Prove skills to employers

Getting in the door with the right person or entity can be a career-changing event.

Unfortunately, people who can create opportunities have become an endangered species. Nowadays, students are too cool to call someone every day for months just to work for free.  If someone doesn’t return one of their calls they get discouraged and stop following up. Everyone wants to jump on the bandwagon but nobody wants to push it.

Wake up! Nobody cares about helping you.  

If you can’t increase someone’s profit, morale or efficiency, they won’t help you. Even when people do help you, they’re not helping you because of you, they’re helping you because it does something for them.

They have busy work that they need to get done and they don’t want to pay for it. They made a promise to themselves to “give back” to somebody; you just happen to be that person.

Regardless of the situation, people make decisions that help themselves.

 Because of my experience in video production, I have grown into an authoritative voice in film and television on campus.

Many students seek assistance from me in their film endeavors.

 I hear the same story all the time, “Hey I’m really trying to get into film, can you call me so I can come to your next production?” or my personal favorite, “I’d really like to work with you Rob.”  

I am cordial to everyone. Usually we exchange numbers and I tell them I will call them the next time something’s going on.  

However, in my head, another story is happening.  

You always wanted to get into film, SO WHAT!

Why would I invest my time into helping someone just because they are interested film?

I like helping kids, not grown men and women who don’t even have the drive to research and invest in their craft before they come to me.

Regardless of if I call these people and bring them along for my productions, I’m still going to have the same amount of work and make the same amount of money.

Actually, bringing people on “field trips” to my productions slows me down.

I have to wait on somebody before I leave, plus it puts more people in my car so I have to spend more on gas.

 If you want someone’s help, be an asset and make his or her job easier. Occasionally, I meet these types of people. They have worked in edit bays and know how to use equipment. They can handle tasks, meet with clients and alert me of leads in the market.

I love what they do for me. (Notice: I’m still thinking about myself.)

They don’t worry about me calling them; I worry about them not answering the phone.

This rule applies to me too.  I love Rainforest Films (Stomp The Yard). I know I can be a great tool for their company in film production.  

I have many ideas I would love to pitch to them, but I know now isn’t the time.

I have nothing to offer the company that it doesn’t already have access to on its own.

Currently, I’m designing myself into an asset they can utilize. This means completing a film so good all I will need from them is distribution.

Once I achieve this, I won’t have to call them; they will be calling me.

Robert Mayberry is a senior business administration student and president of the Entrepreneurship Club. He can be reached at robertjmayberry@yahoo.com.