The Editor's 3 Dot Lounge
WHO are you? WHAT are you?
By
Keith Clark
In our August issue, I talked about the vital role that mentoring can
play in fostering the interests of younger folks in this industry. Reaction?
I was deluged with notes and phone calls from numerous youngsters, who
somehow got the idea that I could help them find a job.
Well... That. Wasn’t. Quite. The. Point. The reaction got me thinking,
though. (Look out!) So, youngsters, since I have your attention, this
one’s primarily aimed in your direction.
WHO are you? WHAT are you?
I ask because after years of analysis, it’s become clear that definitive
and HONEST answers to these questions go a long way to determining professional
success. As a follow-up, what do you WANT to be?
What’s the single most important thing one needs to know before departing
on a journey? One must know where one is going. In other words, one must
have a destination. Without this simple yet vital information, one just
wanders around aimlessly.
Where am I going with this? Yes, I do have a point, or for purposes of
this discussion, a destination. And it is simply this: if one doesn’t
have a professional identity, one likely doesn’t have much of a profession.
So, WHO are you? WHAT are you? A person drawn to live mixing, perhaps?
A person leaning toward detail work - spreadsheets and whatnot? Or maybe,
a person better known as a “gearhead” - someone who likes to understand
how electro-acoustic components work, and likes to put them together?
Whatever the case, the important thing is to know oneself, what one likes
to do, what one doesn’t like to do, and to be true to this identity...
This leads us to an essential truth: do what you love and you’ll do it
well. If you do something well, there will be demand for your services.
If one is not being true to oneself, as in pursuing what one truly loves
to do, then success is usually slim pickins, indeed.
Very few employers in this world will “give” you a job. Rather, this type
of opportunity has to be earned. Jobs in this industry are indeed available.
Maybe not front-of-house mixer gigs with the latest superstar band; these
positions, quite rightfully, belong to experienced professionals who have
dedicated years to the quest.
So, start at the bottom, wiring racks, organizing inventory, sweeping
the floors, whatever is required and whatever you see that needs to be
done, regardless of being asked to do it. Try to acquire useful education
offered by numerous organizations, ranging from manufacturers to specialized
institutions to universities.
While getting your foot in the door, think seriously about the questions
I ask above. If you’re working hard, establishing contacts, and learning,
in all likelihood, you’ll then be ready to realize the answers to these
questions when your opportunity arrives. (And it will, trust me.)
Understand where it is that you want to go, and the “getting there” is
a whole lot easier.
Keith Clark is the editor of Live Sound International. Contact him at kclark@livesoundint.com
October 2003 Live Sound International