Job Hunting!
So it’s starting. Before I know it I will be on my knees outside a corner shop having the door slammed on my face and once again hearing the words “We will call you.” I spend atleast an hour a day on craiglists and checking the papers. I have found some pretty good hook ups this way, but not enough.
The last job interview I went on the woman told me I would be bored and maybe she will hire me as her photo retoucher, but its been a week and I havent heard from her…so…I;m thinkin no. Anyway, this game gets really old really fast. Any tips? And I dont mean look nice and act as fake a possible…I just mean…Where do you guys look for jobs and getting hook ups, because I wont be getting any from UARTs!
Comments
How about “be nice and act like a decent and respectable human being.” You can be enticing to hiring people without being a phony. Most interviewers appreciate honesty and candor. Best thing you can do is be professional.
As for where to get jobs, what are you looking for? You really can’t go wrong with stopping in at businesses, introducing yourself and what you do, and leaving your business card with your web address.
Which… we need to fix up, huh?
My current plan is to move to Mexico and attain citizenship. Then I can sneak across the border and can get hired right away.
Did you send an email to your last interviewer thanking her for the opportunity? It might be a small thing that jogs her memory of you.
Yeah, that always helps. Doesn’t even have to be remotely shmoozey. Just something like “Hey, thanks for taking the time out to talk to me! It was nice meeting you.”
people with jobs are funny.
Not an email, send a letter. One made out of paper!
Paper thank you notes are underrated.
Hand written thank you notes are underrated. I’m sure you’ve also heard this but it’s always who you know. I had no idea you were looking for a job. Your friends know people who might be hiring, possibly some of your buddies that graduated the semester before you, Jason C is a big shot that prolly knows someone down here in AZ if you’re interested. Well…that’s a lie. the big shot part…and the knowing someone.
The best advice I can give (as another art degree holder who has weeded through resumes and sat in on interviews) is to discuss your qualifications in terms of technique and skill-set, not accomplishment and artist statements. A nice portfolio always grabs attention, but people can be dismissive of that when you’re fresh out of college… they want to know that you can handle a heavy workload without constant supervision and explanation.
It’s a weird dichotomy: they like that art schools imbue these skills, but are suspicious that they might get that stereotypical art-school ego/cluelessness to go with it. Little, simple professional touches (like follow-up letters and lots of eye contact and crap like that) put them at ease. Bend over backwards to show them that you’re not gonna start doing performance art in the break-room or calling your boss a Nazi at the first sign of authority.
Well, don’t literally bend over backwards. That might hurt your case.
network, network, network. you’re part of a city arts community so get out there as often as you can and talk, talk, talk, talk, talk, introduce, introduce, introduce.
i belong to media bistro. i think steve does too. they have an art design section. check it out. and join ALL those types of groups. you’ll hear about jobs and networking events.
Britt, have you looked in the gigs section of craiglist philly? Not a fulltime job, but maybe a few one-off gigs could land you one.
Stop talking to all your friends from school and all other artists as soon as possible. Because no one has ever made is as as artist. The only exceptions have done it completely alone.
Also work on your bitter sarcasm.
thanks guys!