Let the Games Begin! ’Tis the Season…the Hunting Season.

Next week, nearly 40,000 people from over 100 countries will descend on Orlando for the largest Destination Event in the world of Themed Entertainment, Experience Design, Theme Park, Festival, and Show industries; IAAPA (the International Association of Amusements and Park Attractions https://www.iaapa.org/ ).

There, they will reaffirm relationships and establish new ones, learn what’s new in design, emerging technologies and possibly discover new and evolving storytelling methodologies. The accomplished will be celebrated: the up-and-comings will be introduced. 

There will be “Networking.” 

If one is not familiar with IAAPA; suffice it to say that pretty much everyone there is on The Hunt.

• The Hunt for suppliers to help tell the stories they want to tell and create the Experiences for which they  are known or seek to be known…

• The Hunt for funding to underwrite the fantastic concepts and massive projects they seek to make real…

• The Hunt for talented and skilled, experienced and aspirational individuals and teams to meticulously make real the wonderful designs that have been designed, the concepts that have been conceived…

• and - eminently ever-present - thousands are in Orlando on The Hunt for a job.

Herewith are some suggestions to perhaps keep in mind as those who seek to build teams and those who seek to be on those teams navigate the maelstrom of sharks and chum that IAAPA can be. 

(Note: if you aren’t an IAAPA-phile or are in other industries and ever find yourself seeking a job or seeking to hire, there may be some relevant resonance below…)

Job Seekers…especially students at their first IAAAPA…but really, anyone.

Realize, going in, that pretty much anyone and everyone whom you approach will already know that you are looking for work. They can smell it, they are wary of it, not everyone welcomes this aspect of IAAPA job seekers but pretty much everyone accepts it and most do appreciate the wealth - or overabundance - of fresh and experienced talent on the prowl.

So. Guidelines.

Don’t overinflate your worth. If you are fresh out of design school…you are fresh out of design school. Your degree is your ticket to the future; not general qualification for an actual job. 

You are not a Creative Director, yet. You are full of knowledge and talent and if you’ve been lucky enough to intern or work somewhere that has given you some hands-on experience, awesome. Mainly, though, remember that you are, overall, Aspiration and Potential. 

Embrace that.

Business is Personal: Share Yourself, not your credentials. 

Be prepared to share of yourself. You are already educated and qualified, and are in the mix with hundreds of other fresh-outs and experienced job hunters. Most likely, unless your skills are extremely rare and specifically needed, you’ll be hired because you are liked; your prospective employer sees and has gained an experience of you, your personality, your fit-in-ability. 

So, the goal is to let them see and come to know The You, not the title or job you hold or seek.

Establish a nurture-able personal connection: interview THEM. 

As you circulate from the floor to the receptions and parties and meet and greets…ask the people for whom you want to work about themselves…

• How did you end up where you are?

• Did you know in school what you wanted to be/do?

• What did you think you wanted to be when you grew up?

• Do you have kids? Are they following in your footsteps? Do/did you want them to join the business?

• What might have been the most important lesson you learned in your first ten years as a professional?

• like that…

…and take it from there. 

Find common ground. And if there seems no common ground; perhaps you wouldn’t be a good fit. 

When parting, ask for their card and have yours ready in your pocket (shirt, so it doesn’t get crushed or wrinkled and is easy to retrieve in an instant … then, ask if you may give them yours after they’ve offered you theirs. 

Now, you have a personal connection with the person. Your card means something. You might even say something such as, “I know you meet a thousand people here, let me scribble a note on my card to spur your memory when you’re sorting them out, later…” and write “the woman who loves kangaroos” or “the disc-golf guy.” Keep it short, short, short, short.

I would offer to refrain from saying anything that implies commitment on their part. “May I send you a follow up…?” infers that they’ll have to read and respond. Belay that. They already have enough to do. 

AND, a few weeks down the line, when you come across an article or something that refers or relates to your discussion; ping and share that with them in the “…thought you might be interested…” vein. Again, not suggesting a response. 

Meanwhile, keep your eye on the job postings. See one you like? Apply. THEN ping ‘em and let them know you’ve applied to X position. 

If you’re possibly The One; you’ll get the boost you need when it’s needed. Otherwise, let it lie.

For those prospective employers…or those who want to help a prospect.

All I’d ask is that one be brutally straight with those seeking to work with and for you. 

If there is no interest, just say so. If it feels to not be a good fit; just say so. Ambiguity is Anathema. 

Nip Misdirection in the virtual Bud.

If the prospect can’t be given the name and email of the hiring HR person or Hiring Exec to whom a CV should be sent AND have the prospect copy you as a “take this candidate seriously” on the email; then maybe acknowledge that with an “I can’t directly help you, but you can apply via the website if you like.” That’s as close to “don’t get your hopes up” as possible without being too brutal.

This’ll save vast amounts of time and effort for the seekers and your own HR personnel. 

For the rest of us, if we really want to help someone find a job, someone in whom we believe and can endorse; then I believe the best way to accomplish that is to Get Them A Meeting. 

I’ve managed to open doors for scores of people throughout my career by personally endorsing and asking colleagues to actually meet the candidate. Putting my own endorsement on a person and directly asking the colleague the personal favor of meeting makes it clear that I believe in the individual. And I only do that for people whom I expect to ace the interview. Our endorsement should mean something; and I believe we should use it for those we actually want to help.

(Note: “you can use my name” is just lame. Worth retiring this.)

There are, today, executives in Hollywood whom I endorsed decades ago for entry-level jobs who got the interview because I asked for it with the caveat, “I’m not asking you to hire them, that’s up to you and your assessment of them. I just want you to gain a sense of them and make your own decision. No worries either way.”

In Closing: An anecdote.

I have a longtime friend who shared with me something his grandmother said to him long ago in reference to theatre; but pertinent to pretty much everything in life. 

“Clifford,” she said, “remember that, in Life, one has only 20 Standing Ovations to spend. Use them judiciously.” Words to live by. 

Not everyone deserves a personal recommendation. The sooner we embrace that and the sooner “they” understand that, the better and easier for all concerned. Not everyone gets a medal and not every show - no matter how much work went into it - deserves a Standing O.

Playing it straight may feel brutal at the time; but it makes life easier, overall, as it removes doubt and offers solidity in the angst and anguish of all things, actually; not just the job hunt.

See you in Orlando.