Join Us

Empowering the Next Generation of Women in Audio

Join Us

Making Hard Decisions – Career Choices

Have you ever had a time where you made an employment commitment and then had to go back on that commitment? If you have, I bet you struggled with the decision just as much as I did.

I recently had two amazing job opportunities.  I had applied for a job, accepted an offer and was awaiting my start date, when another offer came my way.   All of a sudden, I had two great opportunities in front of me which, turned into having to make one very hard decision. Do I stay with the first job, take the new opportunity or pass on it because I had already accepted the first offer?

As I faced trying to make my decision, I struggled with some moral thoughts about commitment such as; how I would feel if a prospective employee chose to “quit” before they started, and the situation that I might be leaving the company in if I didn’t follow through with the job I had accepted.  I weighed the pros and cons of each job and considered the goals of my career. I sought advice from others. Some advice was great and some just seemed to make it harder to choose. In some moments I knew exactly what to do, only to question my thinking a few moments later. As I processed what was before me, I wished I had a source that might have helped me think it through, so I write this blog to help others consider what they might do if they ever have to make a decision like this.

I came to my decision by taking a sense of self approach, instead of thinking about what others might want or need. For instance, it is you who will be spending the time there, and you are the one doing the work. We work a lot; it’s the nature of the job. Think about you and which option will help you and your goals, your happiness, and what you want from it all. There will be signs that help you decide for yourself, but those signs might get lost in having to make such a tough choice, usually in a short time frame as well.

When it comes down to it, you will likely disappoint someone no matter what, but you can’t take that in as a factor. Sometimes the truck pack doesn’t fit perfectly, but if you move just one piece of gear, you have a perfect Tetris game. It’s ok to pick you! It’s your happiness, your career goals, and your time because the period you spend working is a majority of your life and is a part of who you are, so it’s absolutely ok to put yourself first. The person or organization you end up leaving will be able to move forward and find someone else for the position. You might burn a bridge, but that is part of picking you in this situation. People come and go, usually at the least opportune time, but in the end, they will work through it just as you have when a coworker leaves or a position remains open too long.

When you do finally decide which option will be best for you, no matter commitments made or not, make sure to communicate those as quickly as possible. This may be the best courtesy you have to offer. Whichever you decide, it will leave someone with the task of going back to the hiring board.  Give them as much time as you can for them to do that. Then look forward to your new opportunity and make the best of it, because you chose it for you and it is an exciting next step!

 

Be Bold, Be You, & Be Proud

We are all amazing women; we do great things, experience amazing events, and live in wonderful ways. We are strong role models and have strong role models. We are moms, significant others, teachers, bosses, trendsetters, friends, and leaders.

All these traits are wonderful and amazing qualities that many people look up too. So then why do a lot of us as women self-deprecate? Why do we not accept compliments when they are well deserved, we don’t take ownership of our significant achievements, and we don’t lead without fear of being called a bitch. Part of it is some of our less progressive counterparts accelerating the way we feel, but I think this idea has been ingrained in us over centuries. We tell ourselves things that bring us down, and we allow others to talk or act that way to us as well. We feel the need to search for approval than to already know we are doing the right thing. We need to accept ourselves for all our strengths and weaknesses, but that does not require us to tear ourselves down. We have enough people that will do that for us. Since we are such magnificent women, it’s time for us to start changing this for ourselves.

Think about the last time you looked at a picture of yourself – did you look at it without thinking something negative about yourself or did you start picking it a part? Thinking or even saying out loud “I have ugly bags under my eyes,” “I didn’t stand right,” or “I look fat.” Maybe you didn’t even look at it because you already knew you looked terrible because you’ve told yourself that so many times you think it is true.  Society markets to us that we need to be skinnier, dress differently, act differently, and more. As a result, we do it to ourselves too. Society brings us down enough. We don’t need to do it to ourselves, and we definitely don’t need to do it to each other. We need to make sure our false opinions of ourselves don’t turn into our realities.

I think it’s time we challenge ourselves to reset the trend. I know so many strong women, yet this still seems to be engrained in us as those strong women also deal with these feelings and thoughts.  It’s time for a change, and it starts with us. Look at that picture and see your health, beauty, strength, and remember the moment in which the picture was taken. Remind yourself your leadership and direction is no different than your counterpart. You are not bitchy, you are confident, and are giving clear directions! You are a leader no different than anyone else. Stop getting stuck on that one decision or one thing that did not go according to your plan; instead, focus on everything that did! Let’s be the example that all women need and change the outlook for the next generation just like the generation before us has done in other ways.

