entertainment industry coach Question 421: How am I supposed to meet a lot of people at an event when there are so many people?

This is a huge question, so I'm going to chunk it down for you. Going to a large networking event can be intimidating. Trying to figure out who "the right people" are to meet, can be impossible if you don't know who to target. Your goal at a networking event is not to meet "so many people" because that would insinuate that you "met" a lot of people and have a lot of business cards, but you didn't really start the creation of a new relationship. So, instead of going to an Expo with the intention of meeting 100 people, make the commitment to seek out and connect with 20 people over 2 days. That's 10 people a day. That's manageable. You may have to introduce yourself to 40 each day to find the 10 with whom you really connect.

I can't impress upon you enough how much MORE valuable those 20 relationships will be than 100 new business cards in your drawer.

For more tips and articles by top entertainment industry career coach, The Greenlight Coach, visitwww.TheGreenlightCoachBlog.com

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entertainment industry coach Question 420: I know I don't know enough people but I hate networking, is there anything I can do?

There are tons of things you can do. The first, is stop saying that you hate networking. I used to hate being in water I couldn't see through. Then I went to a resort were I was taken snorkeling and was shocked at what I'd been missing. Now when I go to Hawaii, I go right into the water and seek out the sea turtles instead of fearing what "unknowns" may be lurking.

You clearly know you need to know more people. Make a list of the types of people you would like to meet. I personally like to meet people who are passionate, inspiring, out-side-of-the-box thinkers who don't hear no, and who take action. When I'm networking, the minute I meet a complainer, I hear him/her out and then go on my way, without asking for a card, and rarely giving mine unless they ask for it.

Instead of looking at it as networking, look at it as you being an interviewer for people who fit into your network. It's not about going to an event and being afraid of being judged, it's about seeking out like-minded people. Sometimes you find them, sometimes you don't. But you always learn from the experience.

For more tips and articles by top entertainment industry career coach, The Greenlight Coach, visitwww.TheGreenlightCoachBlog.com

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entertainment industry coach Question 419: with so much new technology is it more important to spend my money on training or your coaching?

Well obviously I'm supposed to say my coaching....

Here are two scenarios, you decide which is best for you:

1. You spend five years and $10,000 on technical training. You have an amazing knowledge of all the latest equipment, and yet you're still not working. You don't know the right people, how to break into the circles of people who hire, and you're growing more frustrated, desperate, and poor with each passing day.

2. You invest under $2,000 in Career Coaching (I say under because my most expensive program is under $2,000 and my least expensive is $14.95/month). You still have $8000 for technical training, only now when you go to the trainings you have a new perspective on them. You're asking the right business questions, meeting the right people, and creating relationships in a new way that's leading to work. In addition you're continually implementing what you're learning in your coaching and you're growing more confident, more successful, and richer with each passing day.

I can't answer the question for you. You have to make the decision yourself. Most people simply don't understand what I do, and therefore don't invest in themselves. But when you don't invest in yourself to learn how to network, market, and treat your business like a business, you can have all the best skills and talent in the industry, and no work!

If you have questions about what I offer, feel free to contact me.

Good Luck to you.

For more tips and articles by top entertainment industry career coach, The Greenlight Coach, visitwww.TheGreenlightCoachBlog.com

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entertainment industry coach Question 418: You advise on TV careers, but do you actually watch it?

Not sure how this is going to help your career, but, yes, I watch A LOT of TV. I watch every new show at least once so I know the tone and characters (unless it's a show that may give me bad dreams, in which case if I ever needed to know about the show, I'd go to HULU.com, but that's rare). I also watch shows my clients are working on, whenever possible.

But the bottom line is, I got into this industry because I've loved movies and TV since I was a kid. I'm not one of those people who "doesn't own a tv," in fact quite the opposite. I have a double DVR that works all through prime time hours, and what I can't record, I watch On Demand or on the internet.

Here is my DVR's top 25 (not that it ends there...)

