Question about names

[Mikesmith]

Hello,

My name's Mike Smith and I've been reading this forum for a while now, but just now decided to register.  Not sure why I waited so long to do so, but oh well. 

At any rate, I have a question.  I'm currently non equity, but I work as a PA (sort of) for a LORT theater.  Now on half the shows I work on I do the job of a second assistant stage manager, working with both an Equity ASM and a SM. And for the rest of the season I work just with an Equity SM, and do the job of an ASM.  However, due to contract rights, because I'm not Equity, the theater can not call me an ASM, instead I get the clunky title "Stage Manager's Production Assistant" or the even worse title, "Apprentice Stage Manager", which sounds more like an internship. 

I want to make my resume to really shine.  Would it be alright to list myself as "ASM (non Equity)", or even "ASM" or would you say I have to list myself one the above titles?  I don't feel like I'm lying in anyway at all, my duties are the exact same, just not my pay rate.  But technically it's not my job.

One SM I had told me to list myself as a Production Assistant, so that's what I did.  But this hasn't helped me much at all.  When I was looking for non equity summer work, I had one person tell me I didn't have the experience to work at their theater.  Not to say that isn't true, but I wondered if they even understood what I did for the Alliance.  I mean in my town (Atlanta) there non equity SM jobs I could get, and I have done that before I started my current job.   But the pay is lower, the shows aren't as complex, and I simply wouldn't learn as much from them.

I had only one taker over the summer, and it was a very low paying job, but theater dries up in Atlanta in the summer and I didn't want to sit around and collect unemployment.  And at least I now have five more SM gigs on my resume.  Now admittedly I have a while before I need my next job, but I do not want to have the same experience next summer. 

Any thoughts?

[SMExtraordinaire]

You can always put your official title and then underneath write down your responsibilities (which would stick out to anyone as ASM responsibilities). The issue becomes, if they were to call your employer and ask your title and it doesn't match your resume - your resume goes in the trash. I have done this once or twice when hiring. If I can't trust the person's resume info, I can't trust them to work for me.

And as a side note, lack of proper spelling in your resume also ends it up in the trash (considering a lot of what we do is paperwork) so everyone should watch out for typos.

[Mikesmith]

Did I have a typo? 

Yikes. 

Great first impression.   

[SMExtraordinaire]

Did I have a typo? 

Yikes. 

Great first impression.   

Hee hee...I don't know. Just happened to be something that recently became a pet peeve with the latest round of resumes I have received here.

Sorry about that

[Mikesmith]

Ah.  It was entirely possible. 

Spell check isn't perfect. 

Oh.  And thanks for the advice.  My fear, and the reason I haven't put anything except Production Assistant so far is that someone will call and think I'm trying to make myself look better.  Which of course I am. 

My brother and I had a long talk last night and he thinks that as long as you state the job you do, not the title, you're in the clear.  I'm not so sure about that, so I wanted to hear what other people in the field think.

[ljh007]

Hi Mike, and welcome to SMNetwork!

My first reaction as I read your post is that the thing holding you back from getting the jobs you want is not the job title for this particular line. I wonder if you're putting too much weight on this item. It sounds like you have some solid experience at a variety of places. Perhaps this one just sticks in your head because you know how much work you did for what sounds like little recognition. But a new boss will hire you based on all your experience, not just one line that stands out as really good.

I would disagree with your brother, and recommend that you write whatever the theatre considers your title, no matter how awkward. Theatre is a small world, and either someone has seen the show and can look at the program with your credit, or they will call the theatre and ask about you. It is important that your title matches, or at least sounds right in line with, what the theatre called your position. It is not a good thing when the hirer calls the old boss and the conversation goes like this: "Mike? Yeah, he worked for us and he was great. But I think he was an assistant to the stage management, not an Equity PA or anything... what did you say it said on his resume?" This gets you off on the wrong foot with all parties.

How about something more vague, like "Stage Management Team"? It says you worked with SMs without saying exact title or rank. The hiring company can ask you about it and you can explain exactly what you did.

