column Alert! This is “What I Learned by Doing,” a column dedicated to real-world discoveries about emerging into the entertainment industry. These lessons are anything but theoretical as actress and producer Abby Garcia shares her experience transitioning from school to professional settings and how she faces the challenges of “making it” today.
I am happy to be back with the second article of What I Learned by Doing! To be honest, I meant to finish this piece a while ago. While the seasonal flu was a factor in my delay, there was also something taking up what felt like every breath I had to offer: finding a new job.
To recap, since May I had been working on a television show, first as a health and safety production assistant, then as a supervisor within the department. It was an unforgettable experience that I didn’t want to end — mostly because I met some amazing people and I didn’t want to part ways, but I also didn’t want to go through the grueling job search again. I couldn’t do it. As the show approached its wrap date, I could feel the dread seep into my skin. I knew we couldn’t film forever and that soon I’d need to find something else.
So I strapped on my blue-light glasses and hit the job search, again.
Where Can I Look For A Job?
The obvious answers are the job board sites, such as LinkedIn or Indeed where you can search through thousands of jobs in your field. With these sites, I suggest optimizing your potential. Invest in the premium features, at least in the beginning, so you get the most out of the time you spend on your search. If you find the premium features aren’t helping, you can always stop your subscription. On LinkedIn, I’ve made sure to follow the recruiters for the companies I am interested in. They are always posting roles they are seeking to fill with a link that directs you straight to the company portal. I also try to connect with people whose career trajectory I admire and message them for any advice they may have. Most often they are willing to help because they were once emerging professionals as well and are eager to help people who are eager to work.
A less obvious, and somewhat intimidating, answer is to reach out to mentors or former professors to see if they know of any opportunities or places to search. Though I’ve found success on the job sites, it is easy to be lost in a pack of other applicants. By asking people who have seen you grow as an artist or professional, they will be able to share their connections and keep you in mind for anything that pops up. Sending periodic emails to old acting teachers can help you get an audition in a play they heard about. Reaching out to your former film mentor could set you up for an internship one of their colleagues is in charge of. Maintaining connections are key to finding potential work for the future.
Lastly, never hold back from reaching out to a friend. My first job out of college did not come from the 20 applications I sent in online but from a random text I sent to an old friend looking to catch up. Turns out she was working on a TV production that was looking for additional PAs and next thing I know, I am working on that show from pre-production to wrap! Then friends of mine who later reached out to me found themselves working on the show as well. You never know who has an opportunity and is willing to help you. Remember to be kind and hardworking so when an old schoolmate is looking to fill a position, they think of you.
Other Resources!
Facebook has so many pages dedicated to production work where people regularly post cast or crew opportunities. I am a part of the NYC local page Local Zero Heroes and have seen many postings so far.
While there is a whole article worth of resources on sustaining a career as a freelancer, this episode of Emma Gannon’s Ctrl Alt Delete podcast with Amma Codrea-Rado on freelance culture and her book You’re the Business: How to Build a Successful Career When You Strike Out Alone were very inspiring to me.
There is a course for nearly every interest, area of growth, and how to find work over at LinkedIn Learning. Scroll through when you have some downtime to gain professional experience on all things work.
How Do I Set Myself Up For Success During the Job Search?
During the tedious time of applying, searching, getting rejected, and moving forward in interviews, I kept asking myself: how can I make this easier for myself? I felt drowned by the search. However, after reframing it as a process instead of a struggle, I was able to approach finding a job with a better mindset.
Understand that there are only so many parts of the process that you can control. This was something I was taught early on in acting school: just because I’m not the one who is cast doesn’t mean I’m not talented or worthy of the job. It was casting’s decision and they have so many things to take into consideration — they could’ve just cast someone who looks like me in another role and couldn’t go with me; maybe someone came in who just understood the writer’s humor on the first try. The list goes on.
Whether it’s an audition or interview, there are other variables outside of yourself that will dictate whether or not you get the job. Control what you can control.
For me, I know I can control at least two things: the practical and the attitude.
The Practical
Always have an updated resume and general cover letter on hand that you can apply or send off at a moment’s notice. Thankfully, Jerry Lee of Wonsulting has a free resume and cover letter templates that he has crafted specifically to garner attention from recruiters. I also recommend following him and pages alike on Instagram as they post content daily that can help you get your next job.
If you want a resume more design forward (and there are pros and cons to resumes like these, look here), I use Visual CV. It gives you different templates to follow, from classic to artsy. I use it for both my producing and acting resumes.
Speaking of two resumes, I suggest having different resumes/CVs that highlight different skills and experience. The resume I use to get production work is very different from the one I’ve used to get hired at restaurants or in retail. I recommend keeping different resumes for different roles you are applying to and keep them updated regularly.
Besides a resume, having a website, portfolio, or reel ready to send whenever you need has proven really helpful. Roles in the creative field open up fast and need to be filled just as quickly. Have a monologue in your back pocket. Have your pitch up your sleeve.
The Attitude
I understand that I will never know exactly what the recruiter or casting director is looking for in their next hire. However, going through auditions and interviews, I realized that bringing authenticity and confidence into the space is one way I can control as much of the process as possible. Don’t lose out on a job because you aren’t being yourself or are trying to impress them. Walk in the room knowing what you have to offer and believe that business will be lucky to have you. Companies want to be confident in people who are confident in themselves. Conviction and an eagerness to learn are two things I always bring into an interview and have been successful tools so far.
Finally, something I’ve had to repeat to myself of early on in the process is: Stop comparing yourself to others. If we all started in the same spot and moved at the same pace and in the same direction as each other, there’d be no room to explore your true path or grow to your greatest potential. One person’s pace should not be your own and what jobs find them are not the jobs that are looking for you.
Originally hailing from Tampa, Florida, Abby Garcia is a proud alum of New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts and the Fall 2021 Nine Muses Lab cohort. She has a passion for innovation and inclusion, both on screen and off, and specializes in creative development and team building. Currently, she is an executive producer for Best Years, an upcoming web series.
Newsworthy & Opinions
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In the battle of the genre shows, does House of the Dragon or Rings of Power take the crown? HBO and Amazon debuted expensive and high-stakes new fantasy shows within days of each other. Their performances offer lessons for the rest of Hollywood.
Ron Howard receives the Lifetime Achievement Award in directing at SCAD Savannah Film Festival!
“If I ever saw my muse she would be an old woman with a tight bun and spectacles poking me in the middle of the back and growling, ‘Wake up and write the book!’”
Newsletter run by Nia Farrell, Director of Development & Production at Nine Muses Entertainment