Let’s look at that picture and say, I look great! That day was so fun! Let’s be bold, be you, & be proud for those before us, those after us, and most of all for yourself

 

Three Ways to Ruin the Call

In my opinion as an experienced hiring manager, there are three ways someone could quickly ruin their chance for work with an organization.  Someone could even ruin their chances before the event start. So, as you may be looking to get a new gig or join a new crew, I advise not making these three mistakes.

No call, no show

If you no call, no show – it is a clear sign to a hiring manager that you cannot balance your schedule and you’ve proven to be unreliable. You won’t be hired back. Plus now you’ve just left the team in a lurch, one person down.  If you can’t fulfill your commitment, let your contact know immediately. Also, make sure that you communicate in advance if you know early enough and even consider providing contact names of others who might be able to fill your spot. Most of all, if it is short notice when you’re unable to get to the shift, make sure to have a strong reason as to why.  The hiring manager could consider you again in the future if you have a valid reason and are apologetic regarding the situation. If they never hear from you, you’ll never hear from them again.

Negative attitude

If you arrive at a first gig with a company or group and immediately are negative, you are stepping out on the wrong foot right away. It takes a lot of energy to create a crew and negative energy even from one person can bring everyone down. Being negative is a way to not get invited back. We all know events and production is tough work, and the schedule rarely allows for enough time to get it done reasonably. Adding a negative air to the situation does not help.  Approach a new environment with a positive go-getter attitude. Take a minute to analyze how the crew works together and see how you fit into the program. This will help you connect with the crew as well as be remembered as a positive force and someone the crew would love to work with again.

Don’t act like a know-it-all

Acting like a know, it all can also ruin the call. Face it – no one likes a know-it-all, so don’t be that person.  If you can offer advice or experience to help with problem-solving a situation, by all means, contribute your ideas. However, as a new person to the crew, you are not going to know it all, and these actions can be off-putting to the existing crew.  Offer advice where you can and make sure to ask questions along the way. Each crew will do things slightly differently, so if you aren’t sure, there is no harm in asking. Especially if it is going to save you and the crew time in redoing something later.  You’ll also develop relationships with the crew faster by communicating and working with them, then trying to prove you know everything.

Each person has earned their spot on the crew, work with them to earn yours as well. Make sure to show up on time, be ready for what the day will give you, and ask questions along the way.

 

 

Finding that Job

As I see postings online from people asking for advice about how to start their careers just out of school or how to change their careers to join the audio world, it makes me think about the job hiring process and changes I went through about a year ago. It had been a while coming. I knew I was ready for a change, but I was waiting for the right change through finding the right job. Looking back, I’m not sure if finding the right position was the proper way to look as much as something that would be different and would challenge me, but also keep me engaged while learning new things. Overall, looking back I think I learned the most during the interview processes I went through followed by actually moving and experiencing all the change.

Once I made my choice about wanting to move, I then had to search for a new job.  Using all the popular sites, I found it wasn’t that straightforward to find the kind of job I was looking for. In our industry, we use a unique language to get our work done. Hiring managers and job boards don’t necessarily understand that language either.  Yes, there are job boards out there just for our industry, but there are many entities hiring that won’t use those boards because it is too specific to the industry for the 1 or 2 positions they have. The corporate environment will either use a recruiter to get down into an intricate area of a specific industry or will hope the keywords match on a large job board site.  As you start your search, get creative with the job title words you search for. A venue manager may be listed under Facilities Coordinator, or A1 could be listed as Technician.

You will likely apply for a lot of jobs. Don’t just apply for one at a time, apply for all the jobs that interest you and that you are qualified for.  Response rates can be slow, and you don’t want to waste valuable time and good opportunities hoping you will hear from one specific place. You could miss out on better opportunities. You could also miss out on valuable experience interviewing too.  During the interview is where you will learn most about the organization and their expectations for you and the position. They will spend a majority of the time talking to you about your qualifications to see how you will fit in their world, but it is also ok for you to ask questions to see if you will fit in their world too.  More than just skills need for a job; you need to determine if you can work for them. We spend a lot of our lives working, so I advise making sure you work for an entity that you are willing to spend a lot of your life at.

As you apply to different jobs, I recommend keeping a copy of the job description as well as the cover letter and resume you submitted. This way if you do get an interview you will have a copy of the resources you provided them since they should be tailored for that specific application.

