Getting Jobs in Entertainment question 1003: I know I lack confidence and I need it in this business, what do I do?

First, I want you to focus on what you do have confidence in. Pick something that you feel 100% confident in: that you can tie your shoes, that you take a shower, that you know what direction the sky is. When you are sure that you have thought of something that you are 100% confident in, I want you to feel those feelings of confidence at 100%.

If you were unable to do that exercise, you may have something blocking your ability to feel confident that runs deeper than I can go with you as a career coach.

However if you were able to do the exercise, congratulations! You now know that you only lack confidence in specific situations. Now, because these situations are work related, if it has to do with your craft, then keep working on it. Preparation and practice will build your confidence. If business is the area where you're lacking confidence, it too is a practiced skill. Business and networking skills take practice just like your craft or tying your shoes.

Look over the topics of my past blogs to find the areas where you need practice. If you can't find the answers you're looking for, be more specific next time you contact me and I'll give you some techniques to work on.

www.theGreenlightCoach.com FIND ME

www.twitter.com/GreenlightCoach FOLLOW ME

www.TheGreenlightMentorProgram.com JOIN ME

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

Getting Jobs in Entertainment question 1002: I'm planning a Dec vacation to Atlanta where there's lots of production. How do I maximize my trip?

Mixing work and pleasure are you? My answers will vary depending on whether you know industry people in Atlanta. If you do, make plans to see them. Perhaps plan a meet up at a restaurant where they can invite other industry people you don't know.

If you don't know anyone, you can research who lives there, whom you'd like to meet. Reach out this week for some advice about what to do while in Atlanta and ask if there are any industry events/holiday parties happening. If you feel you've built the foundation for a relationship, you can ask if he/she will be in town and you can offer to take him/her to lunch.

You can also call the film commission to see if anything will be filming while you are there and perhaps drop by for a set visit, if it's appropriate.

It would be great to mix in a little business, but don't get down on yourself if it doesn't work out. It is the holiday season and people are busy with family. You can still contact people after your visit to discuss what an amazing vacation you had.

www.theGreenlightCoach.com FIND ME

www.twitter.com/GreenlightCoach FOLLOW ME

www.TheGreenlightMentorProgram.com JOIN ME

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

Getting Jobs in Entertainment question 1001: what is the best way to submit myself to new agents in this day and age of digital media?

The question continued: Email w/ photos and video attachments? Email with link to my website that has everything, or the old fashioned hard copy package?

Different agencies are going to have different preferences. Some agencies are really into "being green" and others are "old fashioned." So the best thing you can do is to make a target list of the agencies you're interested in and call each one to ask how they prefer to be solicited.

If you get someone really nice on the phone, you can tell them your type and ask who the best agent is to submit to. If you get someone not-so-nice, who tells you they're not accepting submissions, say, "thank you and for future knowledge, what does your agency prefer, green or hard copy?"

www.theGreenlightCoach.com FIND ME

www.twitter.com/GreenlightCoach FOLLOW ME

www.TheGreenlightMentorProgram.com JOIN ME

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

Getting Jobs in Entertainment question 1000: I don't live in LA so what can one do?

She also wanted to know of any reliable script competitions.

I chose this as my 1000 question to answer, because so much production is happening outside of Los Angeles and everyone is confused. The people who live in smaller or non-production cities don't know how to get work when Los Angeles productions come in and bring people with them. And the Los Angeles people don't know how to get work because the jobs are so spread out across the country and beyond.

What you all can do is:

1. Get focused in your research (so you don't find out about productions when it's too late). Talk to your film commission to find out what's coming. If you're in Los Angeles, you'll find out about productions that are going, so you want to find out who the people involved in the project are so you can get some "6 Degrees of Kevin Bacon" going, and reach out to the people to take you with them, if they can.

2. Expand your contacts to include people who are in "the know" (I suggest mentorship as the best way to learn from those who are working in the industry). I interview industry mentors every month in my Greenlight Mentor Program, and the best way to learn about what's happening and what people are projecting will happen, is to learn from working people. If you live outside of Los Angeles, you can SKYPE, telephone, or email. If you live in Los Angeles, start by phone, and then work up to meeting in person. If this sounds confusing, perhaps enrolling in my program is a great place to start for you. I bring the mentors to you.

3. Use the internet. Google the people who tend to bring work to your state and see if they have a blog, a YouTubeChannel, or social media pages. Comment, ask questions, and build relationships in cyberspace no matter where you live.

*And in the case of this particular person who wanted to know about script competitions, etc. Check out Jen Grisanti.

I can't stress enough how important it is to seek out action and then take it. Too many people get stuck in not knowing what to do. The only way to find out what to do is ask people who've done it.

www.theGreenlightCoach.com FIND ME

www.twitter.com/GreenlightCoach FOLLOW ME

www.TheGreenlightMentorProgram.com JOIN ME

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

Getting Jobs in Entertainment question 999: How do you differentiate between being aggressive and being a pest?

This is the age old question that has been addressed by me many many times. The person who asked, had a meeting with someone who said that the quality she most admires is someone who is aggressive and goes for what he/she wants. Then when asked what turns her off, she said, "People who are pests."

So you can see the Questioner's dilemma.

Here is my humble opinion on the subject. There is no definition for Pest and Positively Aggressive that can help you be one and not the other. What it comes down to is your personality, your passion, and your emotional state.

I have never met an outgoing person, who is excited and passionate about what they were perusing who aggressively stayed in touch and reminded me of their goals, who struck me as a pest... NEVER.

On the other hand I have had MANY people pursue me in a whiny, miserable way, using statements like "I'm dying over here" or "I'm going crazy from lack of work" whose desperation, neediness and lack of passion was not only Pest-like, it was also enough to turn a career coach off... and it's my job to help people. But seriously, why would I want to be around someone like that (unless they are paying me A LOT of money and I mean A LOT!)

