How do I get this job?
June 4, 2017 1:15 PM Subscribe
I am looking to transition between job roles but I need help with writing my resume. How should I go about doing this?
I currently work in the data department for a company within the music industry. My job is varied and involves undertaking many different processes for a variety of departments but I still struggle to define it. I am very unhappy within my job - the work itself (I don't like working with cold data), the lack of support in my very cliquey lad-centred team and my manager (4 people have left his team already) and I want to move on A.S.A.P. I am also looking to move to a different part of this industry - specifically A&R.
A job I really want has recently been advertised, however I am lacking in two vital areas: marketing and artist liaison. I do work with these departments indirectly in terms of providing necessary data but this is not valid for A&R specifically. I have over 10 years of extensive experience in other relevant fields - such as repertoire knowledge, rights, collection societies and with some knowledge of songwriting and production, but feel I am going to find it tricky to be able to sell myself in the absence of those afforementioned key areas. I should point out that these key areas are not essential but 'preferred'. I don't see how I could compete with someone who has more relevant experience but I want this job...badly.
Is there a resume/cover letter writing service that can help people who are transitioning roles specific to the music industry? I know there are entertainment industry recruitment agencies that help with resumes, however what if you're looking for a job that is not being advertised on their website but on an external website instead? Are there independent services available or do people just wing it by themselves? I really want this job. I have a great ear for the next big thing, know what will 'be a hit' and I really want to nurture artists. I believe I will be very good at it but I can't write a resume based on belief. I am also the worst at selling myself.
I am based in the UK btw and the job is being advertised in another country.
Thanks.
I currently work in the data department for a company within the music industry. My job is varied and involves undertaking many different processes for a variety of departments but I still struggle to define it. I am very unhappy within my job - the work itself (I don't like working with cold data), the lack of support in my very cliquey lad-centred team and my manager (4 people have left his team already) and I want to move on A.S.A.P. I am also looking to move to a different part of this industry - specifically A&R.
A job I really want has recently been advertised, however I am lacking in two vital areas: marketing and artist liaison. I do work with these departments indirectly in terms of providing necessary data but this is not valid for A&R specifically. I have over 10 years of extensive experience in other relevant fields - such as repertoire knowledge, rights, collection societies and with some knowledge of songwriting and production, but feel I am going to find it tricky to be able to sell myself in the absence of those afforementioned key areas. I should point out that these key areas are not essential but 'preferred'. I don't see how I could compete with someone who has more relevant experience but I want this job...badly.
Is there a resume/cover letter writing service that can help people who are transitioning roles specific to the music industry? I know there are entertainment industry recruitment agencies that help with resumes, however what if you're looking for a job that is not being advertised on their website but on an external website instead? Are there independent services available or do people just wing it by themselves? I really want this job. I have a great ear for the next big thing, know what will 'be a hit' and I really want to nurture artists. I believe I will be very good at it but I can't write a resume based on belief. I am also the worst at selling myself.
I am based in the UK btw and the job is being advertised in another country.
Thanks.
This seems like something where you'd do better by taking a step down to a more entry level-ish job in the department you want to work in.
I have only tangential experience with the music business from when I was a DJ and promoter and from friends that are music producers, but there are lots of ways to get 'music industry' experience that would help you -- learn to DJ, throw your own parties, start a podcast. You can do all those things without going through any gatekeepers. Unfortunately, being good at identifying hits just isn't a rare skill. Hit records by their very nature sort of sell themselves. You need to learn how to find people who are talented before they produce a hit song, and that's much harder to do-- and requires a large personal network of friends in the business that comes from spending a lot of time at clubs, etc. I have one friend who was an a&r guy at a major electronica label, and he was one of the most popular DJ's on the east coast before that happened.
