Author Topic: Regrets  (Read 2998 times)

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brettnexx

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Regrets
« on: Mar 05, 2013, 09:07 pm »
I was talking about this with a friend of mine, if there have been any jobs that you regret not applying for in that moment, yet you had reasons for not applying for in that moment.

There was a company in Canada that was doing a co-op with a theatre in Italy, it was an apprenticeship, the rehearsals were in Italy, and the shows opened there, then came to Canada. The company was going to pay for you to learn Italian for two weeks before the prep week started. Obviously they would house you and all that.

At the time, I had many small non important reasons not to apply. But now that it's passed, I definitely regret it, even though there's a good chance I wouldn't have gotten it, since it would've been my first apprenticeship, but I still regret not even trying.

MatthewShiner

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Re: Regrets
« Reply #1 on: Mar 06, 2013, 12:29 am »
I have figured out a long time ago, unless I am contracted with a conflict, I apply to everything.

How do I know I like or job or not based off a half-page job description????  You get to interview them, as much as they get to interview you . . . and some jobs I thought I would have hated at the start of the interview process, I actually got excited about. (And we all know the jobs that were exciting at the start that turned out bad . . . )

(Oh, my 2000th post)

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Anything posted here as in my own personal opinion, and does not necessarily reflect the opinion of my employer - whomever they be at a given moment in time.

brettnexx

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Re: Regrets
« Reply #2 on: Mar 06, 2013, 02:25 am »
It was partly because I was planning on going back to school (but alas, all the SM gigs I got this year made it so I couldn't afford to) and partly fear of rejection. However, in the year since the application was not sent, I've realized that it's ok to not get the jobs you really want, because there will be other, sometimes better, sometimes just as good, sometimes worse jobs in the future.

But I am applying for everything (that fits in my schedule) now (upset but understanding that I didn't get BotB), and I will be starting my apprenticeships in april, and continuing my theme of doing (not-so) queer theatre.

DeeCap

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Re: Regrets
« Reply #3 on: Mar 06, 2013, 10:34 am »
I can't think of any jobs that I regret not applying. I have a few that I regret not taking when I was offered.

Oh well. Circle of life and all of that.

NomieRae

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Re: Regrets
« Reply #4 on: Mar 07, 2013, 10:56 pm »
I'm with Matthew in that I generally apply for any job as long as I am not already contracted (although it does pay to be discreet if you are applying for a job so you can leave your current gig, everyone knows everyone...)

Looking back I have regretted not taking certain positions because at the time they had more 'cons' than 'pros' for me but later went on to long off-broadway runs or international tours... but in the whole scheme of it I think I've done okay.

Sometimes I rue jobs that are perfect but I'm not in the right point of my career for them. Case in point, last summer a regional theater was hiring a resident PSM and I would have done anything in my power to get that position... it's my dream gig. However, they were looking for someone with 10-15 years of experience when I just barely capped at 7. They enjoyed my resume and my first interview but admitted that I wasn't a right fit for right now. Will I be keeping a close eye on that theater for the future? Damn skippy!

--Naomi
"First, I honor life, and with it my life in theatre." -- Jacques Burdick

MatthewShiner

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Re: Regrets
« Reply #5 on: Mar 07, 2013, 11:37 pm »
And to be honest, I also apply for jobs as back-up to other jobs - but the second job I was inform of where I stand with the first job.

Remember, you have to keep work lined up.

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Anything posted here as in my own personal opinion, and does not necessarily reflect the opinion of my employer - whomever they be at a given moment in time.

Tempest

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Re: Regrets
« Reply #6 on: Mar 08, 2013, 11:31 am »
In college, I saw a posting that Cirque du Soleil (I don't remember which show) was hiring spotlight operators. They were looking for people about at my experience level and the pay (to a 18 year old student) seemed amazing. I didn't apply, because I had a fiancee who would have taken issue at me being away from home for a long time, and dropping out of school would have cost me my scholarships. I would not have been able to afford to go back.

Well, the fiancee dumped me, and the most useful stuff I took away from college was the out-of-class work I did at various theatres, and the life experience of living on my own away from parents and dorm. I could have gotten that and so much more working for Cirque.

Yes, I do regret I didn't run away from home and join the circus. Or at least try.
Jessica: "Of course I have a metric size 4 dinglehopper in my kit!  Who do you think I am?"

brettnexx

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Re: Regrets
« Reply #7 on: Mar 08, 2013, 04:14 pm »
Interestingly enough, the same apprenticeship just posted that they are looking for people for this year, so I sure as hell am not making the same mistake!

Maggie K

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Re: Regrets
« Reply #8 on: Mar 14, 2013, 02:03 pm »
I don't really have regrets.  Sometimes I wonder about the road not taken and where it would have led me but overall I'm happy with my choices.  Hindsight is 20/20 and it's easy to say "oh, if only I'd known x I would have done something differently".  My sister once pointed out to me that if you went back to that exact moment in time, with the exact same information that you had and being the person you were at that time, you would still make the exact same decision.  So what's the point in dwelling on it?

Overall, I believe a little bit in fate.  If I do my best to get a position but end up not being chosen, then I wasn't meant to get it.  And often when I've not gotten something, something else that's been even better has come along.
I like the ephemeral thing about theatre, every performance is like a ghost - it's there and then it's gone. -Maggie Smith