# Cirque du Soleil career recruiting events



## gafftaper (Jan 6, 2010)

Cirque is going to be hosting 3 recruiting events in L.A., San Francisco, and St. Louis in the next few months. These are an opportunity to meet some people, find out what it takes to work for Cirque, and get your name in the pot. Be warned that while it's a good experience you aren't nessisarily going to walk away with a job. So, I wouldn't advise you to drop everything and fly across the country to attend. A friend tells me one of his friends attended one of these last year, has had three interviews since then but has no actual job yet. On the other hand he probably wouldn't have gotten those 3 interviews without attending the recruiting event. 

More information here.


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## cdub260 (Jan 6, 2010)

Sounds like fun. It's just too bad that I'd rather stay where I'm at.

I guess someone else'll just have to go in my place.


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## Pie4Weebl (Jan 6, 2010)

hmm, this might be worth the trip downtown.


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## derekleffew (Jan 8, 2010)

Express 48/96 operators particularly needed!



Cirque du Soleil


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## Footer (Jan 8, 2010)

derekleffew said:


> Express 48/96 operators particularly needed!
> 
> 
> Cirque du Soleil



......who work with channel faders no less....

I really hope that is an istockphoto image or something like that because that picture is just an embarrassment.


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## gafftaper (Jan 8, 2010)

Sorry CDub. You are probably too old to get hired by Cirque anyway. They seem to like to hire younger (but experienced) hotshots who are eager to work anywhere in the world, probably don't have a family to uproot, and aren't set in their ways and unwilling to relearn the cirque way of doing things. 

Pie on the other hand is in the magic demographic.

As for the picture, I bet someone took that shot MANY years ago and the promotional/HR people (who know nothing about light boards) thought it looked really cool.


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## cdub260 (Jan 8, 2010)

gafftaper said:


> Sorry CDub. You are probably too old to get hired by Cirque anyway. They seem to like to hire younger (but experienced) hotshots who are eager to work anywhere in the world, probably don't have a family to uproot, and aren't set in their ways and unwilling to relearn the cirque way of doing things.



Next thing I know you'll be telling me they want someone with good knees who doesn't need to wear a brace on his right wrist!

Seriously though, if I was one of those younger but experienced hot shot's I would give this potential opportunity some serious thought. If they really wanted me, they would have to come to me and offer me at least double what I make at the Pageant of the Masters in order to get me to leave. And somehow I just don't see that happening.

Besides, I already had to rethink everything I thought I knew about theatre and learn the Pageant way of doing things when I started this job 10 years ago. I don't want to do that again if I can avoid it.

But for some of our younger CB techs, still in the early stages of their careers, this could be a great opportunity.


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## bull (Jan 9, 2010)

I would love to go, if only I was out of college and had a few years experience. Seriously though, Cirque de Soliel is like my dream job. Haha.


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## gafftaper (Jan 9, 2010)

In defense of the Express 48/96 picture... A friend of ours has reminded me of a few things I learned on my LDI Cirque backstage tour last year.

Cirque builds a show around the best and most recent technology available. They spend a lot of money and get a show dialed in just right. Then they leave the show alone and run it. There are still lots of Strand 500's and Hog 2's in use by Cirque. Not because they don't want to upgrade, but because an upgrade isn't needed. If a show was designed to be run on a Strand 500 it would cost a lot of unneeded time, headaches, and money to transfer the show to the latest console. As long as your old console is still running the show just fine why change? One of the reasons Cirque is so successful is that they aren't wasteful with their money (I also hear that there are some people at Cirque with "mad Ebay skills").

With the number of hours their gear is running they probably wear stuff out faster than anyone. I'm told they purchase a nice stockpile of backup consoles to replace/repair their older gear. Eventually it will no longer make sense to keep using the old console and they will upgrade to a new console. But as long as the old console still does the job they need it to do, it doesn't make sense to spend a lot of money upgrading everything to the latest gear. 

