{"id":26712,"date":"2015-05-14T00:41:33","date_gmt":"2015-05-14T04:41:33","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.musicalamerica.com\/mablogs\/?p=26712"},"modified":"2015-05-14T00:41:33","modified_gmt":"2015-05-14T04:41:33","slug":"advice-for-the-young-and-restless","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.musicalamerica.com\/mablogs\/?p=26712","title":{"rendered":"Advice For The Young and Restless"},"content":{"rendered":"<p style=\"text-align: left\" align=\"center\"><span style=\"text-align: left\">By Robyn Guilliams \u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left\" align=\"center\">GG Arts Law and GG International are in the process of hiring a new administrative assistant.\u00a0 As I\u2019ve been reviewing applications, I\u2019m sad to say that I am shocked \u2013 shocked! \u2013 at the very poor quality of some of the cover letters and resumes we\u2019ve received.<\/p>\n<p>So, as a public service to all of you &#8220;young\u2019uns&#8221; out there who are searching for a job in the performing arts field, or for those of you who already work in the arts and would like to move up the ladder as quickly as possible, I\u2019d like to offer a bit of advice \u2013 some pitfalls to avoid \u2013 when submitting a cover letter and resume to a potential employer:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Spelling errors:\u00a0 This is the most prevalent problem, and the one that is most easily remedied.\u00a0 Do not rely on spell-check, people!\u00a0 Proof-read your letter and resume, and then proof them again.\u00a0 I realize we all make the occasional spelling mistake (my own emails are proof of this), but the documents you submit as your job application are the only criteria by which you are judged for a job, at least initially.\u00a0 If you won\u2019t take the time to proof-read your letter and resume, this tells me everything I need to know about what kind of employee you will be.\u00a0 When I see these types of errors, the letter and resume immediately go into the recycling bin.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li>Writing Style:\u00a0 The ability to write well is required for many jobs in our industry.\u00a0 (And even if not, it\u2019s a great skill to have!)\u00a0 A number of the cover letters we\u2019ve received, while not being grammatically incorrect, are very awkwardly written.\u00a0 I highly recommend \u201cThe Elements of Style\u201d, by William Strunk and E.B. White, to anyone wishing to improve his or her writing skills.\u00a0 This book is a great resource for young professionals who want to learn to communicate more effectively through writing.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li>Irrelevant Job Experience:\u00a0 Tailor your resume to the job for which you\u2019re applying.\u00a0 There is no reason to include work experience that is completely irrelevant. \u00a0\u00a0For instance, don\u2019t include in your \u201cemployment history\u201d your job as a bag-boy at Piggly Wiggly when you were 14 years old.\u00a0 I don\u2019t care.\u00a0 Don\u2019t tell me about working as a ball-girl for your college softball team.\u00a0 Seriously.\u00a0 Nothing about that work experience is going to make me say, \u201cThis is the person we\u2019ve been looking for!\u201d<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li>Try to keep your resume to one page. \u00a0Unless your professional career began at age eight, you probably don\u2019t have enough relevant content to justify a longer resume.\u00a0 Keep in mind \u2013 there\u2019s no need to write a long narrative describing the responsibilities of each of your jobs.\u00a0 Bullet points will do.\u00a0 And, please, please, don\u2019t use an 8-point font in an effort to cram everything on to one page.\u00a0 I\u2019m old, and I can\u2019t read anything written in an 8-point font unless I hold the page an inch from my face.\u00a0 I don\u2019t like doing this.\u00a0 It\u2019s annoying, and it makes me feel old.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li>Don\u2019t include the details of your entire professional life in your cover letter.\u00a0 This is why you attach a resume. \u00a0Pick a few items from your resume that are directly relevant to the job for which you are applying, and include a detail or two about each experience.\u00a0 Your cover letter should be no more than three paragraphs, and should be concise.\u00a0 As I\u2019m reviewing 150 letters and resumes, and I come across your two-page, ten-paragraph cover letter, I\u2019ll want to stick a fork in my eye.\u00a0 I already don\u2019t like you.\u00a0 (This really isn\u2019t the reaction you\u2019re looking for from your potential employer, is it??)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li>Avoid hyperbole in your cover letter.\u00a0 Don\u2019t tell me about your \u201cextensive\u201d experience in whatever.\u00a0 If you are in your early twenties, it\u2019s highly unlikely that you have extensive experience in anything.\u00a0 (See above regarding the one-page resume.)\u00a0 Along the same lines, don\u2019t tell me about your \u201cprofessionalism\u201d, \u201cstrong work ethic\u201d or \u201cintegrity\u201d.\u00a0 I see these descriptions so often that they\u2019re virtually meaningless.\u00a0 And don\u2019t describe yourself as \u201can ideal fit\u201d or \u201cexceptionally qualified\u201d (particularly when you are not at all qualified).\u00a0 Your resume will speak for itself in this regard.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li>Don\u2019t describe yourself as \u201cdetail-oriented\u201d in your cover letter.\u00a0 (This goes over especially badly when your letter is riddled with typos.)\u00a0 When applying for a job, everyone describes themselves as detail-oriented.