Career Progression

[Sarah Q]

Firstly apologies if this is in the wrong place, mods feel free to move it to somewhere more appropriate....

 

For the last two years I have worked for one of the larger Edinburgh Fringe venues as a Second LX (in a team of two), largely responsible for the programming of the Strand 520i and have learnt a lot about moving lights etc...

 

I have the opportunity to go back to the same venue and do the same job again for the third year. I was wondering how this would look to potential employers, as I officially have made no career progression with the venue, despite sharing responsibility for two performance spaces from putting in distro to focussing and operating 50% of the shows.

 

At the moment I am actively seeking work, and am having to consider other jobs away from theatre (we all have bills!), but I don't know whether having a career break is better than taking the job in Edinburgh or not for my future employment potential?

 

Any advice would be great, particularly from Blue Room employers...

 

Thanks

[gareth]

I don't think you need worry too much, Sarah - if anything, the fact that you've been asked back to take on a fairly demanding role in a high-pressure environment like the Edinburgh Fringe for the third year running is something to be quite pleased about, and to make something of when you're "selling yourself". On the contrary, I'd be far more concerned if I read your CV and noticed that your employment history was a succsssion of freelance or short-term engagements that you'd only done once and then not been asked back to do them again!

[lightsource]

I would agree with Gareth on this one ( although I must admit I have no knowledge of Theatre). An Employer asking you to 'come back' is a positive point on a CV. You've obvioustly done a good job previoustly, and they want you back.

 

At the moment I am actively seeking work, and am having to consider other jobs away from theatre (we all have bills!), but I don't know whether having a career break is better than taking the job in Edinburgh or not for my future employment potential?

 

A career break would seem far more damaging to your CV, especially if you left the industry you specialized in.

[Nick S]

Being asked to return for a position at a large and well known venue (I assume from your profile, Assembly) is certainly a positive - although I think I'm slightly biased, having...well, the same position at a large edinburgh venue three years in a row on my CV!

I would also imagine employers with knowledge of the Fringe would understand it's perfectly normal for people to return to the same position 3 or 4 years in a row without advancement...

[Ike]

I'd be far more concerned if I read your CV and noticed that your employment history was a succsssion of freelance or short-term engagements that you'd only done once and then not been asked back to do them again!

I have to agree, my CV is almost entirely short-term engagements and it has raised a fair few eyebrows. I don't think it's ever caused me to lose out on work but it would certainly be nice to have a regular gig to show I'm good at my job (true) and I don't get bored after five minutes and look for something new (not so true).

[Sarah Q]

Thanks for the replies.... on a slightly different note, how do employers feel about seeing voluntary work on a CV? My partner interviews a lot for a very well known theatre company, and says it looks weird if you have industry professionals suddenly doing voluntary work.... my opinion is that I'm giving something back, particularly through the National Student Drama Festival.

 

I can understand if your theatre CV consisted of entirely voluntary work, but surely it's a good thing.

 

Am thinking on the Edinburgh thing - chances are I will go, mainly because I actually really enjoy it, and have been reassured it's not career suicide (well, sort of!)

[lamps galore]

I'd keep away from doing industry related voluntary work. At the end of the day, you're worth a bit and I think it should be reflected in your pay cheque. It is after all your chosen career, why sell yourself short?

 

If you do one gig for free, why should the band/theatre co then expect to pay you to do the second gig? They might end up giving the job to someone else. If you do end up doing the second gig for free, when will that stop? Same gig every year but never paid...Then what happens when another company you freelance for (and charge a fair fee) find out that you'll do it voluntary for some people, but not them?

 

But on the other hand, if I saw that once in a while you were willing to do voluntary work for the odd charity (think RSPCC or Amnesty International) I'd think higher of you, not only for your willingness to donate your precious time, but for your commitment to something outside the work sphere...

 

Anyway, hope that helps...