Lana writes in:
Again in July I obtained extraordinarily fortunate. I used to be employed as a PA on a characteristic movie and inside every week discovered myself performing because the second assistant director (a mix of the manufacturing not having some huge cash and the first not being obtainable till the third day of capturing and subsequently the 2nd and myself [key PA at that point] shifting as much as cowl). Then somebody I met on that venture supplied me one other 2nd AD job, after which one other after that.
Ever since that third venture (which occurred in November) I’ve been having excessive problem discovering a job. Any job. I’ve utilized for PA positions, internships, 2nd AD gigs. Nothing. I hoped having the 2nd AD experiences would assist give me an edge when making use of to PA positions (I took the “I do know what ADs want in a PA” angle.) I’ve requested some folks I’ve met on these shoots about jobs, with none luck.
I do know competence and likability weren’t points, so I simply don’t know the place to show. I’ve exhausted each job web site on the market. I’ve even despatched hand written letters to corporations asking to work for them. Am I outdated as a result of I don’t have something “present” on my resume? I’ve actually executed every part from portray partitions to building to ADing. I don’t thoughts grunt work (or lengthy days, or low pay, or…). I’d identical to to receives a commission. (Although even touchdown unpaid positions has been not possible currently!) It simply looks as if each time I interview someplace they all the time discover somebody who’s one higher than me.
To begin with, anybody frightened that they haven’t had a job in a month or two, take a breath. That’s regular. Particularly when you bear in mind the vacation slowdown from late November by way of January.
Can a PA be Overqualified?
It’s not unusual for low- or no-budget productions to compensate folks with higher titles than they may in any other case benefit. This could be a blessing and a curse.
On the one hand, it’s a standard method to climb the ladder–work for a pair years as a PA on large reveals, get your days as a 1st or 2nd AD on indie productions, then be a part of the union and land large reveals with a spiffy new title (and better pay).
But when, like Lana, this occurs too early in your profession, you’ll find yourself eliciting considered one of two reactions:
- You’re mendacity— why would an skilled AD apply for a PA job?
- You’re going to leap ship— when you are an skilled AD who’s simply having bother discovering work, you’ll go away the present as quickly as you discover one which will rent you as an AD.
Neither of those are good. It’s a uncommon circumstance during which I’d recommend mendacity in your resume by downgrading your self. Put these reveals down as PA, and even Key PA, positions. You might alter that sooner or later, however proper now, the priority is getting a job and paying your payments.
