COME ON GUYS.... THE JOB APPLICATION IS SIMPLE!

I posted an advert this week for a Runner/Production Assistant/ Jnr Production Secretary. I have been overwhelmed with applications - but I must say, equally as surprised by the volume of what I would call 'mistakes' in applications.

I appreciate that you know how competitive this industry is - however, don't rush an application. I received emails this week with not a single word in them - just a CV attached. How do I know why you are writing to me? Who you are? What you want?

50% of CVs I received had spelling mistakes and typos - some were even highlighted in red, which suggests you had used spellcheck and saved it with mistakes that had been flagged. Job titles and programme names must be accurate - if you are worried, get someone to cast their eye over your CV before sending out.

A quarter of CVs were 3 or more pages long - at this stage in your career, your CV should be 1 - 2 pages maximum. I am more impressed with a strong, succinct 1 pager, than a waffled, long one.

A lot of CVs for the role I had advertised - Runner/Production Assistant/ Jnr Prod Sec did not have that as the title of them: if you class yourself as a film maker, Director, Camera Operator or Researcher, why are you applying for this role?

Stand tall and be proud of running experience. So many dress their CVs up with jazzy titles for study projects - and I am left feeling confused as to their experience level.
Whatever your job title - or whatever your level of experience only apply for jobs that match you. 

Here is my advice for a good cover letter...

THE COVER LETTER - WRITE ONE - PLACE IN BODY OF EMAIL NOT AS ATTACHMENT!

A cover letter should sell you in a nutshell - about 60 - 70% of a sheet of A4 is a good size.  

A cover letter should not be a blanket copy... nothing saddens me more (personally) than reading a generic cover letter. Having a good template is fine - but take 5 minutes to personalise it to the job/company/person. It will make a difference - IMO. Do not be overfamiliar – and don’t flirt! I have genuinely seen cover letters where someone – who clearly believed themself to be a looker – was flirting in their tone.

Personalise your cover letter – yes, it should tell us about your skill set but don’t just state things. So, less ‘I have excellent communication skills’ and more ‘As a day runner at xxx auditions, I was responsible for meeting and greeting all auditionees, and booking them in. I feel this evidences my ability to communicate well as everyone understood the arrival system we had in place.’

Every word in your cover letter should be there for a reason... use them, don't abuse them!

If the name of the person you are writing to is obvious or can be readily found, address them by that name! If not, then Dear Sir/Madam is appropriate. Dear Mr Lou is never welcomed… Miss/Mrs/Mr should come before a surname only, and also, I am a girl.

Kick-start with an introduction to who you are and where you saw the advert/got their details/heard about the job.

Refer to the specifics of the job advert/inside info your friend gave you - keep it succinct but do briefly evidence/provide example to any statements of fact.

Never talk generally about interests and hobbies in your cover letter unless absolutely relevant to the job or the programme content - even then, nobody needs to know that you have been an active horse rider for 17 years and what your favourite breed of horse is… unless of course this is a documentary seeking an equestrian specialist.

Please don't make jokes/try to be funny/behave in an over familiar way when sending a cover letter - there is nothing more insulting than someone you have given your card to then writing to you and saying 'Alright babes, sooooo lols meeting you last night. Really up for that job you mentioned - sounds wicked'.

Please don't copy and paste your CV into your cover letter - neither should emulate the other.

End your cover letter with your availability for both interview and work - and state best method of daytime contact:

'I am generally available for interview at all times, and would be in a position to start with you, if successful, on XXX. I am available on my mobile number at most times/I am currently working so cannot readily take calls, but check email regularly/etc'

SPELL CHECK SPELL CHECK SPELL CHECK!

Sign off formally - cheers, ta, see ya later, etc is not acceptable.

Lastly, ensure you have sold yourself: the cover letter is not a formality we ignore – it makes me want to either, read your CV, or hit delete.

NEW YEAR NEW JOB... aaaagh there are no jobs!!!

HAPPY NEW YEAR! Wahoooo... no doubt for many these words were coupled with merriment, drinks, friends and not a care in the world.

For those who had a contract finishing just before Christmas - the feeling of unemployment had yet to sink in, and those returning to a job in January had nothing to worry about, right?

Then the third week of January hit.

Those unemployed are starting to fret - as it dawned on them the last Friday of the month would not be bringing a pay cheque.

The ones who went back to work are equally fretting - as contracts near an end and they realised the pay cheque in January may be the last for a while.

We all know that Winter sucks for new jobs. Commissions tend to slow off the ground in November - January, and as such, prospects aren't as fruitful as they can be when the sun starts to shine again in Spring.

There is always the fear that **you might not get another job**. Not ever... but not anytime soon.

It is scary. Really scary.

Putting the money complications to one side, those who have only just broken in to the industry do not want to be cast back out, and those of us having been here a while, know how strong the swimmers alongside us are.

In short, it is one of the most challenging times to be job hunting: there are less roles, and thus more people going for them.

The positive news is the end is in sight! Job boards ae starting slowly to flourish once more, and notifications re postings in Talent Groups starting to trickle in to the inbox.

Don't give up. Keep applying for all that you are suited to - but do just that. When fear creeps in, it can be easy to apply for everything! Like my friend, the Prod Coord, who recently applied for a costume trainee role. 'Ah I didn't know you wanted to go into costume' I mused. 'I don't' she said 'I just need a job so I'm applying for everything'. Suffice to say she didn't even get an interview. 'Waaaah' she wailed. 'I'm so over qualified - as if I didn't get an interview'. She didn't - and you won't if you too apply for mismatched roles - for the simple fact she was not the right person for the job!

Be cautious you don't prevent yourself from being short listed by some of the (no doubt) superb shows coming up as Spring approaches by bombarding PMs. Talent Execs and those advertising roles with unsuitable applications in the chillier months.

Instead stay warm by staying at home, brushing up your CV and undertaking work/volunteering that sits alongside your real goal. I was inspired by an AP I met for coffee recently who is volunteering once a week at a dog shelter - taking stills for their website. Is she purely doing it from the kindness of her heart? No - she gets to practice her photography on their snazzy (donated) camera, and also gets to back up her interest in animals as she awaits that perfect AP gig working on an animal show.

It is also really easy to think you are alone - you're not. There are tons of us starting to think about our next role in a quiet time. Lean on your friends in a similar boat - offer to cast your eye over each others CV, go for creative coffees and brainstorm pitch ideas and such like for possible use at interview, and practice your interview technique. Honestly it is fun and will help prevent you freezing when you finally get an IV and they ask 'what do you love about your role'. Nothing worse than a generic 'Um... all of it?'.

Christmas was the season to be Ho Ho Ho jolly - pre Spring is the season to be savvy. Utilise this quiet time and go charging into the busy period raring to go!