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 by Pamela Robinson  Q: Hi - I have been an "administrative assistant" for over 9 years and have alot of experience. I consider myself a very capable person. However, the first several years I was in the oil business (family) and the last few years I have been in the Real Estate business. I don't like either! It was kind of an accident how I fell into these industries but where I really want to be is in the Entertainment Industry. I believe I could shine in a job that I really enjoyed for a change. However, I can't seem to find a place to get my foot in the door. My question is, how in the world do I switch over? I can't find anything other than basic office work that I can relate in my resume to the entertainment field, even though I know alot more about it than the average Joe because I read and study it so much in my spare time.
Thanks,
Frustrated A: Hi Frustrated: If you have been an administrative assistant for the last nine years, you have "hard" skills that should transfer over into the entertainment business. It is true that for some executives it is of the utmost importance that their assistants know the playing field as well as the players... who the agents are, the studio heads, marketing execs, etc. However, this is certainly not the case with everyone in the "entertainment" business. You didn't mention which area of entertainment in which you are most interested. This is a broad industry which now encompasses digital technology. I suggest that you do your research. Investigate all of the career web sites for the media companies... i.e. Warner Bros. Studios which is a part of a huge media conglomerate Time-Warner, as well as Newscorp which encompasses film, television, digital entertainment, etc. If you drill down & do your homework, you certainly over time will be able to open this door for yourself. Additionally, you must make sure that your resume, your appearance & professional presentation is outstanding. Never underestimate the power of a first impression.
 
Reinvention
Let's continue to talk about reinvention & career changes.Last week we discussed the need to assess your skills & various categories of skill sets...which were broad based & can apply to most people. Now you need to identify your own unique skills. Here are some tips for you to start this exercise: RECALL YOUR ACCOMPLISHMENTS: Start to make lists of everything you do, starting with all of your job responsibilities. This is a good idea for you to do on a monthly basis as well, as it will be documentation of accomplishments when you want to talk about a raise or promotion with your boss. It's like keeping an electronic (used to be paper) trail of your work life. Drill down into the details of your work... & if you're great at presentations & running meetings, include that. Keep it succinct. STUDY YOUR JOB DESCRIPTION: Sometimes you can be in a job for awhile, & it becomes second nature... you are in the flow of your work & don't think about breaking down the details of what constitutes your position. If you don't have your job description, ask human resources for a copy. It will be interesting for you to see how aware you've been of all the aspects of your job, & this will serve as a catalyst to help you decide which skills you want to include on your resume. ANALYZE YOUR PAST POSITIONS: Think about what skills you've used in your prior jobs, & how they will help you get to your next position. LIST YOUR AWARDS & EXTRACURICULAR ACTIVITIES: Think about what skills these acknowledge. VOLUNTEER PARTICIPATION: Volunteering is an extremely valuable aspect of life. It is a way for you to give back to your community, school, medical association, politics, etc. The skills you use may be totally different from that of your work... so be sure to give this part of your life the same importance when you do your self analysis. The transferring of work skills from profit to non-profit is taking place on a regular basis & you may want to think about that as you are considering your next move. |
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