1. 24

2. Glee

3. Lost

4. Chuck

5. Desperate Housewives

6. Grey's Anatomy

7. Parenthood

8. Drop Dead Diva

9. Life Unexpected

10. Flash Forward

11. Private Practice

12. The Good Wife

13. House

14. Cougar Town

15. Modern Family

16. Community

17. Brothers & Sisters

18. 30 Rock

19. The Office

20. New Adventures of Old Christine

21. Saving Grace

22. Medium

23. White Collar

24. Army Wives

25. The Soup

And of course Yankee and Giant games when they're on. I bet you're wondering how I watch all this TV and still get so much work done...

For more tips and articles by top entertainment industry career coach, The Greenlight Coach, visitwww.TheGreenlightCoachBlog.com

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entertainment industry coach Question 417: Question about a time management technique from your newsletter

the questioncontinued, "I've been experimenting with the time-management techniques from your newsletter. I've been doing the one where I write down 3 things I want to get done for the day and then I throw the paper away. What do I do with the rest of my day?"

It sounds to me like you're a do-er. That technique is for people who can't get started or focused, or simply don't want the pressure of a long to-do list. It works really well for them. If you're finding that you're getting your 3 things done and have plenty of "business time" left in the day, you can certainly do more. You chose the 3 most important things and accomplished them. Celebrate that and then do more on the days you feel like working, or take some time to do something non-work related on the days you feel like giving yourself a break.

My newsletters are jumping off points. You have an "And...Action!" task, because I want to get you started. You've taken the bull by the horns, now make it your own.

And once again, congratulations for taking action and implementing the techniques I write about in my newsletter!

For more tips and articles by top entertainment industry career coach, The Greenlight Coach, visitwww.TheGreenlightCoachBlog.com

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entertainment industry coach Question 416: What's the best way to start a conversation with someone you've been out of touch with for a long time?

The question continued...

"Nothing bad happened we both just went our separate ways and now she's a really successful writer and I'm still trying to sell my stuff. I don't want her to think I'm just calling because she's successful, because I'm not."

Why are you calling? That's the first thing to get clear on. Once you know why you're calling you'll know what you're going to talk about and it will be clear that you're not calling her because of her success.

But the question was, "What's the best way to start the conversation..."

And the answer to that is with an authentic compliment. Well let me take a tiny step back. The first thing you want to say is, "It's been such a long time. Have I caught you at a good time?"

If she says yes, then give her a genuine compliment. That's always a great way to start the conversation.

For more tips and articles by top entertainment industry career coach, The Greenlight Coach, visitwww.TheGreenlightCoachBlog.com

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entertainment industry coach Question 415: What do I do if a person keeps rescheduling me? Do I just give up on him?

INT. JESSICA'S OFFICE - DAY

We see the back of Jessica's head. The camera pushes in as she slowly turns and looks directly at you.

JESSICA

Never, ever give up!

Okay that's me being dramatic, but the message is still clear. If the person is rescheduling, he hasn't said that he doesn't want to meet with you. I imagine he's giving you reasons why he has to reschedule. If he's doing it last minute, then it's up to you to decide how valuable this relationships is because you're setting aside time that could be spent doing something else.

I have seen this scenario from both sides, and in most (not all) cases, the person is genuinely busy. If he is someone who can help advance your career why would you give up? However, if you're at the point that you're tired of scheduling out your time only to be let down, there's only so much you can take.

My periodontist's office has been calling me and sending me letters on a semi-regular basis (they clearly have a structured follow-up system in place). I was ready to call my regular dentist for a cleaning this week when I got the "final notice" letter from my periodontist. It was very nice, but basically said that because I haven't responded to their calls and letters, that they're assuming I'm not going to follow through with their care, but should I ever wish to come back, their door was open.

Good follow up! I called and made an appointment for next week. I don't want to be fired by my periodontist, even if his cleanings are more expensive than my regular dentist.

