Job search during depression

October 23, 2008 11:35 AM

What kind of jobs might a person without much job experience actually be able to get straight out of college, given the current financial crisis and general economic BLARGH?

Just my luck that I'm entering the job market at the beginning of what's shaping up to be a serious depression.

I'm a college student who is planning on throwing himself utterly into his acting career after graduation, but I need a day-job to pay the bills. I'm a hard worker, but I have basically zero non-theatrical job experience (though I have done some paid work at some of the more reputable theaters in town, and I have been teaching Kindergarten theater classes after school for the last year).

I'm basically looking for something that isn't retail, food service, or ditch digging. I'm not expecting a great job out of the box but I'd like to find something that would at least have some possibility of advancement and would fairly compensate me for my time.

I have a variety of skills that I think might help. I'm very much a "people person," I'm quite good with computers (from a non-programming perspective), I can write and correspond clearly and effectively, and I have the basic understanding of things technical that anyone would get building sets and hanging lights in theaters for years. I also pretty good with kids, vis a vi the kindergarten teaching gig.

But of course... the job market is dead. How should I set my expectations and what can I do between now and January to prepare myself for my job search?

posted by raygan to work & money (17 comments total)

Why not get a theater education endorsement so you can be a theater teacher? Or an English teacher? Go do one of those master's programs for college grads who haven't majored in education or the discipline they want to teach in.
posted by onepapertiger at 11:47 AM on October 23, 2008

You might want to consider contacting a temp agency. They maybe able to put you into positions that match your skill set, and it might lead to something permanent (and if not, at least it will give you job experience for your resume).
posted by All.star at 11:48 AM on October 23, 2008

Painting

Construction

Hair Cutting

Special-Needs Childcare
posted by amtho at 11:54 AM on October 23, 2008

You should be able to get an administrative assistant job with your credentials - there's plenty out there with just a BA and no job experience. You may also want to check out a receptionist position if you like people.
posted by The Light Fantastic at 11:58 AM on October 23, 2008

Ummm.... what's yer major?
I'd think you could use the acting experience in a way that would get you into a customer service or helpdesk role.
posted by smalls at 12:05 PM on October 23, 2008

In general I think recent grads are actually more in demand with very small businesses in this kind of market, because those businesses are hurting for money too. You, as a no-experience recent-grad, come much cheaper than somebody with a bigger skill set. They still need somebody to do work to pay the bills, so it makes sense for it to be somebody who comes cheap. I know people in several small software development companies that think like this, and I'd bet the mindset crosses into other professions too.
posted by vytae at 12:09 PM on October 23, 2008

I think the others have some good advice, but I want to chime in and say in all it's not that bad out there. You might have to try a little harder and your job search might be a little longer, but that's no reason not to try for the jobs that you really want. While very few actors earn enough to pay the bills even in the best of times, entertainment is one of the better industries to be in in an economic downturn.

Well that or bartending/bar waiting. All of my bar working friends say that the dip has increased business (though not tips.)
posted by Ookseer at 12:11 PM on October 23, 2008

Where do you plan on living? I have some actor friends here in NYC, and they pay their bills in the following ways: cater waiter, web designer, personal assistant, temp work. NYC has whole industries that cater to the working schedules of people who are trying to make it in theatre. Other cities may not have the same opportunities.
posted by ThePinkSuperhero at 12:15 PM on October 23, 2008 [1 favorite]

Yes, Special-needs childcare definitely will always have a market.

If you've been teaching kindergarten, you can also consider nannying. If you have enough of a resume, you can almost always get a job in private childcare that will pay decently. I'm a nanny and I make more now than I did when I taught preschool. I have a degree in art and a love of children and this is definitely the most lucrative thing for me to be doing given the current economy.
posted by grapefruitmoon at 12:38 PM on October 23, 2008

Time for grad school.
posted by caddis at 12:39 PM on October 23, 2008 [1 favorite]

The number-one rule is, think big. The number-two rule is, be sure that your job adds value to a potential employer. And number-three, no matter what anyone says, never give up. Do not settle for a position as a ditch digger or a dishwasher (although if you may need to pay the bills).