\u00a0 Who the heck is going to say \u201cI\u2019m not so great with details\u201d?\u00a0 I can get an idea of your attention to detail from how carefully you\u2019ve crafted your resume and cover letter, the types of jobs you\u2019ve held in the past, and your responsibilities in those jobs.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li>In your cover letter, there\u2019s no need to write about how \u201cpassionate\u201d you are about the arts, how much you love going to the theater, or that Beethoven\u2019s <em>Eroica<\/em> is your favorite musical work.\u00a0 This is not your OkCupid profile.\u00a0 Everyone goes into our field because we feel strongly about the arts, and we wouldn\u2019t be happy working in any other field.\u00a0 Your education, work history and other relevant experiences will show that you are committed to a career in the arts!<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>We\u2019re excited about the prospect of bringing on someone new, although we\u2019re sad that our current assistant, Ann, is leaving.\u00a0 Take care, Ann \u2013 we\u2019ll miss you!<\/p>\n<p>_________________________________________________________________<\/p>\n<p>For additional information and resources on this and other <a href=\"http:\/\/www.musicalamerica.com\/mablogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/07\/GG_logo_for-facebook.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright size-thumbnail wp-image-12447\" alt=\"GG_logo_for-facebook\" src=\"http:\/\/www.musicalamerica.com\/mablogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/07\/GG_logo_for-facebook-150x150.jpg\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" srcset=\"http:\/\/www.musicalamerica.com\/mablogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/07\/GG_logo_for-facebook-150x150.jpg 150w, http:\/\/www.musicalamerica.com\/mablogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/07\/GG_logo_for-facebook.jpg 170w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px\" \/><\/a>legal, project management, and business issues for the performing arts, visit <a href=\"http:\/\/www.ggartslaw.com\/\">ggartslaw.com<\/a><\/p>\n<p>To ask your own question, write to <a href=\"mailto:lawanddisorder@musicalamerica.com\">lawanddisorder@musicalamerica.org<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>All questions on any topic related to legal, management, and business issues will be welcome.\u00a0However, please post only general questions or hypotheticals. GG Arts Law reserves the right to alter, edit or, amend questions to focus on specific issues or to avoid names, circumstances, or any information that could be used to identify or embarrass a specific individual or organization. All questions will be posted anonymously and\/or posthumously.<\/p>\n<p>__________________________________________________________________<\/p>\n<p align=\"center\"><b>THE OFFICIAL DISCLAIMER:<\/b><\/p>\n<p align=\"center\"><b>THIS IS NOT LEGAL ADVICE!<\/b><\/p>\n<p>The purpose of this blog is to provide general advice and guidance, not legal advice. Please consult with an attorney familiar with your specific circumstances, facts, challenges, medications, psychiatric disorders, past-lives, karmic debt, and anything else that may impact your situation before drawing any conclusions, deciding upon a course of action, sending a nasty email, filing a lawsuit, or doing anything rash!<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div id=\"wp_fb_like_button\" style=\"margin:5px 0;float:none;height:34px;\"><script src=\"http:\/\/connect.facebook.net\/en_US\/all.js#xfbml=1\"><\/script><fb:like href=\"http:\/\/www.musicalamerica.com\/mablogs\/?p=26712\" send=\"false\" layout=\"standard\" width=\"450\" show_faces=\"false\" font=\"arial\" action=\"like\" colorscheme=\"light\"><\/fb:like><\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>By Robyn Guilliams \u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0 GG Arts Law and GG International are in the process of hiring a new administrative assistant.\u00a0 As I\u2019ve been reviewing applications, I\u2019m sad to say that I am shocked \u2013 shocked! \u2013 at the very poor quality of some of the cover letters and resumes we\u2019ve received. So, as a [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":22,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[881,889,872],"tags":[386,778,1557],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.musicalamerica.com\/mablogs\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/26712"}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.musicalamerica.com\/mablogs\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.musicalamerica.com\/mablogs\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.musicalamerica.com\/mablogs\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/22"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.musicalamerica.com\/mablogs\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=26712"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"http:\/\/www.musicalamerica.com\/mablogs\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/26712\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":26713,"href":"http:\/\/www.musicalamerica.com\/mablogs\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/26712\/revisions\/26713"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.musicalamerica.com\/mablogs\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=26712"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.musicalamerica.com\/mablogs\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=26712"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.musicalamerica.com\/mablogs\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=26712"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}