So be aware of "who you're being." Come from a place of authenticity and passion. Go for what you want and don't apologize for it. And pursue with purpose. If someone thinks you're a pest when that's who you're being.... that person is "not your people" so move on...

www.theGreenlightCoach.com FIND ME

www.twitter.com/GreenlightCoach FOLLOW ME

www.TheGreenlightMentorProgram.com JOIN ME

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

Getting Jobs in Entertainment question 998: How useful is recommendations from professionals you worked with that they can leave you on linkedin?

question continues: Is it possible to use them in your cover letter as recommendation or send them a link to your linkedin profile where the recommendations would pop up.

I interviewed LinkedIn expert Lewis Howes on Using LinkedIn for your entertainment industry career. If you go to Greenlight Hollywood, you can hear my free teleseminar "How to Use Social Media to Get Jobs in Entertainment" and at the end, it tells you what to do so I can send you the free MP3 interview with Lewis.

That's for those of you who really want to get a great understanding of social media in our industry. The short answer to your question is, anytime someone has something positive to say about you in writing it's a good thing. And yes, I see no reason why you couldn't include quotes and recommendations from people in your cover letter when you are writing to them cold. It lets them know that others have worked with you and are pleased with your work.

Sending them a link gives them an extra step which they may or may not take, so that's not your best plan of attack.

www.theGreenlightCoach.com FIND ME

www.twitter.com/GreenlightCoach FOLLOW ME

www.TheGreenlightMentorProgram.com JOIN ME

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

Getting Jobs in Entertainment question 997: How do I create a "Brand" for my acting career?

This was asked by an actress but works for any classification. I get asked about branding a lot. After interviewing Diane Farr for myMentor/Elite Program, she made a great point about finding your voice before branding yourself. Your "voice" becomes your brand. Diane 'looks like Barbie but talks like Ken.' That's quite a specific and visual brand, and it is clearly her voice in everything she's done, past and present; a host on Love Line, a series regular on many television shows as a beautiful and tough talking FBI Agent, Firefighter, & Cop, author of The Girl Code, article contributer to countless magazines & newspapers, and blogger.

Diane's voice is clear in everything she does, that's how she branded herself. Now, she has the talent and connections to play other roles, and write heart wrenching stories about drunk driving, but even then, there's always a little Diane in it, which is what makes her unique and in turn, fascinating to watch and read.

So if you want to brand yourself successfully, start by modeling people who have done it well.

www.theGreenlightCoach.com FIND ME

www.twitter.com/GreenlightCoach FOLLOW ME

www.TheGreenlightMentorProgram.com JOIN ME

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

Getting Jobs in Entertainment question 996:Is it appropriate to send home-baked goods as holiday gifts?

It depends on how well you know the people you're sending the home made baked goods to. If I were to get cookies from someone I barely know, I have to admit I wouldn't eat them. If my close friend or client gave me cookies (and they were gluten & sugar free) I would eat them.

So........ the thought is good, but I hope you have less cynical people to send them to than me.

www.theGreenlightCoach.com FIND ME

www.twitter.com/GreenlightCoach FOLLOW ME

www.TheGreenlightMentorProgram.com JOIN ME

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

Getting Jobs in Entertainment question 995: Is it safe to take time off from now until Jan 2nd?

Is it safe? It depends on what you'll be doing; skydiving, race car driving, traveling to a dangerous country?

Or do you mean, might you miss a work call? You may, you may not. Is this the way you want to live your life? How would you feel if you didn't do what you wanted for the next six weeks and no call for work came in? On the other hand, if you miss a work call while taking time off, will you beat yourself up forever?

I can't answer this question for you. Only you can decide.

www.theGreenlightCoach.com FIND ME

www.twitter.com/GreenlightCoach FOLLOW ME

www.TheGreenlightMentorProgram.com JOIN ME

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

Getting Jobs in Entertainment question 994: Should I be building my reel in film school or taking business classes?

It depends on the business classes your film school offers. You should absolutely be focused on the business side of the industry while in film school, however if the marketing, sales, and business classes are not directly related to the entertainment industry, you will have to get really clear on how what they're teaching, applies to you.

Film school IS for building your reel, perfecting your craft, building relationships, obtaining mentors, and preparing for entering the industry armed with an understanding of the business.

www.theGreenlightCoach.com FIND ME

www.twitter.com/GreenlightCoach FOLLOW ME

www.TheGreenlightMentorProgram.com JOIN ME

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

Getting Jobs in Entertainment question 993: How often should I send out my headshot to the same casting director? How many should I start off with?

So this is two questions. The answer to the first is, (and this is based on the majority of CDs who have answered this question) you send a head shot once. They want you to save your money and the majority of them want to save trees. That's why so many cast through online service, so they don't have to send hundreds of headshots to the recycle bin each day.

Once a Casting Director has your headshot, unless you're submitting it for a certain role, you wouldn't send a headshot as follow up. Instead, you send a postcard or a note. Remember, there should be a purpose to your follow up; something special, unique, or a question. Just sending postcards every week to say "Hi" isn't as productive as creating a memorable campaign.

Question two, is regarding how many Casting Directors to send to. You want to target the shows you're right for. And when I say "right," I know many actors go into 'chameleon mode' where they can play any role, but if you're 35 and not a character actress, targeting a Disney show isn't as productive as targeting a show that features people your age, weekly.

Because I work with my clients to build strong relationships with people before asking for work, I suggest you start with 20 offices to get well acquainted with and then expand from there.

www.theGreenlightCoach.com FIND ME

www.twitter.com/GreenlightCoach FOLLOW ME

www.TheGreenlightMentorProgram.com JOIN ME

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