As you are interviewing watch for the positive and negatives of the organization. Ask strategic questions regarding the research you have done on the organization and learn as much as you can to make a decision later on. Some red flags to watch for are how they communicate with you before, during, and after the interview. Is it concise communication or are they sending you mixed messages? Do they call you back when they say they will? Does the hiring manager or person who greets you at the start of the interview speak positively about the organization and the environment they work in?

Watch for the red flags like managers telling you just a little too much about the organization’s dysfunction or personal information about possible future co-workers. Dodging the questions you’re asking, or interviewing a couple of times with the same person only to learn you have two or three more interview steps to go that will be scheduled over the next few weeks.  Be cautious of interviews that are continuously scheduled with the same person over and over. This may be a sign the organization is not ready to hire someone, or that management is not genuinely interested in you. Don’t forget to ask about their timeline to complete the hiring process too.

I went on one interview last year where there were some red flags when they asked me what I did with downtime during work hours, and how I would handle a continuously light schedule. I answered as clearly as I could, but couldn’t help but wonder – Am I going to be bored working here? Will there be a challenge for me?  During that same interview, a staff member also shared with me the ‘drama’ within the department. There will always be differences among co-workers, but if that’s shared during the interview process, it should make you wonder how much ‘drama’ is happening on a daily basis. They also shared how the organization did not support the department, which was surprising to hear. Those were all signs that working in that environment would not have been for me. So when the job offer came, I knew the job wasn’t for me.

On the other hand, watch for the positive signs such as a hiring process that is well organized, welcoming, and that you get a great vibe while you are going through the process. They provide precise information about, organization and the job in which you are interviewing for.  In my opinion, the interview process should feel good, maybe a little nerve-wracking while in the process, but good afterward. Be prepared for many different kinds of approaches as you may work with recruiters or hiring managers, but you could also be talking directly with the president or owner as well.  Expect multiple steps to the interview like a video or phone interview first, a general interview second, then maybe a management interview to finish the process.

Then if you’re right for them and it’s right for you get ready for your next adventure!  Starting a new job can be significant and scary at the same time. No matter what it will be a great experience to add to your tool belt. Also, remember as you get your first or second job within the audio or events world, remember all of us SoundGirls are here to help along the way!

 

Murphy’s Law

I love meeting people in the industry to talk about the events and situations they have encountered. My favorite topic is to talk about the odd or strange things that have happened and hearing about how they overcame those situations. Our industry is so dynamic, no two shows are ever the same and our partners in this industry have all had some interesting experiences.

I get the most out of learning about how people have problem-solved different situations in the past or how they have overcome something unexpected. It’s truly fascinating to hear how they defeated barriers they have encountered over time.  I was recently talking to someone about these same topics, and they commented on it all just being like Murphy’s Law. If you don’t know what Murphy’s Law is, it’s often summed up with the common adage of what can go wrong, will go wrong. I found this outlook very interesting and thought to myself – we’ve all been there.

The equipment stops working; the team wasn’t notified of a drastic time change, the truck is three hours late, and more.  Some things we can quickly recover from, others will cause us hours of extra work to correct, but in the end, the show will go on. We continuously work to overcome everything that goes wrong for the good of the show. These are the things we like to complain about, but they never stop us from doing it again.  Every situation, once experienced and conquered, turns into a great story, often shared during happy hour. I’ve written about some of the situations I’ve had to work through such as an artist not showing up and not having a proper budget for a building; each situation being overcome in diverse ways with skills I have learned over time.  We’ll never know the answers to everything, but we can often use our previous experiences to overcome new obstacles.

In the beginning, some of these will seem like show stoppers, your blood pressure might go up and anxiety may kick in, but you will get through it. With time those issues get easier and new ones pop up, but as you gain experience, problem-solving gets faster and it’s easier to tackle the new ones because you have a better foothold than you did before. Problems that arise often kick-start our adrenaline. Some of us thrive on the challenges that Murphy’s Law seems to provide. It’s an adventure to overcome the obstacles, to adapt to the changing situation in seconds, and to create a solution so the event can move forward. Eventually, we have gained enough skills where these issues don’t seem as big as they once were.

Murphy’s Law gets the best of us from time to time, but if we keep learning through these issues, we’ll only get better for the next show. I also think we might be trained a bit like Pavlov’s dogs; coming back for more food whenever the bell rings.  There is something within the event world that keeps bringing us back time and time again. Maybe we’ve been conditioned like Pavlov’s dogs, but instead of a bell and food, we hear gig and think something along the lines of, oh this will be fun!

