“Talent and hard work are not enough – you have to be able to hustle,” said leadership coach Tracy Forsyth, who was chairing the April RTS Futures event “Presenting yourself for success”.
Lyndsay Duthie, CEO of the Production Guild of Great Britain, said: “You have to sell yourself. There’s no point staying at home… jobs aren’t going to come to you. You’ve got to get yourself out there.”
She admitted: “It doesn’t matter if you’re giving an Oscar-winning speech… or it’s your very first interview, it’s still nerve-racking.”
Jo Bret-Day, head recruiter at FLB Accountants, offered an employer’s perspective: “Everything stems from understanding yourself, which isn’t always easy. When you’ve got that understanding of you, the rest should naturally progress – writing a CV and doing the interview.”
On the subject of CVs, Bret-Day added: “Keep it simple… keep it readable. Don’t fill it with graphics.”
Show persistence without being pushy when approaching employers, advised the panellists. Samuel Ampah, senior media accountant at Alliots, said: “Ultimately, everyone has been where you [are]. If you’re just starting, everyone has just started at some point. People want to pass on their knowledge.”
When you land an interview, prepare and practise thoroughly. “If you’re prepared, you’re more confident,” said Ampah.
Networking is hated by almost everyone, said Forsyth. But, added Ampah, while it is “a very daunting experience going to a networking event by yourself, not necessarily knowing anyone, it is so, so important”.
He advised: “Turn up early… and take the long way around to the toilet so [you] can suss out the room.” Forsyth goes further, doing “a figure of eight” to scope the room at events she attends.
The Futures event was produced by Zach Duthie.
