As human beings, we are fundamentally flawed. Perfection? No such thing exists. We all tend to make mistakes. But, even so, there’s no denying that we are responsible for ourselves at the end of the day- and that includes the measures we undertake for our career advancement.
However, only recently, Karen Eck, a strategist, publicist, and talent manager, revealed a critical piece of information to the world, claiming that highly skilled and experienced people in the Screen Industry restrain themselves from promoting their work. Luckily, though, Karen was not about to let these people go without offering her unmatched advice.
Karen’s advice is primarily meant for the women in the industry who, she states, can be often overwhelmed and disheartened by the prospective challenges that come with securing a spot in a significantly male-dominated sector.
She quoted research by Dame Changer, an Australian group for professional women, which states that many of their group members face hardships in work, saying that they lack proficiency, momentum, and ideas on how to navigate their way. The strategist took the liberty of adding anecdotal evidence to the mix, asserting that women in other sectors such as banking and technology tend to face the same challenges.
Taking a U-turn back to the subject of Women in the Screen Industry, Karen sheds light on a pretty ironic issue- professionals wanting to gain recognition for their projects, yet overlooking the need for laying the groundwork for smooth execution. Mistakes like this, she states, is what leaves women yearning for advancement and recognition, but never really gaining it.
According to Karen Eck, the following are the most common mistakes women make while promoting their work:
Mistake #1- Assuming your work speaks for itself
Umm… incorrect. The only thing that can speak- as you must already be aware- are human beings. So, in correlation, that means YOU. Your work cannot make people look at it- only you can! Therefore, you are responsible for making sure it attracts enough attention.
Create opportunities for people to discover and comment on it. Good things tend to cause a ripple effect, so if you manage to impress one person, best believe they’d be talking about your project with their friends and family. That is the kind of attention you need. You can also ask your colleagues to support your latest project and offer to do the same for them.
Mistake #2- Your assets are non-existent
How do you expect people to know about you if you have no digital assets? The first thing any good publicist will tell you is to update your social media handles, especially LinkedIn, with a riveting biography and some updated headshots.
If your work remains primarily behind the screen, update your portfolio with images and details of your past projects. No one can judge your capabilities just by looking at you. It is your work that speaks to your abilities.
Mistake #3- Being overwhelmed to the point of incapacitation
If you’re on the path to making it big in the Screen Industry, your job is to keep it moving, in whatever capacity possible.
The competition will only continue to get fiercer, and sitting around doing nothing won’t do you any good. Try dedicating a couple of minutes every day to your branding, organize your digital assets, hop on a networking call, or try planning your next project. As long as you’re doing something to advance your career, you’re good.
Just start and don’t look back.
