Performing Arts Career Info and Resources

Performing Arts Career Info and ResourcesPerforming Arts Career Info and ResourcesMany people dream of using their talent, whether its their dramatic ability, musical gift or skill as a dancer, to get performing arts jobs. Do you love to act? Do you play a musical instrument, sing or dance? Here are resources to help performing artists like you- musicians, singers, dancers, and actors- pursue your passion. How to Decide Whether to Become a Professional Performer It is important to mention, at this point, something that is probably obvious to many readers. Not everyone who wants to achieve his or hergoalof becoming a professional performer succeeds in doing so. This field is probably mora competitive than any other. With that in mind,a better subtitle for this section would actually be How to Decide Whether to Try to Become a Professional Performer. First decide whether you have the qualities you need- talent, passion and the ability to take rejection- but realize that those thing s dont necessarily make the performing arts a goodcareer choicefor you. As with any occupation, it is important to get the facts about it before you decide. Once you have all that information, you can make an informed decision about whether to strive for a career as a performer. Here are some resources to help you learn more about careers in the performing arts.The following articles are from the Occupational Outlook Handbooka publication from the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics. In each one you will find a lengthy job description, details about the work environment, employment outlook, educational and training requirements, and median earnings. ActorsDancers and ChoreographersMusicians, Singers and Related Workers Do You Need to Go to College to Become an Actor, Dancer, Singer or Musician? Actors, dancers, singers and musiciansall need a solid educational foundationbut that doesnt necessarily mean college is required. Some performers choose that route, but others do no t. Training, however is important, so you should make sure you get as much as possible. That means a lot of acting classes and dance and music lessons. And as they say practice, practice, practice.In addition to that, all performers benefit from experience on stage or in front of the camera. You can use the following resources to help you find formal training. Please note that membership in the organizations listed is not required to do a simple search in their directories National Association of Schools of Dance Accredited MembersNational Association of Schools of Music Accredited MembersNational Association of Schools of Theater Accredited Members What Should You Be Reading? You should stay on top of current industry news. The following online publications will allow you to keep up with happenings in the entertainment industry BackStage.comBillboard OnlineDance MagazineThe Hollywood ReporterVariety Where Can You Find Out About Upcoming Casting Calls and Auditions? The foll owing sites list job opportunities Actors Equity Casting CallPlaybill Online Casting Notices Should You Join a Union? Unions represent performers in negotiations. Membership in some is only open to working artists. Actors Equity AssociationAmerican Federation of MusiciansSAG-AFTRA(Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists)American Guild of Musical Artists

Tips for Making a Mid-Life Career Change

Tips for Making a Mid-Life Career ChangeTips for Making a Mid-Life Career ChangeThe challenging economy has prompted more workers to make a mid-life career change. Its not easy to switch careers or transition to a new industry later in life. If youre an older student or are considering a mid-life career change, finding work can be even more difficult than it is for younger students.? Making a Mid-Life Career Change A mid-life career change can pose unique hurdles to employment and you will need to stand out from the crowd of younger candidates. Below are seven strategies for making a mid-life career change and finding employment in your new career field. For more information on making a career change, review ansicht tips to making a career change and this career change advice from workplace experts across the country. Ways You Can Stand Out Academics. One way to stand out as a job candidate is through exceptional academics. Earning top grades and a high-class rank can help pu t you in the running for some of the most desirable jobs, despite your age. If you are in law school, law review participation can open doors to interviews that you might not otherwise win. In any educational program, participation in extracurricular activities such as student government, the school newspaper, or other activities can help you develop new skills and gain useful experience. Leverage Your Skills. Your previous work experience has provided you with a diverse range of skills that will likely transfer to (or from) a legal position. Leverage the skills from previous jobs to land a new role in your current field or to switch fields altogether. Emphasize those skills and any relevant experience in your resume, networking discussions, and job interviews. For example, if you are an attorney seeking to transition to a writing career, you might emphasize your law review experience, legal writing awards, and writing-intensive clerkships. Target the Right Employers. If your mid-li fe career change involves switching industries, be sure to target the right employers. For example, small law firms and public interest venues tend to be more open to second career lawyers than large law firms.Network. Whether you are still in law school or have graduated, networking with classmates, peers, teacher, and colleagues can help you learn about opportunities. Depending on the magnitude of your career change, you do not need to abflug from scratch in your networking endeavors be sure to use the networking contacts you have cultivated in your decades-long previous career(s). Job shadowing in which you follow in the footsteps of an employee in your target job for a day can help you make new contacts and learn about your desired position. Be sure to leverage online social networking tools as well. Craft Your Resume Properly. Craft your resume in a way that leverages the skills and experiences gained in your previous job to land a new role. For example, if youre making the leap from sales to law, you might emphasize your ability to cultivate new business, your extroverted personality, and your marketing skills.Gain Relevant Experience. Nothing can propel your job search forward faster than experience in your new field. Employers want workers who can hit the ground runningand these days, they are reluctant to spend training dollars. Internships, externships, and clerkships are valuable ways to gain experience while in school. If you are changing careers but not returning to school, consider volunteering for an organization or cause related to your career goals. Temporary and contract work are also options. Remain positive. Mid-life career changes often focus on the negatives (Im too old, There are no jobs, I cant compete with younger workers.) A positive attitude will reflect well on you and help you shine in interviews. Rather than focusing on the downfalls of age, highlight to potential employers the competitive advantages you offer over younger work ers such as maturity, stability, commitment, and reliability. If you believe in yourself, employers will too.

