Saturday, January 21, 2012

Getting Jobs in Entertainment question 1051: What do I make of someone who says he wants to meet with me but keeps rescheduling?

You "make" another appointment. If he says he wants to meet with you, take him at his word. I don't know what position he holds, but if he's working, he's probably very busy. Things come up all of the time, pushing you down on the priority list.

What kind of urgency did you create, if any? Do you have to meet with him because you have a deadline of some sort coming up that you want advice on? If not, there is no urgency, and that's okay. It just means that you have to be understanding about his priorities.

Until someone says NO, and tells you to leave them alone, you keep rescheduling. Also, don't put all of your eggs in one basket. Set up meetings with many people so you're not waiting on this one guy.

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!

Friday, January 20, 2012

Getting Jobs in Entertainment question 1050: How do I connect with someone professionally on Facebook who I share friends with?

Here are some ways to connect with people on Facebook with whom you share friends:

1. Ask your mutual "friend(s)" if you can use their name as an introduction and put it in the personal note when you make the friend request.

2. Send a personal note with a friend request pointing out your mutual friends, as well as a personal reason you'd like to connect.

3. Ask mutual "friend(s)" to connect you. There's a "Friend A is friends with Friend B and suggests that you be too" feature.

NOTE: There is an "other" messages tab under messages and sometimes if you have no connection and possibly even if you do (I've heard both) you could end up in the "other" box which some people don't know about, so I would suggest your first plan to be asking your mutual friend to connect you in the friend suggestion area.

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!

Thursday, January 19, 2012

Getting Jobs in Entertainment question 1049: I read your newsletter but why would anyone want to read a blog about me?

Going through the archives are you? Re-read the newsletter 3 times. If you still have that question, ask someone close to you to help you with the formula I outlined.

What makes this question important to all of my blog readers (and if you want to receive the free newsletter with great career boosting articles every month, sign up at www.theGreenlightCoach.com) is what's underneath the question within your question: Why would anyone want to read a blog about you?

Let's leave out the words "want to read a blog about" and insert "be interested" so that the question now reads: Why would anyone be interested in me?

Because really, isn't that what you're asking? This is a confidence issue. Confidence is one of, it not, "the" most important success mindsets you can have in this industry.

The fact is, everyone has confidence in something. Perhaps you're confident that you can tie your shoes, or boil water, or turn on a television. Therefore, it's not that you lack "confidence" it's that you lack confidence in your ability to be interesting when desired.

This is a process that is too long for a blog. The good news, is that building confidence is easier than you might think. The bad news is, that 90% of you won't take the action to build this important mindset.

Which will you be...

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!

Wednesday, January 18, 2012

Getting Jobs in Entertainment: NO BLOG TODAY PROTEST

WHY SOPA IS A BAD IDEA

http://www.ted.com/talks/defend_our_freedom_to_share_or_why_sopa_is_a_bad_idea.html

Tuesday, January 17, 2012

Getting Jobs in Entertainment question 1048: I used to work a lot and now people I worked with work all the time and I don't, what gives?

You MUST stop comparing yourself to other people. For all the people who you notice are working, there are hundreds who like you, had a career and are struggling to revive it.

What you SHOULD do is:

1. evaluate what you are doing to generate work for yourself

2. Analyze what the successful people are doing

3. Model their success

Consider the fact that you have a track record and how to utilize that.

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!

Monday, January 16, 2012

Getting Jobs in Entertainment question 1047: I moved out to LA 6 months ago and I'm homesick. Does this mean I'm on the wrong path?

Do you think it means you're on the wrong path? That's a question only you can answer. If you moved to LA to pursue a career in entertainment and you expected certain results within 6 months, and because you haven't achieved them, you're discouraged and homesick, it's understandable. BUT, you have to know the nature of the industry that you're pursuing. It could take a lifetime, there's no telling. So, YOU must decide if this is the path you want to follow.

I can give you tools and strategies for getting faster results, but ultimately, you have to decide if this is the business for you.

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!

Sunday, January 15, 2012

Getting Jobs in Entertainment question 1046: Publicists are so expensive. Is there any way I can do this myself?

My friend, Lisa Manyon once did a call called: No Cost & Low Cost Online Press Release Strategies. This is Lisa's area of expertise. She gave so many great ideas. Hopefully, you can contact her and get a copy of the call. Tell her Jessica Sitomer, The Greenlight Coach, told you to contact her and ask if you can get a copy of the No Cost & Low Cost Online Press Release Strategies call.

Here's what she spoke about, so if it's up your alley, I'll give you her contact information:

1. How you can use press releases to get more traffic and visibility
2. How to use press releases to get more credibility and exposure
3. How to get free press
4. What is a press release
5. The difference between paid and free publicity
6. What happens to a press release once it's out there
7. How to build relationships with people in the media
8. How to leverage local media
9. What makes newsworthy press releases
10. Tip sheet press release
11. Nuts and bolts of writing a press release

To learn more about Lisa Manyon go to http://www.writeoncreative.com

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!

Saturday, January 14, 2012

Getting Jobs in Entertainment question 1045: I'm always the 2nd choice. What am I doing wrong?

If you're the second choice, it seems that you're doing a lot right. I jut had a discussion with an actress who has been the 2nd runner-up for everything she's gone up for recently. Her name is unknown, and the actresses getting the jobs have powerhouse parents, or there's an offer out to a "name".

