Recording - December 2011 - 38

Last month we looked at some of the personal skills necessary to be successful. This month we’ll look at some of the professional tools that are needed to go out make people mad—I mean, be successful in finding that next gig! The first thing you need to do is establish whether or not you want to work for yourself or someone else. In other words, do you want to be self-employed or have a day job? Maybe a combination of both? Depending on your comfort zone and level of self-discipline, there are pros and cons to each. Either way, work is work. So, let’s take a look at some of the tools used for seeking gainful employment. The Résumé Whether you’re interested in working for a record label, playing in a band on a cruise ship, being a house engineer at a recording studio, or anything in between, having a good and upto-date résumé on file is never a bad idea. You never know who you’ll run into that may ask for it. Writing a résumé can be hard for everyone, but what makes résumé writing difficult is identifying what to include and what not to. Hiring managers receive hundreds of resumes for any given position; therefore, the bottom line is that they might spend about 20–30 seconds on yours. Too much information, or information that’s badly organized, can cost you a shot at an interview. The first thing to do is establish your objective. After you decide what sort of a job you’re looking for, identify the kinds of skills and experiences that are needed to do well in that job. Then, structure the content of your résumé around that objective.

This is the second in a 2-part series on both the personal and professional aspects of achieving your goals in today’s constantly evolving music business.
By Mark Hornsby

Remember that the most important goal of any résumé is to get an interview. It’s a marketing tool to get you through the door and in front of your potential employer. Once in, it is up to you to sell yourself and get the job. So, that being said, don’t be boastful or focused on details of every job you’ve ever had. Try and put yourself in the shoes of the reader. Look at the job qualifications needed for the position and ask yourself: What would I be looking for in a potential employee? Language is very important in a résumé. Try to use words that stand out to a reader like: confident, leader, win/win, interdependent, successful. Even if the reader isn’t looking for key words, upon first glance they will pick up on them. Some major online companies that help connect people with jobs actually have computer software that scans all the resumes for this type of content before an actual person ever reads one of them. Also, try and watch your phrasing as much as possible. You can accurately describe what you did in a former job while still putting a bit of a spin on it. For example, instead of writing: “Managed XYZ coffee shop”, write that you were “the team leader of 10 employees who were responsible for over $1,000,000 in sales in 2007.” Sounds better, doesn’t it? Analyze the needs of the hiring company. Review job postings online for positions that interest you. Each listing will almost
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RECORDING DECEMBER 2011

Recording - December 2011

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Recording - December 2011