An Alternative Approach to the 'Black Hole' Hiring Portal.

By: Nicholas Viscounty,

Production Department Secretary, Disney

Author of Starting in Showbiz: How to Get Your First Job in Hollywood

To paraphrase a popular theory: who you spend the most time with determines who you are. In Hollywood, the argument is much the same. We’re told, it’s all about who you know. In other words, if you want to work in entertainment, you have to put yourself out there and network. This may seem obvious, but too often throughout my six years in Hollywood, I’ve seen young professionals neglect this necessary undertaking. I’ll give an example.

A year ago, a friend of mine confided that he had never once received an interview invitation by an entertainment company from simply applying to an online posting—an all-too-common occurrence. He attended private schools all his life, is trilingual, and even had a few flashy internships on his résumé. He didn’t just look good on paper; he was also likable and well-spoken. It boggled my mind. How was he not receiving any interview requests? Not even a phone call? My instincts told me his applications were being lost in the black holes that are online job portals, something that I had already experienced firsthand. He just needed to get in front of the right people, I thought.

Yet, when I invited him to attend networking events, he always declined. He still lived in his hometown over an hour away and didn’t like Los Angeles. He refused to venture out to the big city, even when his career depended on it. From his perspective, he saw no reason to move to the city of angels (and broken dreams) until he secured a job, which ostensibly makes sense, but this was a catch-22. How could he get a job in Los Angeles if he didn’t live there? Which comes first: the job or the move? If Human Resources miraculously sucked out his résumé from the black hole and saw that he didn’t live in the city, his meticulously crafted document would surely return to where they had found it: oblivion.

One weekend, using my most persuasive arguments, I convinced him to drive up and attend a networking event. While we were out with my friends and colleagues, I noticed that he was uncomfortable around these eccentric people using unfamiliar industry jargon. Although he wanted to work in entertainment, these were not the types of people he had been exposed to before. He was a fish out of water.

I found out later, he was more than a fish; he was also a sponge that had been soaking it all up. The spots to meet, the lingo, the best places to buy your boss’s lunch.

The following night, he flooded his new friends with questions, which they too enjoyed because who doesn’t like talking about themselves? He soon made plans to link up with them all again.

After five weeks of meeting with someone in the industry almost every day, he was offered an interview through a new connection which led to his first job in entertainment. Having attended film school myself, it had been inculcated in me to surround myself with likeminded people with similar goals. My film education made it second nature, but the truth is that we’re not born into this world instinctively understanding the how and why of networking. 

Your environment has a huge impact on the opportunities made available to you, which is probably why nepotism has such a strong influence in this industry. For my friend without an entertainment background, and any others in a similar place, seeking out connections will be the most crucial component to your success. Whether you meet someone who’s fetching coffee as a Production Assistant or someone who’s running a film studio, both types of connections are extremely valuable. Being friendly with people from all walks of life and all levels of the corporate ladder is beneficial.

It can be intimidating to meet new people and even more tiresome to maintain these relationships. I feel your pain. As someone who didn’t have industry connections or famous family members, I had to build my own network, but I promise you it’s worth it. If you don’t know anybody, reach out to alumni from your school, attend the networking events advertised in this newsletter, ask friends to connect you to their friends in the field, and just simply ask for advice. Do it as often as you can. The act of doing this consistently will ultimately generate more opportunities or, even better, friends. 

My first job in entertainment was at Warner Bros. as an assistant in the legal department. It took me almost two years to land that position. As cliché as it sounds, consistency and perseverance were my strongest allies. The black hole that is online job application portals was not on my side. Fortunately for me, someone I formed a relationship with vouched for me. They say never meet your heroes, but being best friends with their assistants may be the greatest career move you could make.