Is she doing anything wrong? Heck no! Can she be doing more? Yes. I suggested she get herself some powerhouse mentors who can make a call on her behalf. Maybe she wasn't born into Hollywood royalty, but she can certainly get herself "adopted".

If you are interviewing for jobs as part of the crew and coming in 2nd, that means you're really close. Can you do more? Yes. If you feel the interview went well, stay in relationship with the person you interviewed with. You never know where it will lead.

Patience is a mindset to master for success in this industry. Be proud of how far you're getting. Don't let it discourage you or it will start to chip away at you. Instead, let the butterflies of excitement stir in you knowing how close you are, because one of these days, it's going to be you!

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!

Friday, January 13, 2012

Getting Jobs in Entertainment question 1044: My New Years resolution is to get a new agent. How do I do that?

I find a majority of people in the industry have that same resolution. Well, some just wanted to get an agent. You saying you want a "new" one, implies you have one. I have posted on this topic before, I've also made a video about it that you can watch at: The Greenlight Coach Channel

Instead of repeating myself, I'll just give you a few tips:

1. Create buzz about yourself that an agent will take notice of

2. Know the timing of the industry (If you're an actor, agents who rep TV actors are headed into pilot season, so a better time to pursue an agent would be after pilot season when they've let go of their clients who didn't deliver)

3. Remember that agents get +10% for a reason. You are still 100% responsible for your success and an agent is icing on the cake.

GOOD LUCK!

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!

Thursday, January 12, 2012

Getting Jobs in Entertainment question 1043: How do I balance my life and career work based on your blog yesterday?

My blog yesterday, was about treating your freelancing career like a business. That stated working at least 20 hours per week on your career even when you're not "working at your craft." Keep in mind, in the business world, 20 hours is considered part-time.

In answer to your question about balance though, what do you consider balanced? If I drew a pie graph and had you put slices in the pie like: Work/Career, Finances, Family, Friends, Charity, Spirituality, Personal Growth, Fun/Pampering, Health, etc. Then I asked you to fill in each piece of the pie rating it from 1-10, what would your pie look like?

Most people think that to be balanced, the pie needs to be equal; everything at an "8." Not true. It's what balance means to you. If you want to spend 3 days each week in the gym and you're going twice a month- you're out of balance. If you value your friends and family but are spending all of your time at work and barely make time for a phone call let alone seeing them in person- you're out of balance.

To determine how to balance your life and career, ask yourself what's important to you, and how you want to spend your time. Then map it out and see if your definition of balance is in alignment with your goals. In other words, if you want major career success but want to spend 10 hours a day playing with your kids, perhaps you should watch the movie Daddy Day Care and go into a new line of work.

When you are looking at balancing your life, what you value shows up. There are a lot of sacrifices that people in the entertainment industry are forced to make due to erratic schedules, working on location, long hours... I could go on and on. However, it's one of the rare industries that when people are working they are living their passion, they are truly fulfilled. So if you don't feel that way, this may not be the industry for you. If that is how you feel, and you can't imagine doing anything else, then balance means, budgeting your time so that you can generate work for yourself, and then maximizing the experience of everything else on your list.

For clients I've had tell me their kids miss them when they're away, I tell them to do everything in the power, to create special memories when they do have time to spend with them. That could have more impact on their children, then the parents who work 9-5 jobs every day and then come home tired and blow their kids off.

I could go on and on about this topic, so if you want more, just let me know what you want to hear about specifically and I'll blog about it.

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!

Wednesday, January 11, 2012

Getting Jobs in Entertainment question 1042: All my friends are on 9-5 schedules, how do I delegate my time as a freelancer?

Many people who work as freelancers in the entertainment industry have trouble maintaining motivation when they're not working on a project, because they're not accountable to anyone. Your friends who have 9-5 schedules, are accountable to someone and don't get paid unless they work those hours and are productive during them.

As a freelancer you have to recognize that you do have a daily work schedule. In fact, you may have to work more than just 9-5 in the beginning to have the career you desire. And by "beginning," I don't mean the beginning of your career. Many of you have been at this for 10+ years. I mean the beginning of when you start treating yourself like the CEO of YOUR company.

Here are a few tips to start the process:

1. If you are self motivated, set a time to wake up in the morning and "go to work." That requires having a designated space in your residence, for an office. Set your lunch hour, give yourself two 15-minute breaks, and know what time your day ends.

note: If your friends ask you to do favors for you because they know you're "not working," now is the time to start setting boundaries. Just because you work from home doesn't mean your work isn't equally as important as theirs.

2. If you aren't productive at home because there are too many distractions, find a place with free wi-fi and go there at least 4 days a week for at least 5 hours.

3. If you are not self-motivated, find a partner or a group of freelancers, who would like to be productive and meet 4 days a week for at least 5 hours. A group works well for this because then if someone has to miss a day you can't skip out like you can with a single partner. You can take turns at each other's houses or meet at the place with free wi-fi.

If you are not working at least 20 hours/week on your entertainment career, you are not being competitive and therefore, are losing out on jobs to the people who are getting themselves out there the right way.

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 1280: I grew up in India and as a result English is my second language (cont'd)

"I grew up in India and as a result English is my second language. I  am looking to improve my comprehension when I read my text book...