Save Hard to Get for Dating (Not Your Career)
5 tips to make yourself more attractive to a potential employer
There are differing opinions on playing hard to get to seem more appealing in the romance department, but when it comes to entry-level employment in Hollywood, it’s an absolute no-no. Unlike dating, potential employers won’t court, chase, or ever send you flowers (no matter how attractive you might think you are). They won’t call multiple times or send reminder emails. This changes as you grow in the industry and develop a reputation & track record of success, but for now, you need to be easy to contact.
If you’re to increase your chances of getting hired, here are five simple communication tips help:
1. Have all your contact info in your signature.
Yes, I know you attached your resume — and I can see it right there at the top — but make it easy on the person who may love your resume and want to know more. For example, if you’ve submitted your resume to be a PA to a line producer, she might be checking her emails in an Uber and want to call you back immediately. Make sure you’re easy to reach in just one click by having all your relevant info in your signature.
Example
. First and Last Name
. Email Address
. Phone
. Website or social media links
. Logo of your company, or school, or picture
2. Check all your email accounts constantly (but at least hourly.)
I know you love to text, but the preferred method of professional business communication (unless otherwise specified) is email. You want to make sure you have all your notifications on and that you check your email account at least hourly. When you’re a student, it’s great to use your college email address, as it sets you apart from the crowd (especially if you’re looking for internships). You also might hit the soft spot of a hiring manager who went to your school. Once you graduate, however, it’s time to start using your personal Gmail, Ymail, or iCloud account.
3. Keep your ringer on, answer all numbers, and keep your VM box clear
You only need to be working in entertainment a short time before you realize (818) 954 are the first six numbers of a Warner Bros. phone number. If you’ve applied to Warner Bros., you’ll pick up. You won’t, however, recognize every incoming call you receive, so be sure to pick up all calls, even the ones that say “No Caller ID.”
Additionally, take your phone off of silent mode and make sure you’re near it at all times. “What if I’m in the shower when it rings?” I hear you ask. That’s okay, just make sure there’s room in your voicemail box. Nothing’s more annoying than a full mailbox when you can’t leave a message, so delete those old messages today! And make sure your outgoing message is clear and professional. I’d make sure to say something like, “Hi, this is Ali Jones. Leave me your name and number and I’ll call you right back.”
4. Respond to all emails immediately.
It’s funny to me that despite constantly being on our devices we sometimes delay responding. Do not do this if you are looking for a job. I heard of a desk decluttering technique that said you should “touch a paper only once. After that, take action by either filing it away, throwing it in the garbage, or delegating the task to a colleague.” I think the same is true with electronic communication: once you open it, you need to “reply, forward, file, or delete it.” Keep your inbox clean, and make room for that email that says, “we’d like to interview you.” Along those lines, if you are given multiple times to interview, take the first one.
5. Check your spam or junk box regularly.
A couple of months ago, I had a private client who was waiting on a response for an informational meeting with a big TV executive that I’d set up. A few days went by and my client still hadn’t received anything. I checked in with my executive friend. He said his assistant had reached out twice without a response from my very responsible client. So strange, I thought. Turns out the email with the date for my client to meet with this big-time TV executive had been caught in spam. Two weeks were wasted and momentum was lost. Sadly, it was my client’s fault. When you are waiting for a response, make sure to check your junk box or spam. Conversely, if you haven’t heard back from someone, send a follow up or better yet call.