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Ch Ch Ch Changes

It’s the new year’s resolution time where many people look at setting goals such as eating healthier, exercising more, or to stop procrastinating as much.  While some stick with it others give up within the first month or so.  Some people don’t believe in setting resolutions while others like myself set new goals any time of year, especially when I feel like I have achieved a previous target. For me, as part of setting new goals, it is helpful to look back on the past year.

2017 brought a lot of change in my career and life.  What I decided early on in the year it was time for a career change.  I wasn’t unhappy where I was, but I had felt like I had achieved my goals and needed a significant change to continue to grow as a person and in my career.  So, I started the job hunt which resulted in a move later in the year. I was pretty lucky to have a job line up quickly, found great housing fast, and had a family to help me with all the transition.

As with any change though, there were things I would end up having to give up and things that would inevitably change even though I didn’t want it too. I wouldn’t see my friends every day and eventually lose touch with some. My surroundings would be unfamiliar for a long time, and I wouldn’t be the expert in my new position until I learned it and so much more.  Many of these changes I expected, while others I did not.

For instance, some friends change a lot faster when you move unexpectedly. I need to keep reminding myself that lifelong friends will always stick around – near or far a great friendship will last any distance. Meanwhile, getting out and joining clubs or groups will create new friendships closer to home which could also open new possibilities and new experiences. It is incredible how people are connected and meeting one new person could lead to networking connections for even more positive changes down the line.

As for learning my new job, that will take time, and I am just going to have to get used to that. Each organization runs differently and has different goals.  Even though the jobs are similar the people, venues, and events are different. It will take time to work through all the differences and changes as well as to improve it with my experiences and skills.

I never expected that doing sound would become mostly absent from my life. I hoped by changing my job would have become fun again by having a new environment to work in and new things to learn.  Diving back into sound is essential to me. I will work towards it one step at a time, so I can change the phrase “I use to do sound all the time” to “I do sound all the time.”  It will be an uphill challenge as I rebuild relationships, learn new technology, and balance it all; but it is one I am sure looking forward to!

Even with the things that have gone according to plan and the others that have not I would still make the changes I did because through these experiences I will only grow as a person and be ready for future opportunities to come. So, my goals for 2018 are to continue running with the change I started in 2017, see where all of it is going to take me this year, and get back into sound. All different kinds of goals can create a fun and challenging year. What are your sound goals for 2018?

Breaking the Rules that Don’t Exist

Or How to Have Fun at Work

There are so many rules that as adults we must follow. Things we can get in real trouble for if we don’t pay our taxes, but then there are other rules such as eating a salad for lunch. Who came up with that rule anyway? This can be a stigma for women – all we eat are salads all the time. Well good for you if you really do, but it’s ok to eat the burger too.  Now I get where the taxes come in, but who decided salad was the prime meal, a sundae for lunch wouldn’t hurt and it’s a whole lot more fun, too!

Anyway, things around the world are a bit rough right now so I thought I would write about a way to build in some fun. Especially since so many of us work long hours; we need to make sure to balance the seriousness of life and work with some fun. For instance, just the other day I got into work and immediately there was too much to do with not enough time. Story of our lives sometimes, right? Well, when things finally calmed down and I got to start wrapping up the crazy week my coworker, and I were a little burnt out. We decided to add a little fun into the end of our workday.  The best part was there was a third person in the office that had no idea why there were peanut butter cups and paper airplanes flying across the room. (Sorry Ann!) But, it was a blast, and we laughed super hard about it, which made it easier to make it to the end of the day and week. Something so simple made a rough day a little easier to finish.  We decided to break the so-called work rules and had a little fun. Something so simple can make such a difference.

A few years ago, I had a fantastic speaker come through my venue where he shared their philosophy with me. His name is Jason Kotecki, and he is all about breaking the rules of life and bringing some fun back into every day. Jason calls this fighting Adultitis. You can check out his work here http://escapeadulthood.com/blog/ for some inspiration and for further explanation of his idea about breaking the adult rules that don’t matter and bringing some fun back to life and work.

