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Broken eggs in your basket!

This week on the NABA site there was a huge conversation in reference to a post that asked, “How many specialist have secured full-time positions after completing the EP course”  This post was an add on to another post that asked what cities or states are most conducive to getting work?  These 2 posts took on a life of their own and the dialogue lasted over 2 days.

This post opened the door to so many members that I have never seen comment before as well as comments from the usual suspects.  Slowly but surely the talented 10th started dropping seeds of knowledge and as usual, the bitter truth started to take its effect.  Hard truths are sometime difficult to swallow when a person realizes that mistakes have been made or when steps have been given to them that have lead to a dead end.

As I commented on that post, “The days of full-time employment following your completion of an EP school-IS OVER!”  What I want to say today is that, geographical areas do play a part on EP, like it or not.  By far California leads the industry on the entertainment side of the industry.  I refrain from using the word celebrity because under its truest definition Bill Gates is a celebrity.  I personally also do not use the phrase “Celebrity Protection”.  Celebrity protection is a catch phrase for executive protection for celebrities or notables.  But that is not what today’s blog is about.

My home base area is saturated with corporate, government and dignitaries in need of protection on a minute by minute basis, however all of the work is not centralized here in the Washington, DC, Maryland and Virginia area.  I get calls from a corporate office in Boston or Texas and the work could be Washington State, San Francisco, Denver or even Seattle.  The point is that if you are connected PROPERLY you can attach yourself to a network and be that GO-TO specialist.  If you are on more than one solid network you can stay busy and literally turn work down.  Guess what-you don’t have to move.

It has become painfully apparent that there are a lot of people drawn to this industry by their perceived glamour without really researching what they are getting into prior to their initial investment.  They spend the money, successfully complete their respective EP courses, walk out the door and then the door to the industry is SLAMMED shut in their faces.  Even if you get entry into that next door, there are several more that are shut along your way.  In your pursuit of success you will come across false opportunities by less than credible personalities that will lead you astray.  Due to the fact that you are so eager and less educated on the industry you fall for the opportunity that really can ruin your intended purpose.  These quick fixes boost your ego because you have worked, BUT little do you know, the people you worked for may have tainted your ultimate goal.

If you are not on your grind getting yourself on solid networks you cannot expect for the work to come knocking at your door. When I graduated from college not one employer called me…..I had to go to them.  I know this may be difficult to comprehend to some but that is how it usually works, UNLESS you are a known entity and then the calls will come.

1 comment

  1. No Chow

    Well said Eric. It is a bit disheartening to see so many “young” agents thinking that with their Certification/Registration/hard card/ guard card/ etc. they are gonna get those calls. I think some of that disillusion stems from the “schools.” I know in my first PPS course, the instructors and even the school owner told us that upon passing the course, we’d be on their call list. Even going as far as offering long term placement on up coming contracts. Needless to say, the contracts never materialized, and unfortunately I’m the only person from my class that ever got a base in the industry. These are the horror stories that need to be brought up in the courses.
    We’ve all said it, this job/life/choice isn’t for everyone. But few seem to be driving that home in their courses.

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