That said, newer shows use the latest technology. So the end result is there are some old Express 48/96's kicking around and there are Eos and Ion's used as well. It all depends on what is needed. The right tool for the right job.


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## Pie4Weebl (Jan 9, 2010)

gafftaper said:


> They seem to like to hire younger (but experienced) hotshots who are eager to work anywhere in the world, probably don't have a family to uproot, and aren't set in their ways and unwilling to relearn the cirque way of doing things.
> 
> Pie on the other hand is in the magic demographic.



Well I'm sold, even if its not exactly what I want to do, its certainly worth an afternoon to go see what opportunity they may have.


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## What Rigger? (Jan 10, 2010)

Aaaannnnnd...they feed you! 

Yes friends, I attended one of these events about 2 years ago. You get a tour of the tent, you get to talk to department heads (and underlings) and...at least back then...if I was willing to pack my bags a leave, literally, the next day- they were gonna give me a job. They didn't really wanna talk to me about the resident shows (the ONLY thing I would/could consider. My road dog days are over, although I am an official RFL). Like a lot of places, they need riggers. If you have fall protection training, and a rope access certification (SPRAT or IRATA, they don't care) they will definitely look at you.

And yes, this was all in the VIP guest tent so there were munchies and beverages of the non-suds variety. The whole atmosphere of it was very chill, very relaxed. YOU get to pick when you want to 'interview'...not them. You don't even have to if you don't want to.

I never heard back from them until later last year, but I still had to tell 'em basically "It's KA/Love/Zumanity or nothing guys. Sorry."

Regardless, I'd say check it out- but not at the expense of say- working that day.


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## Footer (Jan 10, 2010)

From what I recall about starting to go through the process to get on an installed show you actually have to be hired by the hotel and assigned to the show. Their touring staff and their installed staff don't really co-mingle. I know that they do hire people for the installed shows at the event but there are a few other hoops to jump through before you can get placed on an installed show.


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## Pie4Weebl (Jan 10, 2010)

Footer said:


> From what I recall about starting to go through the process to get on an installed show you actually have to be hired by the hotel and assigned to the show. Their touring staff and their installed staff don't really co-mingle. I know that they do hire people for the installed shows at the event but there are a few other hoops to jump through before you can get placed on an installed show.




Well, when I filled out the show, they had a check box for what kinds of shows I was looking for and installed show was an option. (Not that I want to do one of those, but eh.)


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## Pie4Weebl (Mar 13, 2010)

Just got my e-mail from them about a meeting! Anyone else going in STL? I love it, the location is a secret until we get closer, ooOoOoh, mysterious! 

I'm going into this with no expectations, but we will see what they have to offer.


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## HSSBO94 (Mar 13, 2010)

let us know how it goes

any chance of getting some photos?


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## gafftaper (Mar 14, 2010)

Knock em' dead Pie! You are just the kind of guy Cirque likes to hire. Young but you know your stuff, motivated, creative, not set in your ways. 

Are you willing to spend a few years in Macau? If the answer is yes you could be set.


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## Pie4Weebl (Mar 30, 2010)

derekleffew said:


> Express 48/96 operators particularly needed!
> 
> 
> Cirque du Soleil



They told me I needed to go bald before they would hire me for that position 

But seriously though, it looks promising, but I don't think I am their type... at all. They had a Q & A session before hand at Webster and were very much of the attitude of "you should all realize you will never be designers and feel fortunate if we decide to pick you, out of the 300 resumes we look at a day, to sweep our floors". 

They also suggest the best way to start with them is by working part time on a swing crew while getting on the calls lists of the Vegas non-union labor companies until they want you full time. :hand: 

But their argument of $27.50 an hour could easily make all of those ill feelings go away.

While I am sure they would love for me to wait by the phone for a call that could come in weeks, months or years, I think I'll go join a band of thieves down in Nashville....


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