It can be simple things such as paper airplanes to things like trying your hand at stand-up comedy during a soundcheck or at least switching it up.  Next time you are about to say check one, two, change it up, try some of your best movie lines. Or something like wearing a bright color one day instead of black, have breakfast food for dinner, dye your hair purple, and so much more.  I personally like to break the unspoken rule of not having fun at work.

A while back my crew adopted a cartoon movie figurine. We named it Rex and decided to hide it within our staff-only areas for our co-workers to find. People got a kick out of looking for Rex and hiding it again. People would see it on top of work lights or buried under cables, and it always brought a smile to their face, and they would quickly hide it again. It was something so simple that the entire team had fun.  What have you done to break the adult rules? How do you have fun or be silly once in a while?

On Jason’s website, he has a saying –  “Don’t settle for the life you’ve been told to live. Create the one you were made for.” I feel this is a true motto that many SoundGirls can relate to; I know I do as I have worked hard to get where I am today.  Women are told every day what they should be or how they should act, but as SoundGirls we are following our passions and creating the lives we want to live.

 

Making the Change

Last month SoundGirl and blogger Kirsty Gillmore wrote a blog that hit very close to home for me. She posted about taking a risk, creating change, and making decisions for her career that makes her happy. Read her blog here, if you haven’t already. Change can be hard and scary. It’s one thing to think or talk about doing something, and another to actually do it. Kirsty, I applauded you for stepping out of your comfort zone to refocus your career and take on new challenges! It is really inspiring to know someone else is in the same position I am in.

The points from Kirsty’s blog that rang most true for me were the feeling of accomplishing my goals in my last position and no longer feeling challenged by a majority of the job. Although a job may never be fully complete, there is a time where it is good to move forward, create change, grow your skills, and try something new. This is exactly the position I found myself in this year.

So, about a month ago I made a big life change; something I had been thinking about for close to a year while waiting for the right job opportunity to open up. That opportunity recently came along and, as a result, I submitted my resignation at the University of Wisconsin La Crosse and relocated to a new city and university.

I’m now located in St. Paul, Minnesota, and I’m working for St. Catherine University, an all-women undergraduate school. I’m in more of an overall events logistics role, but there is still some small-scale technology as part of the job. This move has brought me closer to family after being away for about ten years, as well as into a larger market where I hope to develop relationships to continue to freelance in the area. Overall, I’m looking forward to working through the challenges of a new environment and space while developing new skills in my full-time position.

One thing I think is great about my new position is that, as I mentioned earlier, it’s an all-women school. With that, I will work closely with and get to develop the next generation of women entering the workforce, with the opportunity to expose them to the wonderful world of events too. I find my new role challenging, but it is a great place to use my skills in logistics planning for campus events.

I’m excited to be in this larger market where I’ll be able to make new connections within the events and audio world. I hope to experience many new venues, and hopefully, run into many more SoundGirls! I’m motivated to expand my network and maybe do a freelance gig here or there. I look forward to being able to continue to talk about my experiences and this change through SoundGirls. If you’re in the area, let me know – I’d love to connect!

Some Great Gear

Over the last year, with a brand-new facility, I’ve been able to purchase a lot. Here are some of what I would consider being the best small to medium-sized purchases of the year.

First, the most lifesaving (ok, more time and ease saving) items would be road cases! Going from a building where everything was within 30ft to a building where everything is two floors away is a change. I purchased road cases and created packs to go to each area. This made everything much simpler, and likely shaves off more setup time then when everything was stored closer. There are hundreds of case companies out there. My recommendation is to check out the case companies closest to you. This can save you time and money in shipping, plus you are also supporting a local or regional business. Just make sure the cases will hold up to abuse and fit your need for size and height.

Second, functional clothing, which is needed all the time but worth highlighting here. For me, there are two key items for functional clothing: pants with pockets and well-supporting shoes. Another SoundGirl posted some leggings with pockets a while back. Now, I’m not a legging person myself but it shows that someone is finally getting it: Pockets are needed! I usually get jeans that are a little cheaper and have well-built pockets. This way I can carry essential tools and then, if something happens to the jeans, they aren’t expensive to replace. For shoes, I prefer closed-toed with good support. Generally, I pick a hiking shoe for long days and keep some steel-toed shoes around for load-ins/outs. I find that hiking shoes provide support for longer than a general tennis shoe.