posted by empath at 1:51 PM on June 4, 2017
I have only tangential experience with the music business from when I was a DJ and promoter and from friends that are music producers, but there are lots of ways to get 'music industry' experience that would help you -- learn to DJ, throw your own parties, start a podcast. You can do all those things without going through any gatekeepers. Unfortunately, being good at identifying hits just isn't a rare skill. Hit records by their very nature sort of sell themselves. You need to learn how to find people who are talented before they produce a hit song, and that's much harder to do-- and requires a large personal network of friends in the business that comes from spending a lot of time at clubs, etc. I have one friend who was an a&r guy at a major electronica label, and he was one of the most popular DJ's on the east coast before that happened.
posted by empath at 1:51 PM on June 4, 2017
Response by poster: When I mentioned identifying a hit record, i'm going off what was listed in the advertisement. They never mentioned contacts at all. The only skills I don't have but that they mention are artist liaison (doesn't say you need experience just that it is involved but I don't know how to prove I can do this) and marketing but they mention the latter in terms of college campus experience. It is my understanding that this is actually an entry level job. I have never done anything marketing related. I'm not a partier or a DJ. Surely this is not a requirement? I just want help applying for a specific job and selling what I already have but I need help from an industry specific resume service. Is this possible? The deadline is soon so I can't suddenly acquire the experience. I also wanted to add that I am not interested in working for the other department within my company as we do not do A&R but I want to change company completely.
posted by ihaveyourfoot at 2:08 PM on June 4, 2017
posted by ihaveyourfoot at 2:08 PM on June 4, 2017
Honestly, I think that getting jobs through advertisements is extremely tough anyway, and that's assuming you're very qualified. I know this isn't your question, but if you want a new job, I would start setting up coffee and meetings with every contact you know who works in the area you want to work, and get some advice on how they advanced and let them know you're looking. For other contacts you know, shoot them an email and let them know you're looking to transition to something more related to X, Y or Z if they hear of anything. I've honestly never gotten a job by blindly applying, and I've had a lot of jobs and transitions in my career path. It's always been a referral of some sort that got my resume into the right hands. So I would really temper your expectations about blindly applying to jobs -- from my experience and many people I know, getting jobs that way is not super common. It happens (I hired someone that way) but I tried to hire someone I was referred first. (Just noticed this advertised job is in another country. I would mark this down as incredibly unlikely -- worth a shot, but I wouldn't get your hopes up.)
So anyway, as for your actual question, you definitely want to write your resume for the job you want and not the job you have. You can play up certain parts of your experience that maybe aren't the biggest part of your experience, and ignore anything that brings you to the track you don't want. So even if you yourself haven't done "marketing and artist liaison" (I know nothing about the music industry), I still think that you put on your resume that you worked closely with marketing and artist liaison to provide data for X, Y and Z. They were the ones doing the X, Y and Z, of course, but all you're saying is that you understood what they were doing and provided them the data to execute. It shows at least that you know something about it.
You may be looking at a more junior job, but that's fine if it can get you the experience to start doing what you really want. Sell what you can sell and highlight whatever fits.
posted by AppleTurnover at 2:21 AM on June 5, 2017 [1 favorite]
So anyway, as for your actual question, you definitely want to write your resume for the job you want and not the job you have. You can play up certain parts of your experience that maybe aren't the biggest part of your experience, and ignore anything that brings you to the track you don't want. So even if you yourself haven't done "marketing and artist liaison" (I know nothing about the music industry), I still think that you put on your resume that you worked closely with marketing and artist liaison to provide data for X, Y and Z. They were the ones doing the X, Y and Z, of course, but all you're saying is that you understood what they were doing and provided them the data to execute. It shows at least that you know something about it.
You may be looking at a more junior job, but that's fine if it can get you the experience to start doing what you really want. Sell what you can sell and highlight whatever fits.
posted by AppleTurnover at 2:21 AM on June 5, 2017 [1 favorite]
I'm not a partier or a DJ. Surely this is not a requirement?
Depends on the genre. Obviously not for folk music or classical, but they have their own 'scenes'. Music is a very social business in general.
posted by empath at 6:48 AM on June 5, 2017
Depends on the genre. Obviously not for folk music or classical, but they have their own 'scenes'. Music is a very social business in general.
posted by empath at 6:48 AM on June 5, 2017
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by sammyo at 1:47 PM on June 4, 2017