Getting 'in'

[MarkAllwood]

hi there!

 

since qualifying from college in july on a sound engineering course I have been trying to find work... and cant!

 

I have literally written to and e-mailed hundreds of companies asking for voluntary work on a long term basis.. but evidently this is not working!! what am I doing wrong?

 

can anyone offer me some advice on this please?! my supermarket working life is now bringing me down and I have to find some work in sound engineering to help me regain my sanity!!

 

thanks in advance!

 

Mark

[TeeJay]

Hi Mark,

 

not sure how much specific advice I can give but:

 

If long-term placements are proving problematic, how about trying shorter placements? In particular teaming this with an objective makes you seem more focussed. Compare -

"Hi, can I come and do some work for you, for free. Don't mind what I do, or for how long. Just want some sound engineering in it somewhere. Is there any chance ...?"

with

"Hi, I'm looking to gain some experience with setting up and running scenes on Yamaha digital desks and I'm available at these dates. Is there any chance...?" (just as an example)

 

Or how about going for a more general job in the biz? You don't say if your course was for recording or live sound but taking a casual job as a flightcase humper say, and then aiming to help the sound team as much as possible or chatting to them about the kit used on the gig could be another way to introduce yourself.

 

Good luck.

[lightbulb789]

I'm currently trying the same thing.

 

And not having any luck

 

I went down to my local theatre the other week and picked up a leaflet of upcoming shows, Most of the touring groups have website which I get in contact and ask if I can help out when the production comes to my local theatre..... Hasn't worked yet but I'm still trying

 

If you have any tips Mark let me know.

 

Thanks

 

Adam

[MarkAllwood]

thanks for your advice! do u have any idea where I can get employed as a flight case lugger arounder?!

 

I've been l;ooking but dont really know who to approach!

 

oh and yes my course was a general course but I have focused my attention on live sound engineering.. I find it much more exciting!

 

thanks again!

 

Mark

[Doug kelly]

http://www.showforce.com/home.html

 

http://www.showstars.co.uk/

 

http://www.stagemiracles.com/

 

http://www.gallowglass.co.uk

 

 

2 seconds Yahoo.com search

 

Or try the white book

[MarkAllwood]

cheers! I have already looked into these companies and hope to be in touch with stage miracles tomorrow about getting an interview I think?!

[Pete McCrea]

Where are you based?

[sam.henderson]

[plug for stagelink]

 

Another place to look for Venues, Crewing Companies, Rental Houses etc. etc. is Stage Link.

 

[/plug for stagelink]

 

Sam

[oh lordy]

Hi Mark,

 

Can be a little daunting to 'Get In'. Dont go and work for the likes of stage miracles I am sure if you wanted to shift boxes then you would be a removals man. Stick to approaching companies. Go and see these people though and be keen to get on. Problem on this forum is there are lots of students and sales men and not a massive amount of working tech's note the word working.

 

All the best.

 

Don't give up on what you want though.

 

Oh Lordy

[Guest lightnix]

Dont go and work for the likes of stage miracles I am sure if you wanted to shift boxes then you would be a removals man.

Further to the PM I sent earlier, I have to disagree with that. You've got to start somewhere and, for recently graduated students, working for local crewing companies can be a great first step into the business and a jolly good way to get some solid, hands-on experience under your belt. Local crewing companies are keen to have qualified people on their books and will try to match their training to their on-site role, if possible.

 

Stick to approaching companies. Go and see these people though and be keen to get on.

Sound advice there, do try to get to meet people if possible, but don't be too pushy, they're generally busy chaps who have more to do than sit around talking to people all day. Invite them out for a drink - an informal chat about life, the universe and everything over a lunchtime pint can produce better results than a formal interview setting.

 

Problem on this forum is there are lots of students and sales men and not a massive amount of working tech's note the word working.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Interesting quote, for someone who lists their place of employment as "mmm well"

[Panzerman]

TeeJay's hit the nail on the head there.

 

My advice would be to get round to your local friendly neighbourhood PA company and see if you can give them a hand. For free! And by "give them a hand", I mean, when they are loading the truck, for example, not anything remotely technical to begin with.

I dread it when someone approaches me and starts off with the dreaded phrase : "My son's at college doing a sound engineering course......" and behind them Kevin The Teenager stands sullenly. They have approached me engineering at gigs, ffs, as if I'm going to say "Oh well, here you go sonny, take over for a bit, see how you get on". I swear I can see them coming now, I really do, there's a strange glint in their eye.......

 

So, try and make friends at the warehouse. If it's a small company, there may only be a couple of blokes there, but if you are friendly and cheerful, and don't get too much in the way, it should pay dividends. Ask about the kit they use, but think your questions through beforehand ie. if it is a small-town PA co using some ancient tatty Court Black Box, don't ask them what they think of Nexo Geo or Midas Heritage desks. They will just think you are a plum!