Third, a fun piece of equipment to get to know: a Shure ULXD wireless mic setup. (Just in time for the bandwidth chaos too!) We went the digital route and I couldn’t be happier with them for our meeting rooms. They work great with a lot of the other wireless mic setups throughout the campus and building. Batteries seem to last long enough and the pickup is awesome, even for those who don’t hold the mic properly. I’m hoping to add more of these to the inventory soon.

Finally, fourth, a hand-held little tool that is easy to take everywhere: The Gerber Shard keychain. This tool has been great to keep attached to my keys as I have encountered different power panels and boxes that needed opening. It’s lightweight and sturdy making it much nicer to carry all the time than a full multi-tool. It will never replace a good multi-tool, but it’s great to always have around.

What are some of the best purchases you’ve made this year?

 

Shout-Out to our Lighting Friends

I know we are all audio friends here, but I have to take a moment to talk about one of our counterparts, a counterpart who is always involved in live shows. The setup can be very simple or incredibly detailed, but they are often considered competitive or our frenemy in the field. Many times we are on the same timetable, with a lot to do and in a small space, working on top of each other to accomplish a show.

As part of opening a new building, I have had to face this counterpart head on. My least favorite activity to do in tech: lighting. I mean, seriously, I’m good with just hearing the show and not seeing it!

From recent firsthand experience, I can tell you lighting is a lot of work! For the first time, I had to work through spec-ing, ordering and, now, installing a full lighting system for two venues. To give you an idea of how much work this is, it took three loads just to get all that trash out!

In all seriousness though, I learned that our counterparts in lighting work just as hard to master their craft as we do. The diversity in lighting tasks resembles the variety in audio – except, instead of mic variations, different styles of speakers and tuning, it’s lamp differences, hundreds of fixture options and focusing.

As I have been working on this install, I have realized that I can’t imagine what it would be like to set it all up, wire, address, and program a rig like this every day on a large-scale tour. Let alone troubleshooting, with so many fail points and everything at least 20 ft. over my head, once it’s up. Just like audio, the details matter. There are endless options on how to do it, what it looks like, and how to please the audience. I’m happy to dead-hang some lights, make sure they work, and then let my students go to town.

Now that the products have begun arriving, it’s expected to take two weeks to complete the install, followed by spending time learning the new lighting board (which could take months to master). Major props to our counterparts, the lighting folk! I’m glad someone likes to do it.

P.S. I really did work with some lights – not just with a bunch of boxes.

Building Business Relationships

Building relationships within our industry are important. Networking is vital to finding support among our peers that can help with problem-solving tips, career progression, and, sometimes, just venting about various situations. However, building business relationships in our field is vitally important, such as the relationship between a vendor and a customer. We buy our gear from someone, and we sell our skills to someone else; we are regularly both vendors and customers. With that lens, it is important for us to remember strong relationships are vital to our success, as well as our reputations.

In a customer-vendor relationship, it is important to have clear and transparent communication. For the customer, it is important to be able to communicate their expectations and wants in an understandable way that allows the vendor to meet their needs. At a minimum, the customer must be able to communicate a starting point for the project or event that includes the theme of the event, along with a general idea of the budget, priorities, and a timeline. It is important for the vendor to help the customer understand what can be provided, as well as what not to expect. The vendor should be careful not to overwhelm the customer with excessive jargon, which can cause disconnects, as well as to not take advantage of a customer who is new to the business. They should keep in mind that the customer may have difficulty articulating what they want and shouldn’t expect or use terms that may be used among employees.

One of the key tools for facilitating this communication is for the vendor to keep their bids easy to read and make sure they are supplying enough information so the customer knows what to expect, while not offering excessive information that a customer couldn’t care less about. This is an important communication step that places both parties on the same page. The bid can often be the best tool in developing the customer’s ability to understand their event in more detail. What it takes to meet their expectations (both in equipment and costs), and discuss the ability to meet the customer’s needs within the restrictions of the customer’s resources – everyone wants the Rolex for the price of a Timex. In a customer-vendor relationship, it is important to work together and be transparent; it doesn’t help anyone to play games. Clear information can make a transaction between the two so much simpler.