So, here’s hoping Murphy’s Law doesn’t kick in for your next show, but your Pavlov’s senses keep you coming back for more.  What can go wrong, will go wrong – but hey let’s do that again and learn from the last time!

 

Maintaining Business Relationships – Part 2

Last month I wrote the first part of this two-part series on business relationships. I focused on the seller or company side of the relationship offering my perspective on a few things companies can do to strengthen and maintain customer relationships. I mentioned that I disagreed with the ideology that the customer is always right because relationships are a two-way street. Just as businesses need to keep up their end, customers need to as well.

Customers shopping for audio services have an extensive selection of companies and service providers they can choose to hire. To be able to secure the best resources for the show it’s important for the client to build a relationship with companies, to create a successful event. Customers need to remember companies have several clients and projects they are working on and that the business will continuously be changing.

The customer needs to understand a company exists to make a profit by selling a service or product. For that company to stay relevant, the company will need to try new things, increase inventory, and pay staff properly.

If the company met or exceeded the exceptions that were set in the past and you the customer plan to use their services again, let them know. Purchase or reserve the services as soon as allowed. Companies can’t wait around hoping for work to come in.  To maintain the relationship let the company know about any plans for reoccurring business.

As with any relationship, the customer should expect that things will change. Prices, staff, and inventory. As professionals, be open to trying new things the company suggests because they are the experts you have hired and trust.  Take advice on new equipment and trust that the staff hired will uphold the company’s values and professionalism that has been experienced in the past.

Don’t shortchange the company.  Companies are successful due to multiple customers; allow time to work out details, remain flexible, listen to advice offered, and most of all communicate. This relationship is based on what the client’s needs are, but companies cannot meet those expectations when the expectations are unknown. No one is a mind reader. Communication is vital in any relationship, and in this instance, the client needs to drive the conversation, so the company can help create a successful event and offer the proper support to the client.

As with any relationship if it is not working it is ok to move on and try something new; which both entities have the right to do, but don’t set up this relationship up to fail from the start. Develop a two-way business relationship so both the client and company can be successful.

Maintaining Client Relationships

Business relationships are built on the premise of buying and selling and within the audio industry we are often on both sides.  Sometimes we are the customer renting and buying services such as talent, venues, equipment, and staffing. Sometimes we are the company that is booking talent, venues, and staff.

There is an old saying that says the customer is always right – I disagree with this ideology as it is often a two-way street between companies and customers to create the most beneficial outcome for both parties. In this two-part series, I would like to take a look at some things companies and customers should do to develop successful business relationships. Relationships that are productive and strong.

Companies service our industry in many different facets;  venue booking, talent booking, equipment rentals, staffing, trucking, catering, security, and more. Most of these companies work in broader environments than just the entertainment industry, and they will have more than one customer at a time. However, to be a productive company, it is beneficial to strive to balance old and new customers, maintain and keep up with new inventory and industry trends, and to get creative in how to support the customer needs.

It is easy to get caught up in building new customer relationships – new projects and the challenges those projects bring can bring significant benefits and increase profit. Be careful to not forget to take care of your long-term clients. These relationships are already built, but still,  need to be maintained.

Make sure to tell all customers about new services or products that are offered as well as the new and exciting things happening within the company. The trust has been built for continuous sales so market new and improved services or inventory to support the company.  Continue to maintain existing relationships to ensure income. A non-proactive approach can drive customers to the competitors, so take a dynamic approach to building old and new business relationships.

Don’t shortchange the existing customers for new ones, strive to maintain and exceed the professionalism that has been provided in the past as new customers are added to the company’s base. Shortchanging any customer for a one-time exciting show could result in a loss of profit with both the new and old customer going to the competitor next time. Finding a balance is essential.

Business relationships are not a perfect science, but some steps can be taken to develop these relationships to maintain a steady stream of shows and income, which can result in increasing the company’s inventory, services, and capacities.

As mentioned these interactions are two-way so watch for next month’s blog on how the buyer or customer should hold up their end of the business relationship.

Anatomy of an Event

Planning a successful event involves many responsibilities and steps – preliminary planning, preparation, pre-event check-in, execution of the event itself, and post-event wrap-up. The timeline of these stages may differ depending on the size and details of the event, but each stage is important.

Preliminary Planning

First determine the purpose, goals, audience, and budget of the event, then set your sights on the location, date, and time.

