Are you hot enough to be hired?

It’s expected to be over 100 degrees in Los Angeles today. If you are looking to get hired, you better turn up the heat too!

Sep 06, 2024

a man walking on a path with a fire in the background — Photo by Eric Barrett on Unsplash

Contrary to popular belief, getting a job in entertainment is not a numbers game, where the more resumes you submit, the more likely you are to get called in for an interview. Nor is it an effort game, like going to the gym, where consistent effort practically guarantees results. Getting hired in Hollywood is a hotness game. No matter how many times you submit or how much effort you put into it, you won’t be hired or even get a shot at an interview if you aren’t a smokin’ hot candidate!

Just like in dating, attraction is subjective, and it’s rarely defined by specific labels or categories. It’s more than surface-level appearance; it speaks to energy, mindset, and qualities that employers want to see.

Here are the 8 things you can do to turn up the heat and be the most attractive candidate to up your chances of getting hired at any stage of your career.

🔥1. Have the HOT energy of a train leaving the station

You want the energy of a train, not a baby bird. If you’re a baby bird, passively waiting to be fed by the "Job Gods," you’ll have an empty belly. That energy comes off as passive, entitled, and not attractive to a future Hollywood employer. When I’m interviewing you, I want to feel the heat of a freight train leaving the station. Not only do I want to know that you can pull a heavy workload, have direction, and are on time every time, but I want to feel the urgency that if I don’t hire you right now, one of my competitors will.

🔥2. Have HOT skills on your resume

Every job description has a list of requirements. Read them carefully and demonstrate that you know how to do them. While it’s nice to say you’re eager to learn, a future employer cares more about whether you can do the job. This isn’t charity work; it’s a paying job. So, present the skills listed in the job description. Do you know Slack, Salesforce, SEO metrics, Mailchimp, Intuit, Canva, Discord, or any specific requirements mentioned? Make sure these skills are in your resume’s skills section, your cover letter, or even your video cover letter.

🔥3. Living in the city where you want to work is HOT!

Yes, there’s a lot of remote work right now, but that won’t always be the case. An entry-level candidate already living in town will almost always win out over someone who’s out of town/state/country, even for an interview. A future employer wants to know that you’re committed. If you’ve already moved to LA, New York, Atlanta, Austin, etc., they’ll know you’re ready to work in-person as soon as it's possible. Also, keep in mind, entry-level entertainment jobs don’t come with relocation packages, so it’s on you to be in the right city.

🔥4. Having career direction is HOT!

You don’t need to know exactly what you want to do when you first start, but you must have a general direction. TV, Film, Digital, Marketing, Publicity, Development, Production, Accounting, Law, Art Dept., Comedy, Unscripted, Drama, Video Games, Events, etc. If you want to work in the film industry making blockbusters, applying to work at "Jimmy Kimmel Live" doesn’t make sense. Show some alignment with your career path and apply only to jobs that you are really excited about!

🔥5. A one-page resume is HOT!

When you’re young, filling up a page of work experience can be tough. When you are more seasoned, your work could take up 3 pages. Just remember, we are living in the attention economy and a resume is only a tool to get you in the door to actually talk about the role and your experience. A resume is just a snapshot of your education, work experience, skills and notable achievements. If you are young, please include service jobs like Starbucks, Postmates, snow removal, babysitting, lifeguarding, etc. Just because a job is not entertainment-specific doesn’t mean the skills don’t translate—they do! Having skills in high pressure, customer service jobs will put you ahead of the pack.

🔥6. A "Can-do" attitude is HOT!

When you show up happy, engaged, and willing to do whatever it takes to get the job, people notice. We all went through COVID, the strikes (WGA and SAG/AFTRA) and layoffs have been plentiful. Having a gap in your resume isn’t a big deal anymore, so don’t stress about it. Show that you are taking control of your life and that you want to work right now in any capacity.

🔥7. Chemistry is HOT!

In nearly every interview, you’ll be asked about what kind of content you consume. There’s no "right answer," and you can’t fail unless you fail to prepare. Come ready to talk about your top three favorites in categories like films, TV shows, influencers, books, podcasts, plays, musicals, reality shows, video games, or sports teams. This is more of a chemistry test than anything else, so just be yourself and let the sparks fly. If you’re applying to work in reality TV, walk in ready to talk about shows like "Real Housewives of SLC,” “Love on the Spectrum” or "90 Day Fiancé” if you truly love them. Your passion will be contagious.

🔥8. Responsiveness is HOT!

Whether it’s an invitation to interview or an actual job offer, spring into action immediately and say "yes!" When a recruiter gives you multiple times for an interview, pick the first day and the earliest time. Respond right away. Playing "hard to get" is a failing strategy if you really need a job. Show how determined you are to get hired. Act like you’re getting hired tomorrow—take care of everything now so you’re ready when the call comes.

BONUS TIPS FOR GOOD CAREER KARMA

🔥Sharing is HOT!

If you’ve got a friend who hasn’t been called in for an interview please forward this email and offer to help in any way possible. Having a big heart and caring about your friends is HOT! Plus job karma is real. Working as a VP for Tony Hawk’s production company 900 films was a direct result of helping a friend get an innovative project in front of Tony. I arranged a lunch with Tony, his sister (who runs his company,) my friend and me. While it wasn’t the intention of the meeting, Tony offered me a job I couldn’t refuse. It was a surprising result of merely helping someone else. Sharing is caring.

🔥Asking for help is HOT!

We all need support, but professional support is the best kind. If you need help clarifying your career vision, knowing where to apply, refreshing your resume, interviewing role playing or networking strategies, we should talk. Career Therapy might be right for you. Email your resume to hello@mygradsgetjobs.com and we’ll set up a 20-mins Zoom to see if coaching is right for you.