It is also important in a customer-vendor relationship for both parties to remain timely, as well as working towards limiting any surprises. These two items also stem from providing clear information and communication. As projects, such as installs, move forward, it is important for both parties to communicate timelines and changes. Another example is an event load-in: If the space is contracted to be ready for setup at 8 am, make sure it truly is ready at 8 am. If the rental delivery time is 8:30 am, be there at 8:30 am.

In addition to maintaining a timeline, we need to be prepared for that situation we all know when everything doesn’t go according to plan and often times is due to some sort of surprise. So, as a customer, if you learn information that may affect the vendor, let them know; such as unplanned construction in front of the loading dock, or resource availability changes like a broken equipment lift. The same goes for a vendor; if the customer has asked for a specific monitor model and two nights ago someone cleaned it with beer, let them know and provide information about the replacement that will be provided.  Communicating in advance those things that many of us can’t control, but have happened, can help everyone to begin troubleshooting as soon as possible and adjust accordingly.

Another aspect of the customer-vendor relationship is to maintain integrity, as well as to remain grateful for the services each role offers the other. Both parties need to follow through on the commitments that have been made; complete projects well, provide an environment where the projects can be completed to meet expectations, provide invoices on time, as well as paying invoices in a timely manner, etc. Also, ‘thanks you’s, and ‘good job’ statements go a long way. If a vendor does a remarkable job, let them know. If a customer offers the vendor great hospitality, let them know. That way both parties know they have upheld their end of the bargain and can maintain that in the future. It’s a win-win for everyone involved and will continue to be as the business relationship continues.

Don’t get too comfortable in the customer-vendor relationship. This partnership is for business, not best friends hanging around the bonfire. Becoming laissez-faire about this relationship could end up in costly mistakes, lost profits, lost customers, and loss of business. Both parties need to continue to communicate, set clear expectations, hold up their end of the bargain, and follow-through. Shared experiences involving good communication, transparency, and satisfying outcomes are what establish trust and demonstrate integrity, honesty, and reliability. All are critical elements to a great customer-vendor relationship.

Navigating the New Building

Keeping up with tradition, but changing with the new space

I regularly encounter reoccurring events on campus; yearly activities that different departments host to raise funds, celebrate their achievements, or to just have fun. Working with a variety of people, trying to meet the needs of their event, can offer up quite the challenge sometimes. Several of these organizations have, in their own ways, established traditions for their events: how the room is set up, the position of the lighting, the stage setup, methods of projection, staging options, or other fine details. With a new building, many of these traditions need alterations due to the many changes within the new space and its different technology – this throws both customers and staff into a new learning curve.

In my time in this position, many of these recurring events have become familiar and normal. In the past, all that’s been required is a quick check-in to see if there are any changes, confirm the date, and move on. This semester has been extremely different. It has been important to not take the norms of the past for granted. As a service provider with a new facility, it has been important to take a moment to consider all the events and the changes the venue’s offering and then adjust accordingly to all the changes. It has become important to slow down, to reconnect with everyone, both staff and customers, to make sure they understand the changes that have occurred and how they might affect their events.

For instance, the new facility has improved customer-controlled projection, which accommodates most customers’ desire to be able to run individual PowerPoints without the added cost of having staff there to help. However, there is no professional video switching at the moment so some groups have to rethink their presentation to have seamless viewing of PowerPoints and DVDs. To work through these changes it has been important to provide customer training on the newly installed technology, taking into consideration how this challenges any of their long-standing practices. The more of these challenges you can identify and work in advance, the better; customers need time to learn all the new stuff and to make adjustments.

Another example is the lighting in the venue. Previously, we had over thirty lights, now we have eight (at least until we have worked through some budgeting and contracting issues). Eight lights by no means produce the coverage needed for the stage, let alone the traditional look dance groups strive for. Connecting with each dance group is important to explain the limitations of the space, including offering them the best options possible to support their event, so they can plan accordingly.