It seems likely that you're personable. Why not aim for a career in sales? If you can figure out some way to hone your sales skills now, at the beginning of your career, it will help you out later down the road. You could sell insurance or work as a bank teller. Thinking big, you could sell cars, or even real estate. It is probably more gratifying to work for a larger company doing business-to-business sales, so perhaps that is how you will think big.

You don't have to be a salesperson forever. But the skills are transferable, and will most definitely help you out down the road in other situations. But right now, employers are hoping to hold on to what they have (that takes relationship management skills) and will be struggling to maintain current volumes in the face of a recession. That is how you can add value.
posted by KokuRyu at 1:07 PM on October 23, 2008

No, it's not time for grad school at all -- your primary career, acting, is a very difficult path but the best part of it is that your success or failure will have little to do with the boom or bust of the economy and more to do with whether or not you look the part or can act or are sleeping with the director or...

As for jobs actors do well with, that depends on a huge variety of things, like what kind of acting you want to do, if you're in New York or LA or a town with a substantial theater community like Chicago or San Francisco, what your job experiences are like. Waiting tables or bartending/barbacking allows you to go to auditions during the day. If you get a role in a play, then you'll probably be giving up some shifts on Friday and Saturday nights for a few weeks, but it won't last long. If you book a commercial, it'll only be one or two days, and you'll probably be shooting during the day. It might also involve wardrobe or something.

Think about getting a job as an assistant or a receptionist at a talent agency or a management company so you get a feel for the business side of things. You might also want to look into working for a casting director. Those contacts can be invaluable later on, and the churn on those jobs are so high that down economy or no, you should be able to find one if you're tenacious enough. Seriously consider Los Angeles or New York, or know that your opportunities will be limited for acting advancement (although your competition might be limited as well). If you're really serious about acting, then focus on a job that will allow you maximum flexibility and pay your bills, or will give you a substantial insight into the business side. If you're not serious about acting?

Grad school.
posted by incessant at 1:13 PM on October 23, 2008

If you're in NYC, phone sales. There are dozens that cater to actors on Craigslist. Have a look-see.
posted by micawber at 1:15 PM on October 23, 2008

Admin assistant job should be a pretty easy get for you. And I know I say this in nearly every job-search thread, but look into non-profit administration and universities.

The work with kids will come in handy when there's a board meeting. Heh.
posted by desuetude at 2:15 PM on October 23, 2008 [1 favorite]

Thanks for the feedback so far, I feel less overwhelmed already.

@onepapertiger: I've considered the teaching certificate side of things, and think I would like to give that a shot, but I need to get out and make a little money in the mean time. I will look into it.

@smalls: I was a theater major with a focus on acting/directing, and a (useless) English minor. Why didn't I take that business minor!

@ookseer: Thanks for the encouragement.

@KokuRyu: I think I would be good at sales but want to stay away from jobs based on commission. I like the flexible hours but fear the uncertainty.

@incessant: All great advice. I'm not planning on grad school unless, god forbid, I get out there and realize I really do need more training. I can't move to NYC for another couple of years for a variety of reasons, but I'll definitely keep an eye open for jobs at places that would help me understand the business end of the theater.
posted by raygan at 5:16 PM on October 23, 2008

Legal assistant/clerk for a big law firm. No certificate necessary (at least when I did it), just a B.A. and basic smarts re documents and computers.
posted by ClaudiaCenter at 7:29 PM on October 23, 2008

raygan, both your theater degree and your English minor can be worked very nicely in an interview for an admin asst type job. You can diplomatically manage people, including those with outsize personalities or who are more senior than you, mentor newbies, work in a team environment, both supervise and take direction within the same project, think strategically, set and maintain deadlines, stay clear-headed under pressure, etc. I bet you can think of A LOT of examples. As for your English minor, one thing that is sorely needed is the ability to actually write well. Exposure to all that literature should have made your language skills more sophisticated than that of any business major.

(When people scoff at the "usefulness" of my theater degree, I look 'em straight in the eye and tell them that actually, I'm using it RIGHT NOW. Gets a laugh every time.)
posted by desuetude at 9:26 AM on October 24, 2008