# How much experience do you need to get paying work?



## littleowl (Mar 10, 2010)

I just graduated with a degree in theatre a little over a year ago and have been volunteering with some theatres but I don't know how much experience I need to apply for some tech. jobs. I just have no clue how seriously I would be considered for some positions and I was wondering if I could show someone my resume so far of what I've done and see if you could give an idea if I could be applying for some things or what areas I could probably get work in? 

When I first got out of college I thought I would have to volunteer for a while and have no problem with that but then I was told by someone working in theatre that I should be getting paying work now and was told I shouldn't volunteer anymore than a year after school. I plan on always volunteering even if I have paying work though.


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## Footer (Mar 10, 2010)

Whats your degree in? 

My feeling has always been don't let yourself tell you what job you are qualified for, let others tell you. That needs to be taken with a grain of salt, don't start applying for jobs that are way out of your league. Build a resume and start sending it out. There is only one way to find out if you can find work... and that is to find work.


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## MNicolai (Mar 10, 2010)

Throw a resume together and send it everywhere, especially if you have a degree already. Send it everywhere you'd possibly want to work, and even apply for a few positions you're not entirely sure about. See what happens.

What's the worst that can happen? Someone looks at your resume, doesn't think you're qualified, and throws your resume out without ever remembering your name after that anyways?

On the flip side, what could be the best case scenario?

So long as you're doing whatever it is you want to be the best at, nothing else matters.


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## derekleffew (Mar 10, 2010)

littleowl, the article Getting a Job in the Industry will either encourage, enrage, or encompass you. Footer and MNicolai have it right; if an employer is dumb enough to hire you, you must be qualified.http://www.controlbooth.com/forums/members/littleowl.html


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## littleowl (Mar 10, 2010)

I am applying for work and sending my resume out to a lot of theatres. I'm just wondering with my experience so far, what positions I could be seriously maybe be considered for. And my degree is in theatre, only doing tech, no acting.


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## Footer (Mar 10, 2010)

littleowl said:


> m just wondering with my experience so far, what positions I could be seriously maybe considered for. And my degree is in theatre.



BFA, BA, BS, MA, MFA, MS, AS, AA.... Is your degree in tech/design or is it in general theatre studies or is it in acting? 

If you want to post what your experience is we can give you a general idea about what level you should be aiming for. If you are not into moving, odds are you should just apply to everything under the sun in a 50 mile radius. 

One other question that is pretty important... are you looking to get a revenue stream that will allow you to survive and do you need to have your employer provide you health insurance or do you have another way of getting it? If you want to actually make money doing this you might want to consider work outside of a theatre and look into the music/corporate world.


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## mstaylor (Mar 10, 2010)

That is a pretty open question. Depends on what you actually learned in college if you are qualified for a job or not. I have a friend that majored in tech theatre and was working small calls for a small theatre, running house sound or lighting. A local sound company that has added lighting over the last couple of years hired him to run their warehouse/repair shop and tech shows when possible. Because he has sound and light knowledge he fell right in. I would have trouble, even though I have been in the business longer than he has been living, but I don't have a sound background. 
It's a long way to say look at available jobs and see if your knowledge base fits the job. Even if you don't have all the skills you can learn. What area do you feel most comfortable, rigging, lights, sound, SMing or other areas of the business. 
Don't limit yourself but try not to get in over your head either.


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## Van (Mar 10, 2010)

I always tell kids that are sending me resume's or comming in for interviews the most important things for me are : " You have experience, Great. You have a degree, Great. You don't know how to do everything? No Problem, as long as you are willing to learn or are up-front and honest with me. 
I cannot stand hiring someone in only to find that thier resume is overblown and or inflated; Are you a good carp? Great. You were the 'Master Carp' for all your college productions? Great! Nobody else in your school could swing a hammer ? Oh.....

There is nothing wrong with volunteering, if you can afford it, and as long as you don't impact your income, or someone elses with it. What I means is "Why would someone pay you or someone else to do something they know you'll do for free? " Don't let that become a problem for you. Many Theaters operate as Non-Profits, human beings do not.


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## len (Mar 10, 2010)

Get a resume together and get it out there. Don't turn down anything offered as long as they know your skills and limitations. In this business, it's as much about how much effort you're willing to put in as it is about the degrees you have or the "education" you have. 