The biggest hurdle within the venue at the moment is the size and shape of the room. It is such a change from the old space that everyone that uses the venue has to take the time to really learn the space and hear the differences. Even with the assistance of technology and some acoustical treatment, there is still a significant slap-back off the back wall which reaches the front of the stage just in time to muddle in with the monitor sound. There is some acoustic treatment but it’s not enough, and it is going to take time to purchase and install more. In the meantime, we have to strategically plan to assist groups, warning them about the slap-back, and trying new setups to alleviate some of the effects until improvements are possible.

Overall, the venue is still a work in progress, and it will take time to meet all of our customers’ desires. There seems to be an idea that this change was going to make everything perfect, solving all the problems of the past, but that has not been the case so it is important to connect with everyone to work together to create some amazing events.

In my case, the new building brought the need to look at old practices and make new ones. It has highlighted how easy it is to get caught in the norms or traditions of regular events. Sometimes it is important to reconnect and truly talk through details, explaining the new opportunities a venue or equipment has to offer. This way, as service providers, we can meet the resources and skills to create even more spectacular events.

It’s Time to Get that Job

Hiring and maintaining staff is an important part of running a venue.  Venues need their regular full-time employees as well as the staff they keep in their ‘back pocket‘ for larger events.  Working at the university, I often get to be the first person to introduce potential future staff of these venues to the wonderful world of sound.  (Stage and lighting too, but that’s for a different group of people). Throughout the hiring process, I have noticed a trend with job candidates, in particular with their applications. So I thought I would highlight a few tips for people about to hit the job market and get those coveted interviews.

First, take a look at what SoundGirls and their contributors have already provided you with information regarding your resume. This resource provides excellent knowledge and tips to build or update your resume as well as your cover letter and social media tips.

Second, a lot of organizations will ask you to fill out an application to submit with your resume. My advice, fill out the application completely and follow all of the directions provided. This may sound simple, but out of all the applications, I receive every year at least half have a question or two left blank, or they didn’t follow the directions. Sometimes they are simple things like filling in their contact information.  Other times it’s completely missing the skills/experience questions on the second page.  As for following directions, if it says something like please type your answers, don’t turn it in handwritten in pencil or if it says attach a resume, make sure you do that too. Incomplete applications won’t make it far, and you certainly won’t make it to the interview phase if people don’t know how to get in touch with you. Help yourself out and carefully read through and complete the application.  Also, make sure to turn your application in by the deadline, doing so will reflect that you are a person committed to getting things done on time.  Keep in mind that applications are often pre-scanned, either by recruiters, HR departments, or automated processes.  Attention to the details is critical.

Third, assuming you’ve made it onto the interview process (we all know you will because you have filled out the application completely and you have a great resume!) prepare for the interview. Research the organization you have applied to, better yet do that before you even apply. Make sure the culture of the organization will work for you just as much as you will work for them. Prepare questions to ask, as interviewers we know you have them, but if you don’t ask them it makes us nervous that perhaps you will never ask questions on the job, and we are aware you don’t know everything. Asking those questions now will also allow you to gain more clarity for the position you are going to spend hours of your life working in and believe it or not it also helps the interviewer get to know you better as well.  A well-asked question lets the employer gain insight into how you think and how you process information.

As an interviewer, I’m always impressed by someone who has done their homework and asks a question that isn’t found in a Google search of the top 20 questions to ask during an interview.  Outside of preparing questions to ask, be prepared to answer the questions that may come your way too.  There are three questions that you always want to be ready to answer; they have typically phrased something like the following:

Tell us about yourself –  When you are asked to share a bit about yourself, it is usually the first chance you have to speak for yourself outside of the application and resume you have submitted. Take advantage of that and make a lasting impact. Introduce yourself, say your full name, so the interviewer knows how it’s pronounced, provide them with your preferred name too. Share something that will make you stand out, but also remember to remain professional. Share a bit about your educational and work background too.  Think of it this way, if you had to tell someone the most relevant things about yourself in one minute, what would that be?

