4 Truths about Getting Hired in Hollywood
(inspired by Taylor Swift and the Eras Tour)
You can’t go a day without seeing an article or social media post about Taylor Swift. Before I went to her concert last summer, I didn’t fully grasp why she was so revered. I liked her songs, (obviously, or else why would I want to see her in concert?) Her appeal is more than music and the experience is best described in this article “What a Taylor Swift Concert is Really Like” by Mia Freedman (mother of an 18 year old.) Without even knowing it, I realized today, that I fully converted to the Church of Taylor and became a “Swifty” summer of 2023 when I saw her live at Sofi Stadium in Los Angeles.
I’m kidding about a “conversion,” yet many people have compared the Eras Tour to a religious revival of sorts. The 3-hour event reminded me of the 3-hour Sunday service habits of my upbringing; complete with music, community, uplift and inspiration. The joy I felt that night was palpable and the lesson of how I got there was in fact, spiritual.
It got me thinking about a few “Taylor inspired” truths about getting what you want. If you are reading my articles, you really, really want to launch a career in entertainment! If that’s you, enjoy 4 “Taylor Inspired” truths about getting hired in Hollywood.
You must have a clear career vision of what you want; believing & operating as if it is already happening
I really wanted to see the Eras Tour in Los Angeles, but didn’t have a ticket. On the day of the show, I saw on IG that a friend was selling 3 tickets. The price was way out of my budget but told my friend the price I was willing to pay.
“Magical things” have happened to me (and for) me my entire life. One can say it’s prayer, manifesting or maybe I’m just lucky. No matter how you categorize it, I’ve noticed a pattern in every single exciting experience in my life: Once I get really, really clear on what I want & prepare like it’s happening, it happens!
Over 4 hours went by without a response to my IG message and yet, I felt in my gut that I was going to the show. I plugged in my curling iron and started trying on outfits. Shortly after I took this pic, I got the text message that I got a ticket! Thankfully I was ready and made it to the stadium just in time for her first song.
Be flexible on how your vision can reveal itself
Obviously, the dream Taylor Swift concert scenario would be VIP parking, backstage passes, front row with friends and my nieces. But when you ask for a miracle, you need to be flexible on how it comes to you. There was only one ticket available at the price point I was comfortable with. I have never gone to a concert by myself and I gotta be honest, I felt a little nervous. But my desire to go to the show melted most of my insecurities (I was still a little too self-conscious to memorialize the event with a public “selfie” without others in the picture. Oh well!)
Flexibility is key when launching a career in entertainment too. I have a former student with a vision to be a film director yet he got his first job in TV in the talent dept at “The James Corden Show.” One might think that his dreams in film were derailed, but just the opposite happened. For 8 years, he built relationships with every big star and their team of publicists, managers and agents. He even got into the DGA by directing a segment with Joe Jonas! Having great relationships with talent is imperative for a director and when it’s time to attach talent, he knows all the people to call.
Working at a talent agency is the most effective way to build professional relationships
I have a connection to every celebrity, executive, attorney, politician, or person of influence by using my network of relationships I made from my first job at the William Morris Agency, including Taylor Swift. If we played “7 Degrees of KP,” I could connect to Taylor Swift in one connection; my former colleague Jason Trawick.
There is nothing particularly special about my connections, as it is available to everyone who works at a big agency or management company. You just have to make the effort to know people.
When I was the assistant to a very busy dept head, we got to hire an agent trainee to work with me as extra help before 9:30am and after 6:30pm rolling calls, filing etc… That agent trainee was Jason Trawick. We worked together for a few months before he landed a desk working for the head of TV, then of course went on to become a big agent! You may already know his name, as he was once engaged to Britney Spears (and mentioned in her most recent book), but you probably didn't know the story about how he signed Taylor as a client. He goes into detail about his career story in this podcast. It’s a worthy listen if you’d like to learn about how representation works and how a good idea can come from anywhere, including a parent.
4. A video cover letter can get you hired
I believe it was 2015 when I first heard the term “video resume.” I had a friend who was Co-EP of “Survivor” who believed that video resumes were the future. If a video could get you cast on a show, why not hired in an office? While video hasn’t replace a traditional 1-page resume, the “video cover letter” is the perfect complement to it and it can get you hired.
Of the 40 interns and entry-level positions I helped fill on “The Ellen Show,” 35 of them used video cover letters to help them land the job. I like to say that a resume details the facts of a candidate’s experience and a video cover letter reveals the feelings of a candidate’s character, knowledge base and personality. Check out this article about Bryan West, the first reporter hired as a full-time “Swifty” journalist by Gannett. His video cover letter is fantastic and made him an easy hire for a newly created job reporting on all things Taylor Swift.
While his video is 5 minutes long and specific for role, your video should be no longer than a one-min video cover letter that answer the question, “Tell me about yourself.” Here are a few guidelines as to how to make your own.
I go into great depth about how to make a compelling video cover letter in my online course Get H.I.R.E.D. in Hollywood. I also help you clarify your career vision, level-up your resume and give you strategies to build professional relationships (and you don’t have to be a nepo baby to do it.) To get access to the 8-hour replay and workbook consider upgrading your subscription below to “Founding Member” for $250.
For the entire month of March, when you become a “Founding Member” you’ll get a complementary resume/video cover letter review in a 1-hour private coaching session with me. If you are graduating in a couple of months and plan on working in entertainment, you’ll need this information. What you learn in this course is the extra edge you need to stand out from the pile of resumes and get hired! Just the button below and you’ll get a prompt to choose a subscription (Free, Paid or Founding Member.) I look forward to helping you get job ready.