Looking for a touring job this summer, HELP!
- Thread starterVL5
- Start date
porkchop
Well-Known Member
I beg to differ. This is a lul in the hiring cycle, but that doesn't mean that there aren't openings. Most companies will have shows out right now, but if people leave they need replacements. I don't know of any specific openings, but send in a resume to whoever you can think of and tell them you're available to leave right now. You may not get a call the next week, but a month down the line when someone gets hurt and needs to be replaced at least the company will have your resume on file.
Sorry VL5 but if you are still in high school there's no way you are going on tour this summer. They don't just send anybody out on tour who says they can program a console. You either need to have an extensive proven track record working for other tours or you need to get a job in the shop and work your way up. They have way too much money on the line to gamble on an unproven technician (regardless of age by the way). You need to either prove yourself to the company or another company first.
Your best bet is to call your local rental houses and see if you can find work in the rental department. They aren't hiring? No problem, call it an internship, job shadow, ask for a tour, or volunteer. Offer to make coffee or coil cable and prep rentals for free. It doesn't matter how you get in just get in the door. Get a "no"? Then call back next week and ask if they need anything. You may need to be a very polite pest to get in. You need to prove to them you are valuable and you can't do that sitting at home. One of my former students (a high school senior at the time) called a local operation about doing a job shadow. Within 6 months she was working small gigs all over town. The next year they sent her out on a small regional tour.
VL5 you may be the greatest 17 year old technician ever. But that simply means nothing to your future employers until you prove it to them in person. The problem is they aren't going to even look at you because they already have a stack of proven veterans they turn to. You may be better than everyone on their list, but you are unknown to them and therefore not worth the gamble. Get in the door any way you can and work your way up. If you really are great, next year you'll be out on tour.
This getting to know and prove them phase is really critical to your long term employment future. DO NOT ACT LIKE A KNOW IT ALL while you are trying to establish yourself. Learn when to show off your knowledge and learn when to shut up and respect the experience of others who have been in the game a long time. There are a lot of hot shot high school kids who think, "If I can just show them how much I know they will respect me." Then they just start blabbing, drive everyone crazy and find it hard to get work. You will earn your place on a tour by quietly doing your work and doing it well, being the first to jump up and get back to work and the last person to quit working, always volunteer to do the dirtiest hardest job, have a good sense of humor, and most of all respecting the rest of the crew. Show you are willing and eager to learn the house way of doing things. Ask questions like, "I know how I would do this, but do you have a preferred way that the company wants it done?"
You will instantly be branded as just a "know it all hot shot kid". Your job is to prove you are a valuable member of the team by your actions. Remember everyone in this industry is connected. The most important thing on your job application is who you have worked for and how you impressed them, so don't screw up or you'll spend years trying to recover.
Your best bet is to call your local rental houses and see if you can find work in the rental department. They aren't hiring? No problem, call it an internship, job shadow, ask for a tour, or volunteer. Offer to make coffee or coil cable and prep rentals for free. It doesn't matter how you get in just get in the door. Get a "no"? Then call back next week and ask if they need anything. You may need to be a very polite pest to get in. You need to prove to them you are valuable and you can't do that sitting at home. One of my former students (a high school senior at the time) called a local operation about doing a job shadow. Within 6 months she was working small gigs all over town. The next year they sent her out on a small regional tour.
VL5 you may be the greatest 17 year old technician ever. But that simply means nothing to your future employers until you prove it to them in person. The problem is they aren't going to even look at you because they already have a stack of proven veterans they turn to. You may be better than everyone on their list, but you are unknown to them and therefore not worth the gamble. Get in the door any way you can and work your way up. If you really are great, next year you'll be out on tour.
This getting to know and prove them phase is really critical to your long term employment future. DO NOT ACT LIKE A KNOW IT ALL while you are trying to establish yourself. Learn when to show off your knowledge and learn when to shut up and respect the experience of others who have been in the game a long time. There are a lot of hot shot high school kids who think, "If I can just show them how much I know they will respect me." Then they just start blabbing, drive everyone crazy and find it hard to get work. You will earn your place on a tour by quietly doing your work and doing it well, being the first to jump up and get back to work and the last person to quit working, always volunteer to do the dirtiest hardest job, have a good sense of humor, and most of all respecting the rest of the crew. Show you are willing and eager to learn the house way of doing things. Ask questions like, "I know how I would do this, but do you have a preferred way that the company wants it done?"
You will instantly be branded as just a "know it all hot shot kid". Your job is to prove you are a valuable member of the team by your actions. Remember everyone in this industry is connected. The most important thing on your job application is who you have worked for and how you impressed them, so don't screw up or you'll spend years trying to recover.
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? - You actually want to be a little careful here. How old are you, because if you are under 18 then Legally, I don't believe that you should have ever worked an IA load in. I'm not sue the exact logistics, but according to labor laws, I don't think that you should have been doing any type of travel work. I imagine you've heard a little from the guys around your shop who've convinced you that touring is where the big money is and that's where you want to go, Maybe for them, but not for you, not yet. If your talking about bus and Truck, maybe even high school touring shows, then those are out there, but they can get really shady really fast. Your really don't want to mess up the start of a great career by jumping into that meat grinder too early. Honestly, it's the Mark Twain problem, if you can find a tour out there right now that sends you out on the road, you probably don't want to work for them. Regardless of pay. If your over 18, and you have some shop experience that's another thing, but you should probably be looking for small company stuff as opposed to Actual road work. Most of the bigger guys require a minimum 1 year contract, and prefer either 5 years professional experience Union membership,or a college degree, or preferably all three. Now it seems like you've obviously got some great experience, but that's really only one part of the Industry, and going on the road with out lots of good working knowledge of all parts of the industry is dangerous. I'm not saying, you have to be a sound operator, but understanding basic rigging, Older equipment and what dangers are really out there matters. When your ready to go on tour, don't worry, you'll get invites from other pros in the field. People will be hunting you instead of the other way around. Chill out for right now, and don't worry, you have time.
Can you explain the reference?
To the OP, when looking for a good internship/ summer gig it's not so much what you can do, but who you know. You're going to find good opportunities not by being a high-schooler who can do everything, but by knowing somebody who knows somebody, and being the high schooler who's willing to learn everything. So ask around, maybe some of your friends at your road house might know of an opportunity.
Also, I agree on the attitude stuff.
Harsh.....
While it came off as a little harsh, and sort of an inside joke for those who've been around a while, Pie's made a great point. VL5, Pie is what you want to be in 6 years or so. He started doing lighting like crazy in high school and college. He worked every small club and concert he could find. About 3 years ago, while working on his BFA in lighting design, he purchased some gear and started his own company. He graduated last year and the combination of experience and education have added up to get hired for two major national tours. You'll get there too VL5, it's just farther off than you hoped... now get to work. 
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