Author Topic: Jobs after Graduating in December  (Read 4991 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

AKBowman

  • New to Town
  • **
  • Posts: 6
    • View Profile
  • Experience: Professional
Jobs after Graduating in December
« on: Nov 10, 2012, 05:19 pm »
So I am finally graduating in December... hooray! As excited as I am to be finished with school, I have had the hardest time finding jobs for the spring. I check BackstageJobs and artsearch daily and have been sending out resumes and cover letters like crazy, but haven't gotten any leads. I know this is a hard time to find work and that most theaters staff their entire season in the summer/fall, so I realize that I'm at a bit of a disadvantage. Is there anyone else on here who graduated in December? Any tips for finding work in the winter/spring? I'm willing to travel anywhere, but can't really afford non-paying internships (I also don't agree with them...). I have a lot of experience with musicals and am really interested in touring, but I know a lot of those jobs are about who you know and being in the right place at the right time.


Any help/advice is greatly appreciated. I'm a member of IATSE and enough get work at home, but would really love to get experience elsewhere.

jcarey

  • New to Town
  • **
  • Posts: 48
  • Gender: Male
  • Stage Manager and Lifetime Student
    • View Profile
    • James D Carey on LinkedIn
  • Affiliations: UNCSA, USITT
  • Current Gig: BFA Stage Management, UNCSA
  • Experience: College/Graduate
Re: Jobs after Graduating in December
« Reply #1 on: Nov 10, 2012, 05:46 pm »
Sorry I can't contribute anything, but I'm interested because I'll be in the same situation in a couple of years.
"A common mistake people make when trying to design something completely foolproof is to underestimate the ingenuity of complete fools."

- Douglas Adams

ejsmith3130

  • SM Expert
  • ****
  • Posts: 155
  • Gender: Female
    • View Profile
  • Affiliations: EMC
  • Current Gig: Coordinating a Move to Napaskiak AK- Harder than any show I've ever done!
  • Experience: Professional
Re: Jobs after Graduating in December
« Reply #2 on: Nov 10, 2012, 06:27 pm »
Hello fellow December Grad! I graduated a couple of years ago in December, but unfortuantly ran into the same problem as you. I had stage crew work at a casino at home, and substitute teaching, but couldn't find much else. I did book a summer stock job in January, but I found it was hard to get things for right away.

If you live in an area with a good theatre scene, try sending out resumes to the local theatres- sometimes they are looking for someone but  not advertising- that is how I got my most recent job.

Just keep at it and talk to anyone you know- every contact counts. It does get easier I promise!

Maribeth

  • Superstar!
  • *****
  • Posts: 1056
  • Gender: Female
    • View Profile
  • Affiliations: AEA
  • Experience: Former SM
Re: Jobs after Graduating in December
« Reply #3 on: Nov 10, 2012, 10:07 pm »
Are there any local job posting websites in your area? I find that those are a good place to start. Here's a thread with a number of websites other members have compiled: http://smnetwork.org/forum/employment/local-and-not-so-local-job-resource-websites/msg33926/#msg33926

I did a lot of resume mailings when I first started looking for jobs. They might not pan out but it never hurts, and they could keep your resume on file and call at a later date. Plus, if anyone needs a last-minute replacement, it's good for them to know you're available.

Do you know other SMs in your area? See if they know of anyone hiring, or if they know of any good resources. (In DC there's an email list among DC stage managers, and folks often pass along jobs to the rest of the group.) See if there's "cattle call" or other hiring event in your area.

Get your name out there!

EFMcMullen

  • SM Expert
  • ****
  • Posts: 127
    • View Profile
  • Affiliations: AEA
  • Experience: Professional
Re: Jobs after Graduating in December
« Reply #4 on: Nov 10, 2012, 10:15 pm »
Two theaters that I know run a March to December schedule: Goodspeed and North Shore Music Theater both New England area.  I know Goodspeed usually does their hiring around now. 

(Though I know that might conflict with your summer...  ;) )

SMrose

  • Permanent Resident
  • *****
  • Posts: 228
  • Gender: Female
  • all the world's a stage
    • View Profile
  • Affiliations: AEA, IATSE
  • Current Gig: Technical Support Services @ Lenoir-Rhyne University
  • Experience: Former SM
Re: Jobs after Graduating in December
« Reply #5 on: Nov 11, 2012, 01:28 pm »
Check with your Local IATSE and ask about a referral to another jurisdiction where you'd like to work.  While doing IA calls, you could check in with theatre companies in the new area.  Might be easier to take on-call work under IA and that leaves you fairly free to grab a theatre job that may become available.  Are you looking for SM jobs?

**Check with your IA business mgr, but in our local, we could work out of jurisdiction--keeping our local membership (you have to stay in good standing). I think we were called after local members filled slots but before casual workers and just owed a % of the "out of jurisdiction" working dues in addition to local working dues.**  But check into this--jurisdiction and national rules may have changed since I was an active member.

AKBowman

  • New to Town
  • **
  • Posts: 6
    • View Profile
  • Experience: Professional
Re: Jobs after Graduating in December
« Reply #6 on: Nov 11, 2012, 03:36 pm »

Currently I live in Wichita, KS... Great place to grow up and do really good summer stock, but not a great place to stay if you want a career in theatre year-round. I work or have worked at the only theaters in town that pay. I'm going to relocate to go to a bigger and more professional metaphorical pond, I'm just not quite ready to do so without a job. I'm looking at those websites in the other forum for anything that comes up.


SMrose- I am ultimately looking for SM jobs, but if I'm working, I'm happy. I'll definitely sign up for the referral list wherever I go, thanks for the tip.


Em- I've been looking at Goodspeed for awhile and am going to apply. Did North Shore change June-December season when they re-opened? That's what it looks like on their website. As for this summer, I am going to apply other places... but Mary Poppins... And Nancy has told me she'll kill me if I'm not there this summer  :) .