Thursday, September 6, 2012

Getting Jobs in Entertainment question 1276: I don't understand, isn't it our job to tell people we are available?

This was a question in response to my blog post a few days ago. Yes, it is your job to let people know you are available for work. However, it's how you let them know that will determine how your relationship will evolve.

For example: If I give you advice for 2 hours and at the end you say, "Great thanks. And by the way, I'm available," it just added something unnecessary and for me, personally, annoying, because I already know a ton of people whom I coach and would hire before you. Why? Because I care about them, like them, and trust them. So by you telling me you're available, you've just turned me off a bit. When you say "think of me" it tells me that you don't have enough confidence that you made an impression that is memorable.

The people it is "your job" to tell that you are available, are the people for whom you are their first 5-10 calls when they are looking. They need to know you're available because they may assume you're already working.

Cold calling people on production lists who are working to let them know you're available is NOT strategic, time consuming, and very rarely creates results. Your time can be better spent developing relationships on a deeper level with targeted people.

When you are meeting people, there are subtle ways to let them know you're available which are not turn offs. It's all about the quality of your questions. When you are asking for advice on how to get work, they know you're available.


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