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Need help with many issues!
Hello everyone! I'm new to the community and hope for input into my situation. I was recently let go from my job, despite having written prior approval from the manager at the time of my request, because I took off for Christmas to spend with my elderly mom, who ask me as well as my siblings to spend Christmas with her so she wouldn't have to be alone. She lives in another state.
I've been searching for a better job anyway but I'm having no luck finding anything and now it's pressing that I find something quickly. I feel as though my past jobs at restaurants after a significant gap in employment due to a layoff aren't helping me to stand out to potential employers. I'm trying to highlight the skills that I've gained volunteering as a film producer, director, scriptwriter and various other crew positions so I've included that volunteer work on my resume. I've built skills such as team building, leadership, project management, time management, teamwork, communication skills, being highly detail oriented and idea generation, etc. I also have started offering script consulting, editing and formatting services as well as book editing services. Yet I'm either only getting the usual "thank you for your interest in our company" responses, no response or rejections without one interview.
I've been considering creating a website and/or starting a blog to build a social media presence and to shine a light on who I am and the film, scriptwriting and creative work that I do. I've also been researching about building a brand but honestly I feel like I'm fumbling around in the dark and possibly trying to do too much. I need opinions, input and suggestions on how to move forward.
You may feel as though you're fumbling but you are fumbling in the right direction.
The one thing that is missing is the money to live on while you're putting the pieces together while preparing a professional career in the film industry. From what you are writing, that does appear to be what you want to do. Is that correct?
Can you find a job as a server or something else that pays the bills; something that has set hours that will provide you with time every day or every week to work on what you love? That is called a bridge job--work that can get you from where you are to where you want to be. If that job can somehow connect your into the film industry, so much the better. That would be easy in LA; I have no idea what is available in Texas.
Your instinct for personal branding, getting known via social media and blogging is right on. Once you have a job, figure out what your brand is; that is: who you really are and what you want to do to help others to see that. Start with one social media platform; that might be enough or you might decide to expand into others. Use that along with a website that showcases your work and includes a blog. (The website could also contain such things as reviews of movies, etc. That could be through your blog.)
Another piece is learning from others who were/are successful and you admire in the film industry. That could be reading bios or connecting, friending, liking, following on social media. Ask questions. Give compliments or, as I prefer, thank them for their work.
Is that giving you any ideas?
I see you that you posted your question a couple of days ago and no one else has responded. So if you want to continue this conversation, ask questions, make comments or whatever else will help you move to the next step.
Hi Lynne! Thank you for taking the time to respond. I noticed that you're a career coach. I need a career coach badly and have been talking about getting one. Unfortunately I don't have the money for one right now.
Yes it is correct that I want a career in the film industry. About a month ago I posted on several Facebook scriptwriting groups about offering script consultation and book editing services. Currently I am editing a book for a client and also am working on a script for a web series and will be directing the web series at the beginning of 2021. While I'm grateful for the work and opportunity to build on my skills it isn't paying much.
The job I just lost was a server/to go specialist position. Because I was at that company for so long I was able to only work during the week. That left me time to pursue film work. Most people also pursuing careers in film have to film on weekends when they're not working. It's very difficult to get server or retail positions that don't require you to work weekends so I'm trying to find a Monday through Friday office position but in reality would like to find work with a film production company or freelance work that will help me continue to build on my film work experience. The problem is that independent low budget film work pays little to nothing. Texas has just cut their budget even further for the film commissions so most film work here is very local, very independent and very low budget.
My instinct is telling me to use my strength in writing as a foundation to build my brand, showcase what I can do and where I want to go professionally through a blog and that the blog should be on a website that has links to my work. One location with easy to access anything related to my professional pursuits. I need to put more thought into what exactly I'd want to have on my website. Incidentally, I do have a mostly professional social media presence on Facebook (I sometimes post personal things as well but I'm part of several scriptwriting and producing groups) in addition to being on Twitter and Linked In.
I do follow some people on twitter that I admire. That's more difficult to do on Linked In as they have to be in your network to connect with them. I do sometimes respond to posts on twitter but rarely get responses back so I feel it's difficult to really connect with people I look up to through social media.
Starting at the end of your comment. You can follow people on LinkedIn without being in their network and you can comment. You can do so on Facebook, too. Some people will respond. Others won't. As they say, "Play with who shows up."
If you have a car, have you considered driving for a food delivery service? (I've heard that those working for Door Dash delivering for Walmart here in the Salt Lake City area are making close to $20 per hour.) Or does finding a remote job with flexible hours seem appealing--something that would enable you to work around filming schedules?
Having a blog is a great idea. I have a couple of other thoughts about things you might want to include on your website/blog--maybe even be income generating.
FYI: At the moment, you can afford my services. Really. If you are interested in discussing that possibility, let me know. We can connect on here or LinkedIn; then have a phone call to see if we are compatible for working together.