Why do you care about my gums? Because it's the same psychology. When you're at the point where you're sick of being cancelled on, you can simply send a lighthearted email or leave a kind voicemail, saying, "After having to reschedule 6 times, and knowing how busy you are, I certainly don't want to be causing you any inconvenience. While it would be lovely to meet you for coffee for an hour, if this is time prohibitive to you, I completely understand. At this time, I won't ask to reschedule. Should you find in the future that your schedule opens up and you have time to reconnect, please give me a call."

Or as Donald Trump would say, "You're fired!"

For more tips and articles by top entertainment industry career coach, The Greenlight Coach, visitwww.TheGreenlightCoachBlog.com

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entertainment industry coach Question 414: Is it wrong to take a job out of town when I want filming to stay in my state?

I recently had a client with the same dilemma. I can't tell you what's right and wrong because who's to judge? What I can say is, you want to work, you have an opportunity. There are many reasons production is going to other states. I happen to know you live in California. There are groups such as http://shootmoviesincalifornia.com that are fighting to keep production in the state. If you're not already a member of the group, get involved.

In the mean time, it's not a quick fix and you want to work. That may mean going out of state. It doesn't make you a hypocrite, it makes you a business person who is doing the best to support your business while fighting for change.

The industry is always changing. Now it is expanding to other states. That may be advantages for other people who don't live in California. Again, you can't say what's right or wrong, you just have to get involved in creating the change you want to see.

For more tips and articles by top entertainment industry career coach, The Greenlight Coach, visitwww.TheGreenlightCoachBlog.com

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entertainment industry coach Question 413: How do you find out if an acting agent is legitimate?

The internet is a great resource to investigate. When in doubt, have Sag check it out. There are SAG branches in so many cities across the country. www.SAG.org. For those of you who do not know what SAG is, it is the Screen Actors Guild, a union that represents actors. If you're a member, they have a list of agents. If you're not a member, you can still call, because if there is a suspicious person out there claiming to represent actors, SAG will want to know about it.

For more tips and articles by top entertainment industry career coach, The Greenlight Coach, visitwww.TheGreenlightCoachBlog.com

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entertainment industry coach Question 412: How important is it for me to separate the different things I do (act, direct, produce, write, edit)?

It depends on the conversation you're having. If you're talking to a casting director whom you don't know very well, you want to present yourself as an actor. It's not important to them that you edit because that's not what they're hiring you for.

If you're talking to a producer as a writer/director, be careful about mentioning that you're an actor because the first thing they'll be concerned about is that you want to connect yourself to the project and it will be a deal breaker.

If you are talking to someone about partnering on an independent film that you've written, want to direct, and have a small acting role in, it would be advantages to mention that you edit because so many projects fall apart in post.

The bottom line is, you have to assess the circumstances and the relationship with the person, before revealing all of your hats.

Whatever you do, make sure you have separate marketing materials. Any business card that has all of those slashes can make someone think that you do a little of everything but don't have fabulous talent in one area.

For more tips and articles by top entertainment industry career coach, The Greenlight Coach, visitwww.TheGreenlightCoachBlog.com

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entertainment industry coach Question 411: How do I use my film credits on my film resume when the producer/director is a shady user type...

"... and I can't trust him for a work reference. Do I add the film to my resume, but explain to the next prod exec the nature of the shady producer even though that can put them off on me?"

No, No, No, No.... and in case I wasn't clear.... NO! You put the credit on your resume but you DON'T list the producer as a reference. If they need a reference from the production, find someone who will sing your praises. In most cases, if they are looking over your resume and they don't recognize the production or the producer, they're not going to be asking for a reference anyway. It's up to you to create that relationship in the interview and prove why you're the one for the job. Bringing up negative working experiences will do just the opposite. It's a total turn off!

For more tips and articles by top entertainment industry career coach, The Greenlight Coach, visit www.TheGreenlightCoachBlog.com

To stay current on The Greenlight Coach's speaking engagements, recommendations, and work success articles, sign up for her free newsletter at the top of the page and get a great bonus 1-hour MP3 on creating powerful business partnerships when you do!