Breaking In

I'm an Assistant

Aren’t we all Assistants?

No matter your title, years of experience - if your boss or your boss’s boss, or someone more senior to you asks you to answer a call, make copies or prepare a document or spreadsheet – would you say no?

One of the first roles we all typically assume in the industry is an assistant role. Whether it is at an Agency, Studio, Production Company, etc. – we learn to be invaluable to our superiors.  We learn to do the ‘grunt work.’  We learn that doing the grunt work well and without hesitation is what gets us recognized.

My point here?  If you are eager, ambitious and hungry for a successful career in the entertainment industry, don’t forget your roots.

When I interview candidates or current employees for a Coordinator* or entry level manager positions, there is nothing more bothersome then the “above it” attitude – the sense of entitlement that a person has graduated from doing the clerical work.  Managers want to see a ‘go-to’ attitude, a team-player; someone willing to do whatever is needed immediately, without hesitation and/or attitude.  As working environments change and the demand for versatile and willing talent exceeds the supply, employers are looking for multifaceted, ‘in-the-detail,’ exceptional professionals.

Now, don’t get me wrong….as someone that has received constructive feedback on delegating more, I get that at some point we have to hand-over most of the minutia…. I’m just asking you to remember the importance of being willing to do what needs to be done – aren’t we all an assistant to someone?

* Don’t be fooled…“Coordinator” positions often carry more clerical responsibilities then some Assistant roles… more to come on this topic…

The 3 P's of Breaking In

Breaking in to the Business?  I happen to land my first entertainment job through a serious of connections, or in other words, by sheer dumb luck:  I was looking for my break in my field (human resources), answered a newspaper ad (remember those? yes, a newspaper ad) and just so happen to land in the Business.  I’ve been hooked ever since.

Through my years of meeting a vast audience of entertainment job seekers, I have noticed a few common qualities that make a future hire stand out.  These traits might sound cliché, but they are proven:

• PASSION:  I can’t tell you what a difference it makes to meet someone genuinely excited about their career and industry of choice.  Believe me, there is a difference in their demeanor, knowledge, etc.  Smile, engage, know your stuff!
• PATIENCE:  Know what you want and wait for the right move.  So many people take any job “to get their foot in the door” – sometimes it works and they get where they want eventually, but a lot of the time they get stuck in a dead-end role or career as a result of that miss-step.
• PERSISTENCE:  Take every meeting that is offered to you - you never know who, when, where that right opportunity will present itself to you.  Now, be careful – it’s one thing to be persistent, and it’s another to be obnoxious.  Know the difference.

In my humble opinion, these three “P’s” are the foundation to breaking in – build upon these and you will be on your way to a successful and fulfilling career in the industry.

Yours-

Ellen