Determining whether an event is held for entertainment, education, business, or any other variety of reasons is vital.  Acknowledging the purpose can influence the goals, and in turn, help to pinpoint the target audience. Knowing your intended audience will help drive the direction of the event and budget. It also enables you to create an experience for your audience to remember. Equally important is setting a budget.  Plan your budget to meet or exceed the costs.

Securing space for a desired date and time is a crucial first step towards making an event dream a reality.  Know the specific requirements of any featured guests, and make sure that the venue can honor these needs. Consider things like insurance policies, space capacity, furniture and technology capabilities, and parking. Work to find a common date that’s available for the speaker/artist and the venue.  Before contracting with any artist or venue make sure all aspects of the contract are covered or have determined amendments that all parties have agreed upon.

Preparation

Preparation includes the finalization of any contracts, marketing the event, and day-of-event arrangements. Make sure the artist, venue, technology support, traffic & safety plans, and catering contracts are all aligned with the proper dates, times, and location.   Next, advertise for the event, keeping in mind the branding of sponsors, as well as appealing to the target audience. Send save the dates and invitations to your VIP attendees, hang filers, send emails, and make one-on-one connections with those who might be interested in or benefit from the event.  This stage is all about communication.

Pre Event

All plans, including attendance, furniture, security, and catering should be double-checked and finalized no less than two weeks prior to the event. This lead time allows planners to iron out any missed details before the big day and allows the people doing this work the proper time to do what they do best.

Event

This is it! If special care has been taken to complete tasks in the previous steps, the event should be fully formed and ready to go! There will always be last-minute things to handle, but these are minor details that can be quickly resolved.

Post Event

The event was a success, but it’s not over yet! Now is the time to leave a lasting impression.  As the night unwinds and the cleanup commences, be sure to thank those involved. In the days following the event, reach out to the vital people that supported the event with a written note of thanks. Pay invoices promptly upon receipt. Take note of what went well and what can be improved. Hold a debriefing meeting if needed, and then take what was learned and apply it to the next event as it begins to take shape!

Each step within an event is important, and noticeably as SoundGirls we are one crucial part to an event, but it is valuable to know how the planning process should begin and the many moving parts involved within each event. Plus, our days will likely be much easier if the groundwork has been laid by the event planner during each step of the event.

Never Too Late or Too Great to Shadow

When was the last time you shadowed someone on the job? I thought that I was too old or too far along into my career to shadow someone while they were at a gig. I thought that’s something someone just starting out or in school does right?  Wrong! We all should continue to learn at any age through ongoing education and shadowing opportunities.

I recently had an excellent opportunity to shadow someone at a National Sports arena, so I decided to jump on it. The individual I shadowed regularly works in this arena, and this night was working a National Hockey League game. Their role at the event was not sound specific, but it still offered an excellent opportunity to get an inside look at the technical capabilities of a large sports arena.  I was able to observe the staffing and teamwork it takes to make each game look and sound great on both the screens in the arena and for the televised international broadcast. It had been a long time since I had shadowed someone on the job. It felt a little strange, but it was worth it!

Shadowing isn’t just for those getting started in their career. It’s a great opportunity to be exposed to something new, especially if you are trying to grow or change your career path. Shadowing someone on the job could provide exposure to a specific specialty you’d like to learn more about or even an entirely different field in which you might want to consider on your career journey.

An experience like this provides the opportunity for people to learn and expand their skills.  Entering a new environment allows you to see how a different organization operates.  During my shadowing experience, I took notice of the technology being used, compared their policies and procedures to what I have experienced, and gained exposure to different kinds and brands of equipment.

My host provided some fascinating information about how the venue has changed over time.  I learned about the arena’s technology legacy as well as how things have been upgraded over time and the benefits of those changes.  I found the experience and knowledge shared with me to be beneficial, and I will apply that knowledge to my environment whenever it applies.

Entering a new environment also means you will meet new people along the way as well.  This shadowing experience allowed me to continue to build my network and connections in the industry.  My host introduced me to everyone and explained their roles and how everyone functioned as a team throughout the event.  I enjoy building relationships and meeting other people within the industry, and you never know when or how this will benefit you in the future. This industry often runs on past experiences, but often future experiences occur based on the people you know and what they know about you.  I’ve always felt that networking is essential and each opportunity I get to expand my network is valuable.  Taking advantage of this shadowing opportunity was a great way to gain experience, skills, and develop my network. Hopefully, you’ll consider shadowing someone in the future too.

X