What interests you in this position –  In advance of the interview, review in detail the information provided in the job description and application process.  Find one or more areas that you can focus on when answering this question. The more specific your answers, the better.  Share your interests in the position; like what specifically in the job description made you think – I have to apply for this job! Share what you think you can contribute to the organization and share how you hope the organization will help you.

Be prepared to answer situational questions such as tell us about a time when you did “X,” how did it go, what was the outcome –  Interviewers often ask for examples of how you handled certain situations in the workplace.  While your resume may say that you have experience with certain tasks and responsibilities, interviewers like to see how you handle situations. It is important to give specific examples, don’t just tell the interviewer what you think they want to hear. You will impress them more by being yourself and specifically relating your experiences to the questions they are asking.  Tell them what you have learned through your experiences and how learning those things have shaped you to become the professional you are. To be prepared with answers to these kinds of questions it is important to think about examples before you’re in the hot seat. That way you can have many different examples to use which will also show the interviewer that you have had many relevant experiences and make you stand out amongst other applicants.

While these are all words to the wise, it can be hard to remember all of this advice during an interview.  Practice interviews can help you be on your game when it’s time for the real thing.   Practice with friends, mentors, or even employment services in your local community.  You can get feedback regarding your answers as well as your demeanor during these practice sessions. This can help you make sure you are representing yourself in the best way possible.  Practice could also help you be less nervous when you are in a real interview.

Failing Smart

Recently, I have been super excited to see many women sharing their stories and joining us as part of SoundGirls. Many of the recent posts on our Facebook page have been new members of our organization in school, about to graduate, or just starting their first position in this amazing field.  It reminds me of conversations about what’s next as student staff members and student event organizers around me begin their last steps toward graduation and their next steps toward their desired careers.

Working within an educational system, we frequently discuss with graduating students what they have learned if they feel prepared, and how to find support once out in their field. Outside of the educational system, I hope everyone can learn something through all of their life experiences. I would like to share some things that I have learned over time through failure in hopes you can learn from them.

How to Fail Smart

There are many things outside of our control that can lead to failure. Those we are rarely able to change, but there are things as an individual we can do to prevent our failures.  The first being, always blaming others.  It’s a fact, mistakes will be made, things will go wrong, and sometimes it is our fault. Something was missed, forgotten about, or we just simply misunderstood something. When this happens, and you know that you could have prevented it or you messed it up – take ownership of it. Own the mistake, apologize for it, and work toward fixing it.  It can be as simple as, “I’m sorry, I messed up on this – I am going to fix it by…..”

I had a situation just like this happen the other day.  I was making a room reservation for a client when I was pulled away for something else, and by the time I got back to my desk, I completely forgot about it. Then the next day I was reminded that I needed to finish the reservation. When I did so, I found that the hotel was sold out. I had messed up for not completing the reservation when I should have – but I owned it. I went to my team, let them know what had happened, and asked for help. I asked if there was any way we could fix the problem. We worked together, and we were able to solve the issue quickly.

A second way to avoid failure is to not complain about everything all the time. Yes, there can be negative times, but if all that comes from you as an employee, team member, and leader is negative, you have failed.  To get out of this rut, look at what went well and what didn’t and fix it. Take steps to turn the negative into positive outcomes. I grew up with an ideology of – if you don’t like it, then you fix it. Now that can sound a bit intense, but when you break it down this way take ownership, change what you don’t like, and if you can’t change it make decisions to make it better. As individuals within the sound world we will end up working with negative people, and if we continuously act the same as those negative people as well we will all live miserable lives – so let’s not do that, because life is too short to be negative all the time.

Finally, it will always be important, no matter if you are a rookie or a veteran to learn from your mistakes. As I mentioned above, we have all made mistakes. Taking ownership of those mistakes is important; learning from them is even more important.  They say the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result.  The same goes for mistakes.  If you are making the same mistakes over and over again, you are failing. Learn from those mistakes, and adjust your game plan from show to show. In the long run, this will make you a productive and valuable employee and leader, plus you may not have to spend so much time troubleshooting.

At the end of the day, no one is perfect when it comes to failing, but owning and learning from mistakes will help you succeed in your career path and remaining active will help you move through failure one step at a time by failing smart.

 

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