From Baby's First C.V. to Comic Sans Faux Pas: Navigating Early Career Blunders
Reflections on Resumes, Regrets, and the Road to Success in the Entertainment Industry
I recently sat down with my daughter to help her write her first resume. Aww, baby’s first C.V.! First of all, that process is so much easier now that Chat GPT exists. Remember racking your brain for all the ways to say the word “completed?” I was so proud of my kid for getting out there and getting an internship at 14. Sure, I’m making her, but she didn’t fight me, so she gets points for showing up.
All the conversations I’m having with her about how to talk to potential employers and how to present yourself, remind me how difficult it is in those early days when your resume is thin. I remember putting together my first acting resume, and leaning heavily into my training, and fluffing the experience up with some (cough) student films I completed in the Niagara Falls region. They never sent me the tape. (cough) Don’t worry about it.
As I look back, I remember the pride I felt when I was able to remove the fake student films and replace them with real credits. I also remember longing to be taken seriously in the industry, desperately wanting to get my foot in the door, and all the missteps along the way.
I had many blunders, but my biggest was when I met an agent named Lynn at one of those pay-to-play showcases. You pay $75 bucks, the agent gives a talk about what they're looking for, and then you get to do a scene for them. My meeting went well. In our three minutes, I managed to make her laugh, and she sent me out on a commercial audition a few days later. Having virtually no audition skills under my belt yet, and having all the nervous feelings, I tanked it, but I was somehow still hopeful. I plotted how I would continue to win Lynn over and get her to represent me officially. I followed the instructions in a book called “Acting as a Business” which said I should bug her, but in a good way. I took that to mean I should start a “Please Love Robin!” campaign where I sent lots of funny postcards and letters sharing my progress.
Recently, I found a note that I wrote to Lynn. It was in Comic Sans font - dear lord help me, and it went like this:
Dear Lynn. I wanted to take a moment to say congratulations on your new position! I hope it doesn’t seem like I’m stalking you, I guess good news just travels fast. Of course, no mailing to you would be complete without a few pictures and resumes for you to have on file. No need to thank me, it was the least I could do...really. Anyway, now that you have a new home, I’d love to sit down and chat with you again. After you get a chance to get settled, I'll Call To Set up an appointment. Congratulations again
Yes, I sent that. Also later, I called her to try to set up an appointment, and she said, “Robin you can’t just call me.” Then she hung up on me. I’ve lived that phone call over and over in my head approximately one million times, and every time I feel stupid.
Thinking back to those early days in my career, I’m most struck by how much I wanted to get started, how much I wanted to succeed, and how much I wanted to be allowed to prove myself.
Turns out, I’m not alone with that “starting out, gotta hustle, when will I make it?” feeling.
For those of you who don’t know, in addition to this lovely little Substack page, I also host a podcast called Well…Adjusting where I talk about career, finances, and self-help and help folks pick apart problems.
On this week’s episode, Newt joined us and they’re chomping at the bit to get that dream job and move up the ranks.
We talked a lot about the patience it takes to build a career. I know I’m guilty of not always having patience. I have never said or thought, “You know what? I’m good exactly where I am.” Or, “I made it!” I’m laughing just typing those sentences.
But, I have learned a lot over the years about how getting that huge job can sometimes put you in a position where you’re in over your head. I’ve also learned the importance of working under smart leaders or people who are a rung or two above you on the ladder. There is so much to learn when one can flip the thinking from, “I want to be where you are right now. Give it to me!” To, “Here is a person who has historical knowledge that I can learn from and grow.”
This switch in perspective requires patience. This is something we talk a lot about in this episode (and in many other episodes) – the art of being in the present moment. The takeaway for me is learn all that you can in your current role, find your mentors, take on as much as you can, and mine that job so that it takes you to the next level or your next opportunity.
If you want to hear more about this chat with Newt. Click the handy dandy link below and listen to the episode titled: Beyond the Resume: Navigating the Early Career Jungle. It’s a lovely chat, and lord knows we’ve all been there before.
