Pay the Rent While Following Your Dream: Temp Services Help Actors Earn a Living
By Gwen Orel
Thursday, October 6 2005
Thursday, October 6 2005
Published on AllBusiness.com
You didn't get your BFA or MFA to be working in an office, but temping can be a terrific way to support your acting career while paying the rent. According to many staffing service representatives, actors, in fact, make terrific temps.
"Actors are usually the most reliable crop of people that we get," says Jean-Paul Renard, vice president of Distinctive Temporary Personnel. "They usually have great personalities and make a great presentation. In fact, the harder ones to place are the more 'conventional' people looking for work; they are often less focused. It's not what you'd think!"
"Actors are often highly educated," notes Tom Buckley, president of Buckley Staffing. "They're articulate, have a great appearance, and are usually very intelligent."
"They perform very well," adds Caress Kennedy, president of Career Blazers.
"They're able to multitask and have good people skills," says Harriet Livathinos, president of Swing-Shift, who notes that her clients ask particularly for actors.
And James A. Essey, president and CEO of TemPositions—who is also immediate past president and CEO of the American Staffing Association—says, "We're so lucky in New York that we can count on actors to make up such a large proportion of our work force. You need someone with a certain kind of temperament, the ability to shift on their feet and change roles. They know how to dress, because they're used to wardrobe calls. Actors should not sell themselves short in terms of the types of skills they have!"
All of which is good news: You already have a bit of an edge—the staffing services are predisposed to like you! So while you're going on auditions, polishing up your resume, and otherwise working on your career, don't be shy about putting yourself out there as a temp. How to get a temp job? Here's the skinny on what you need to know.
Choosing a Service
Word of mouth is generally the best way to figure out which companies are right for you. Some have a specialty or niche area: If you have skills in, say, accounting, register with firms that specialize in that area. Nancy Molloy, a board member of the New York Staffing Association (www.americanstaffing.net/ny), says don't limit your search to just one service: "If you really want to keep busy, register with three to five services. You should be asking questions about when you'll go to work, and how busy the service is. Ask if they have demand for someone with your skills. You should be able to find work within a month. Ask the agency if it has any training facilities; some allow you to come in and practice. W is a great free site to show you what your typing skills are and helps you to improve your
"Actors are usually the most reliable crop of people that we get," says Jean-Paul Renard, vice president of Distinctive Temporary Personnel. "They usually have great personalities and make a great presentation. In fact, the harder ones to place are the more 'conventional' people looking for work; they are often less focused. It's not what you'd think!"
"Actors are often highly educated," notes Tom Buckley, president of Buckley Staffing. "They're articulate, have a great appearance, and are usually very intelligent."
"They perform very well," adds Caress Kennedy, president of Career Blazers.
"They're able to multitask and have good people skills," says Harriet Livathinos, president of Swing-Shift, who notes that her clients ask particularly for actors.
And James A. Essey, president and CEO of TemPositions—who is also immediate past president and CEO of the American Staffing Association—says, "We're so lucky in New York that we can count on actors to make up such a large proportion of our work force. You need someone with a certain kind of temperament, the ability to shift on their feet and change roles. They know how to dress, because they're used to wardrobe calls. Actors should not sell themselves short in terms of the types of skills they have!"
All of which is good news: You already have a bit of an edge—the staffing services are predisposed to like you! So while you're going on auditions, polishing up your resume, and otherwise working on your career, don't be shy about putting yourself out there as a temp. How to get a temp job? Here's the skinny on what you need to know.
Choosing a Service
Word of mouth is generally the best way to figure out which companies are right for you. Some have a specialty or niche area: If you have skills in, say, accounting, register with firms that specialize in that area. Nancy Molloy, a board member of the New York Staffing Association (www.americanstaffing.net/ny), says don't limit your search to just one service: "If you really want to keep busy, register with three to five services. You should be asking questions about when you'll go to work, and how busy the service is. Ask if they have demand for someone with your skills. You should be able to find work within a month. Ask the agency if it has any training facilities; some allow you to come in and practice. W is a great free site to show you what your typing skills are and helps you to improve your