Why spending money on happy is worth it

Why spending money on happy is worth itWhy spending money on happy is worth itIf youve been reading my blog for a while, you know that Im not one of those financial bloggers who tells you to give up everything you love in order to pay off debt and build up savings. Yes, it takes some sacrifice to get yourself to a better financial situation. Thats true when you want to make any kind of change or improvement. But I also believe that its incredibly important to allow yourself joy and comfort along the way.Have you ever decided you wanted to get fit and/or lose weight? Youve probably tried a handful of different diets or exercise routines. You tell yourself youre not going to eat ANY sugar and youre going to work out every single day. How long does that usually last for you? In my experience, it doesnt last very long. I like to use this analogy because I think that physical wellness and financial wellness are very similar. If you restrict yourself from having anything that you enjoy, yo ull give up and go completely in the other direction.For example, every time I have done aWhole 30, I have completely gorged myself on cheese and chocolate after its over. Thats not sustainable And then it makes me feel like I undid all the healthy progress I made before (because I definitely did). So my new goal is to create a lifestyle that encourages and supports healthy eating, so that Im taking care of myself overall, while still allowing myself things I love, like chocolate and beer, once in a while.Thats why I think its so important to build the things that make you happy into your budget. There are many benefits, both to you and to your financesIt improves your quality of lifeWhen you align your money with yourdeeply-held values, you will feel happier and mora fulfilled. Values are beliefs and principles that make what we do in life worthwhile and meaningful to us. Your financial goals will be a lot easier to attain if they line up with what you believe in most. Plus, if you re doing the things that you love most, your quality of life will improve.I love to travel, but travel can be expensive. Maybe its more responsible to save and invest the money I would use on travel, but I dont think I would have a very good quality of life if I did that. Yes, I have saved my emergency fund and I prioritize my retirement savings, but I also get so much joy from traveling the world. That is why I save money throughout the year for travel. It is a specific line item in my budget, so that I am able to travel regularly. This is absolutely worthwhile for me, because I dont want to wait until retirement to see the world.It makes other sacrifices worth itOf course, you cant just continue spending money on the things that make you happy and expect your budget to magically work better. The key to affording the things you love the most is making room for it in your budget. The way you can make room for something is either to bring in more money or reduce or eliminate other sp ending.When youre clear on where you want your money to be going, it gets easier to stop spending in other areas. For example, if you love trying new restaurants with your friends, youll have to have a larger dining budget. In order to make room for that, you must choose another area where you will cut back. Perhaps that area is cabs. If its obvious that youre cutting back on that expense to allow for the more important expense, itll be more motivating to take the bus.It makes it easier to stick to a budgetHave you ever tried to implement abudgetbut gave up when it felt too restrictive? I hear you Humans arent very good at restriction we need moderation. Building fun or relaxing things into your regular budget will make it feel less like youre on a budget and more like youre creating a plan to afford the things you enjoy.For example, Dan and I are going to visit friends in Virginia Beach in a couple weeks. Well want to make sure we can go out to eat and do other activities without b eing stressed about our budget. This means that well probably avoid going out to eat between now and then. Yes, maybe itll be a bummer to forego Thai takeout this weekend, but having dinner with our friends will be more fun and more worth the money. Keeping these priorities top of mind makes it easier to make these decisions in the moment.It reduces the scarcity mindsetMindset has a huge impact on everything in our lives. If you believe that youll never have different circumstances, youll likely never try to change your circumstances. Its a self-fulfilling prophecy. The scarcity mindset means that you think that youll never have enough. Enough money, enough stuff, enough experiences, etc. Does that resonate with you? When it comes to money, this mindset impacts your behavior, and makes it less likely that youll be thoughtful and discerning with your spending.However, if youre creating space for joy, and prioritizing that spending, it will feel more like you have what you need. What do you need to have in your life in order to feel like you have enough?- - - Of course, even if you prioritize spending money on the things that make you happiest, there is going to be a limit to your spending. I want you to spend money on happy, but I dont want you to spend with abandon. You should still be living within your means and automating your savings. The key is to build your values and happiness-spending into your budget. If there isnt enough room for them, figure out what you can cut out to make the room.Maggie Germano is a feminist and financial coach for women. She helps women improve their relationship with money so they can take control of their financial future. She does this through one-on-one financial coaching, workshops, writing, and speaking engagements. She also founded Money Circle, which is a safe space for women to talk about money without feeling judged. Its a way to create community and openness around personal finance. Passionate about many issues affe cting women, Maggie is a member of the Womens Information Network and was trained as a salary negotiation facilitator by AAUW.