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Advice for Up and Coming Talent
by: Pat Sehn - 05/14/09
Establishing my career in video production and editing over the past couple of years has been both challenging and rewarding.
While my education pointed me in the right direction and presented me with the ‘basics’ of my field, I learned very little in comparison to what the ‘hands-on/real world’ experience has taught me.
I know most fresh-faced college graduates are more worried about how they’re going to pay their rent rather than what their career will be five years down the road. But I want to share an important tip I’ve learned about being an up and coming talent.
Whether you’re editing, producing or working as a P.A. (and if you don’t know what a P.A. is, maybe you should consider going back to school...): Make yourself as indispensable as possible to the company that hires you. Sure, it may sound cliché, but there are hundreds of ways to be a valuable asset to whoever gives you your first paying gig. For me, it’s about client satisfaction.
If your first company is anything like On Motion Media, you will discover that client interaction and client service are as important as the work you’re producing. The one thing I’ve learned early on, which holds true for most fields of work, is that making the client feel comfortable will pay off in spades. The more clients trust you, the less pressure you’ll feel while working on their project, and consequently, the better the product you’ll create. The better the product you create, the more valuable you become to your company. The more jobs a client brings to the company because of your work and professionalism, the more indispensable you become to your company.
Of course, making a client feel comfortable depends on the individual. It can be as easy as keeping an open mind to their ideas or by being as meticulous as possible about their project. Get to know your client and their goals. That is invaluable in gaining their trust and confidence.
As I continue on my career path, I approach every new project with the goal of making the client feel listened to, valued and appreciated -- whether they’re a new or a returning client. And, above all, I try to deliver the best-edited and most professional work possible.
Just remember - each project for each client has the potential to be mutually beneficial.