Meanwhile, remember that your resume will shine when it's filled with a variety of positions with strong shows at great theatres. This particular job title is a drop in the bucket, and I would say it's pretty unlikely that the semantics here are keeping you from getting hired or anything. Take a long, hard look at your resume and play with some different presentations to see what works best for your work history and for the jobs you're going after. If titles are important to you, you may have to spend some time taking good jobs at the theatres where you say you wouldn't learn as much, just so you can get those beefy titles - if that's what you want. I don't know Atlanta theatres, but I wonder if you'll hit the non-union ceiling soon and will need to think about going union or moving to another city. Just a thought.

[BLee]

Kind of on this same line of thought:

At my college I do a lot of volunteer crew duties, like attending hang and focus, but since I am not on the official crew I am not credited in the program. Some advice has told me it is acceptable to list that on my resume, especially since it is in educational theatre.

Would you agree? How would you list it (in the example as working at a hang and focus)?

[hbelden]

TomorrowToday:

If it's a stage management position specifically that you're applying for, I would add your electrical experience in a "Special Skills" section, rather than as a credit equal with the stage manager jobs you've had.

Just my suggestion; I'm not a person who hires others, but that's what I'd do if I were you.

[ScooterSM]

Have you talked to the Production Manager (or whomever your boss is) about it?  He or she may be able to tell you what their response would be if someone called about your work and your job title.  If you politely explain your situation, they may be able to help you clarify your role.  Of course you will then need to honor what they tell you even if it is the long title, but my guess is that it won't be.

(Another title option may be Assistant to the Stage Manager, which is still a little bit clunky, but is closer to what you are actually doing.)

Good luck!

[Mikesmith]

Today I started work on a new show, and near the end of the day, when me and the PSM for the theater were winding down, I brought this issue up, pointing out the clunky title.  She said in her opinion I should refer to myself as a Non Equity ASM.  However, I should do exactly as you suggested and tell anyone on my reference list (herself being one of them) so that no confusion can happen. 

Because in her mind the only difference in what I'm doing and what an Equity ASM would do is the amount of payment.

And to answer another question, yeah I really do feel like I've hit the ceiling with non Equity work.  I got into stage management about three or four years ago, and I have had a lot of luck when it comes to getting to work with some truly talented SM's and directors from all over the country.  I think I'm ready, if nothing else at least to ASM officially. My only concern is that I'm not sure what will happen once I go Equity.  I don't know if this city can support me.  Sure I might be able to get a show or maybe even two (and this is a big maybe) if I get my card, but it's more likely that I'll be completely unemployed.  There are some SPT gigs here, but most of those seem taken up, and certainly all the LORT theaters are filled with NY or in house people.  If I go Equity, I think I need to be ready to travel, and I'm a little tired of moving every year.  I've been in Atlanta for two years now and that's the longest I've lived in one city since I got out of school.  Part of me wants to stay non Equity until a position opens up and jump in, but there no way to know if that will happen anytime soon.  And I'm considering leaving time in my schedule to work as an SM in some of the bigger Non Equity spaces just to pad the resume.  Hopefully in April one of the other big Equity spaces will hire me to ASM for them, but I don't have anything definite yet.

On one side, I love my job and the people I work with and I have a little job security for most of the year (assuming they keep hiring me back), on the other side, I could be making a lot more money.  And there are other aspects of the union I think would be good (Health insurance for one).  I don't know, it's a big decision and not one I have to make for some months at least.

Thanks all,

Mike

[SMExtraordinaire]

Kind of on this same line of thought:

At my college I do a lot of volunteer crew duties, like attending hang and focus, but since I am not on the official crew I am not credited in the program. Some advice has told me it is acceptable to list that on my resume, especially since it is in educational theatre.

Would you agree? How would you list it (in the example as working at a hang and focus)?

Because it is educational experience I would absolutely list it. Lighting crew covers that general work. Our if you were involved with the Audio changeover - audio crew.