Judge Not Lest Ye Be Judged

I like to call myself a master juggler, but this week, I dropped the ball.  This weekend, I volunteered and attended the Screenwriting Expo, managed a web project, entertained a friend from out of town (shout out to Lucy Loo), finished screenwriting coverage assignments, and had an interview before and after the weekend.  With all of this scuffling, I broke the cardinal rule of interview preparation.

While working as a office production assistant for a film called Out West, I received two calls on the same day.  One was for an unpaid talent management internship position, and the other was for a paid executive assistant position at a commercial agency.  Because the executive assistant position was paid and because I had some issues confirming the interview, I spent all of my spare time and energy on that company.

Therefore, I was somewhat unprepared for the internship interview.  I mentioned that I had a job interview on Monday, and indicated that I would take the paid position, if offered.  I never expected to receive a call on Friday night with an offer for the internship.  The only reason an unpaid internship posed a conflict was because there is a real opportunity for growth, specifically doing what it is that I am interested in and an opportunity to connect me to the kind of industry people that I want to be connected to.  None of this is true for the paid position.  The real dilemma was posed when they wanted me to start immediately, and make a three month commitment.

Though I think I would like to work at the commercial talent agency, I think the unpaid internship is a better decision to achieve my career goals.  I will not get a response from the paid position until about two weeks.  Therefore, after the interview with the commercial agency, I called the management company and agreed to start the next day. 

I walked into the management company completely unaware of who their clients were.  So when I was individually introduced to members of The Rej3cts, I nodded and smiled politely, having no idea that I know their song, and that they are a YouTube sensation.  My bad.  I hope this lesson will not only prevent me from making this same mistake, but will inspire the four of you who read this blog, not to make the same mistake yourselves.

Stay tuned to find out if I am offered the paid position, what I will do if I am offered it, and to read about my adventures at either company.