If you get a cup of tea there, you are on the right track! It shouldn't be long before you are making the tea.....

 

Offers of help loading and unloading are by far the offers I want to hear, I couldn't care less what desks you get to play with at college, I just want the truck loaded and get to home to my bed! If you are there helping, I will be more likely to accept that you may be an asset behind the desk too!

 

Some years ago, a lad did basically the above, hung around my warehouse after school, helped coil cables, sweep up, load vans, MAKE TEA. He tagged along to a couple of local jobs, and was given a few quid for his trouble, not because he had his hand out, but because he did what he was told and was always there ready to help lug racks etc. He never lurked by the desk with his personal stereo on, he got stuck in, without being a pain in the backside. The Summer he left school, he spent loads more time down at the yard, came out on more and more jobs, and in time became a trusted and capable employee. We had some great gigs, great laughs, he learned quickly and never belly-ached. And made some good money while he was at it. I came to trust him with warehouse keys and knew I could leave him to do technical jobs, engineer gigs etc.

When he went off to college to do sound engineering he realised how valuable his time with me had been, he knew what it was like on the ground at the sharp end in the real world already. He used to say his lecturers might have done this or that but that they wouldn't be any use on a live job, where they may have had to think quickly to get a problem resolved NOW! He admitted that his experience working with me was more useful than his college qualifications

As of right now, 4 years after he left college, he went off to do his own thing, see the world etc. I have told him to name his price to come back and work full-time for me again. Frankly, he is head and shoulders above some of the other guys I employ, something that was evident from the moment he availed himself at my warehouse.

 

Sorry to ramble on, just trying to illustrate a good way into the industry. Out of all the people out there in the business, very very few work on the sexy world class jobs, plugging in their cans for the Rolling Stones then retiring to the hotel. Most of the rest of us do some of this, some of that to get the job done and keep the client happy, be they a local band doing a showcase gig, a garage doing the dealer launch of a new model, or a sales conference, whatever. My company does all of these sorts of things, and more besides. It's never boring, variety is most certainly the spice of life, and I also enjoy my work ! Oh, and I make a tidy living out of it too!!!

But just remember, without a loaded truck, none of it is going to happen!!!!!!

 

The thing is, an all-round intelligent bloke, willing to learn and muck in, is far more likely to get work from me, or any of the other companies that I work alongside, than any highly specialised tech. Of course, if you are certain that you will roll out of college into a job sitting FOH for U2 or whatever, then ignore my post!

 

 

Best of luck, anyway!

[mikienorth]

Panzerman's advice and anecdote ring true for me.

That is how I started getting paid for this, I 'found' a local PA company by getting involved on another level at an event they were doing. I got chatting to the stage manager, who also happened to own the company. Over the few days the event was running we began to get on quite well, and I 'assisted' with his load out.

He took my number, when I offered it, and a few weeks later phoned to offer me an engineering gig for not a lot of cash. I accepted the gig, but due to my not thinking I could engineer, I refused to initially take his money, so he used the cash he had lined up for me to pay someone else, to teach me, and advise me.

He then, after a couple of months offered me a paid tour of Switzerland as my first gig for money.

3 years on and it is a full time job, not with him, I admit, but he was the start of the change from an ambition into a reality. Maybe I landed lucky with the first gig I took money for, but it can happen.

I never went to college for anything immediatley related to this industry but my advice would copy the above.

When you get offered some 'experience' (free labour to the provider), take it, and work hard, talk little about what you think you know, and soak up anything anyone tells you. The real world is very, very different to the one portrayed at college, and, sadly, and not saying anything about any BR members as my examples are, AFAIK, not on here, persons who study the job academically can talk a good job but sruggle to do a good job. When using a company for experience pretend you know nothing, you probably don't.

It is a hard job to break into, and many more people than you think are trying to do exactly what you are doing, and are better than you.

Thats how I think anyway.

[MarkAllwood]

thanks panzerman and mickienorth.. and everyone for that matter!

 

I'm really starting to get a clear idea in my head now of how to go about this! I have found a local p.a hire company and I shall be popping up there after work next week!

[Mr.Si]

http://www.taylor-phillips.co.uk/

 

Try the above perhaps?

 

(Hope I'm allowed to do this, but since other plugs have been made, I think it'll be ok)

 

Simon

[Pete McCrea]

It's how I got in too. Freebies and willing to help, then eventually getting paid gigs and now after a degree (Civil Engineering) I have a full time job with the same company.

 

And it certainly ain't glamourus work. I was preping kit, fixing flight cases and other bits, as well as a dash to Birmingham Symphony Hall on a rescue mission.

 

Get experience, don't be affraid to push boxes and make tea. It's appreciated.