I'd rather have a bunch of people who don't have any experience but are willing to learn, than someone who already "knows everything."


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## SHARYNF (Mar 10, 2010)

Let me take a different approach than the Shotgun approach. I suggest you try to determine WHERE you want to work (Rifle aproach), and then focus your attention in getting in the door anyway at one of those organizations. Persistence, and getting to know the right people in the organization you want to work for can go a long way. 

Personally I think that the chances of getting selected based on sending out a ton on unsolicited resumes is very slim. If the person doing the hiring gets a recommendation or can associate a face or some experience with the "paper" your chances are vastly improved. 

Sharyn


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## DuckJordan (Mar 11, 2010)

If your worried about what you should apply for, personally i have more background in sound, but i am equally as capable with a saw and a hammer, it all depends on what you feel comfortable doing, most places if not all will tell you on the first day of training "Forget what you thought you knew about ..." and they will tell you how they want you to do it. i have never run across a business or venue that just put me on the job and said do it.

Make sure they know your limitations and your abilities. I had a job where they said manual labor was used. what they didn't say is it was heavy manual labor with few breaks in between, lets just say i told them politely that the job wasn't for me and that they should find someone else.

Businesses aren't going to blindly get an employee just as you are not blindly trying to get a job in tech.

just my 2 Cents


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## HillJonathan (Mar 12, 2010)

Thats really hard to say. I got really lucky an started getting paid work my JR year of High School and haven't had to work a free gig yet. I know its rare and alot of LUCK


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## gcpsoundlight (Mar 13, 2010)

Definately you need to make sure that your intentions about which section you are willing to work in are made. Comments like, 'A bit of this, a bit of that" won't help much, but things like "I am really passionite about Lighting, and would prefer this section" Will help. the person you are speaking to then knows where you are coming from, and what you are likely to know/expect.

Also, do try the shotgun approach. On year I sent out 20 applications to volunteer, I got back 3 yes's, but it worked well, and I got some good references.

Thats My 2 cents


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## MNicolai (Mar 13, 2010)

gcpsoundlight said:


> Definately you need to make sure that your intentions about which section you are willing to work in are made. Comments like, 'A bit of this, a bit of that" won't help much, but things like "I am really passionite about Lighting, and would prefer this section" Will help. the person you are speaking to then knows where you are coming from, and what you are likely to know/expect.
> 
> Also, do try the shotgun approach. On year I sent out 20 applications to volunteer, I got back 3 yes's, but it worked well, and I got some good references.
> 
> Thats My 2 cents



The shotgun approach also helps you determine the your own value once you already have a job. If you've got three employers ready to hire you, you've got more bargaining power if you really do like where you work to ask for a promotion or a raise.

At this point you'd be playing your cards as if you have nothing to lose, because you _wouldn't_ have anything to lose. They can choose to negotiate better terms with you, or you can choose to go somewhere else. You wouldn't want to be a jerk about it, but it's a completely valid method of negotiating if you aren't otherwise emotionally tied to the job you're at.


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## ajb (Mar 15, 2010)

Speaking as someone who regularly calls overhire, I collect contact info and resumes from just about anyone. I have my priority list, but if I need extra hands to strike or load/unload a truck, I have no problem calling in someone with limited experience. If you do well on that call, you move up on my list and I will call you again. As I get familiar with your strengths and weaknesses, I will call you in for more specialized tasks, and I'm more than happy to invest a little time in teaching employees whom I value . From most to least important, unless I'm looking for an expert or specialist, I look for:

1. Attitude--ability to take direction, and ask questions when you need to
2. Work ethic--showing up on time and pulling your weight
3. Experience

Of course, that's for overhire work where I can try out someone for a four hour call at very little risk. It's different if you're applying for full time positions, where the potential employer is taking a much larger risk and expects much more from candidates. There, I think you are best served by developing strong references, and networking. Make sure the places you want to work know your name and your face, and make sure they won't hear anything bad about you. And make sure you keep sending in your resume, especially if you are a freelancer. If there's a company you really want to work with, don't be afraid to send them a new, more impressive resume every 3-6 months as you do more bigger and better things--even if those things are still volunteer.


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## littleowl (Mar 17, 2010)

Thank you to everyone offering advice, it's definitely helping me to understand this process of getting in with theatres.


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