Chapter 29

Career DevelopmentChapter Twenty-Nine

Music Business Handbook and Career Guide, 10th Ed. © 2013 Sherwood Publishing Partners

Start Thinking . . .

1. What are your short-term career goals?

2. Do your short-term goals support a strategy to reach a long-term goal?

Music Business Handbook and Career Guide, 10th Ed. © 2013 Sherwood Publishing Partners

Chapter Goals

• Learn to distinguish between a job and a career.

• Recognize that effective career planning begins with careful self-appraisal.

• Gain an understanding of the terms “combination career” and “serial career.”

• Study the techniques of finding work: researching, networking, résumé writing, gaining interviews.

Music Business Handbook and Career Guide, 10th Ed. © 2013 Sherwood Publishing Partners

Defining Goals

• Landing a job vs. building a career a career is an ongoing series of related jobs

• Using counselors

• Discovering yourself analyze interests, temperament, personality personal strengths, weaknesses, talents seek objective appraisals

Music Business Handbook and Career Guide, 10th Ed. © 2013 Sherwood Publishing Partners

Climbing the Ladder

• What constitutes “success”? no right answer for everyone

• Those unhappy at work feel trapped in their jobs little confidence they have the chance to “get ahead”

Music Business Handbook and Career Guide, 10th Ed. © 2013 Sherwood Publishing Partners

Climbing the Ladder

• The music career ladder:1. Most music-related careers are combination careers

2. Most people experience serial careers

3. You must be well educated and genuinely competent

4. Men still dominate the business

5. Young people dominate creative and performing aspects; mature people dominate serious music, teaching, business, and senior management

6. All professions are characterized by rapid change

Music Business Handbook and Career Guide, 10th Ed. © 2013 Sherwood Publishing Partners

Finding Work

• Networking strong supportive group of people who speak well of you music business jobs are rarely advertised

• Internships give you actual experience in the industry help you build your network of contacts

• Personality, work habits

• The value of research

• The résuméMusic Business Handbook and Career Guide, 10th Ed.

© 2013 Sherwood Publishing Partners

Finding WorkGaining Interviews: The Cover Letter

1. Address your résumé and letter to the correct person

2. Focus the pitch more on reader’s goals, not yours

3. The résumé and letter can only describe your past

4. Cite no negatives

5. Use colorful terms to describe jobs you have performed

6. Don’t list references, but state that they are available

Music Business Handbook and Career Guide, 10th Ed. © 2013 Sherwood Publishing Partners

Finding WorkGaining Interviews: The Cover Letter

7. Emphasize “you” not “I”

8. Documents should be perfectly typed

9. Your résumé and letter should each be only one page

10.The final sentence should specify what next step you want the reader to take

Music Business Handbook and Career Guide, 10th Ed. © 2013 Sherwood Publishing Partners

Finding WorkGaining Interviews: Your Conduct

1. Dress appropriately

2. Be ready to raise appropriate questions

3. Be respectful yet congenial

4. Learn what the job pays then ask for a little more

5. Focus on how you believe you can solve the interviewer’s need

6. Mail a thank-you letter immediately following the interview

7. Attend as many job interviews as you canMusic Business Handbook and Career Guide, 10th Ed.

© 2013 Sherwood Publishing Partners

Finding Work

• Successful interview often depend on intangibles

• The winning package: You have genuine talent You have the right temperament You get the important information You earn the respect of qualified associates You have the will to win

Hang in there!

Music Business Handbook and Career Guide, 10th Ed. © 2013 Sherwood Publishing Partners

For Further Thought . . .

1. From whom, specifically, should you seek feedback on your strengths and weaknesses?

2. What must you do now to help reach your long-term career goal?

Music Business Handbook and Career Guide, 10th Ed. © 2013 Sherwood Publishing Partners