The Hard Truths of Applying for a Tour

  I've been hiring people for touring and non-touring jobs in the live production industry for almost my entire career. Hiring for production companies, venues, festivals, churches, you name it; I've probably hired someone to cover it. There's an odd instinctual thing that happens when you find the right person for the job and it's amazingly cathartic when it actually works out. 

  The folks you're emailing when you apply for a job are in an uncomfortable spot. They have a position open and it's their responsibility to fill it with a person that can and will do what they say all while being able to work well with the crew they already have. This can be more difficult to find than you'd think, even with a reference from someone you personally know. It's happened to me countless times; you email, call, video chat with someone and when they get there and it's time to do the job, they don't know how to use the gear they said they did or they fly into a blind rage and go on a 30 minute rant because a small child stepped on the FOH snake (true story). There's a lot of trust involved in what we do and it's important to show that you're confident, knowledgable and have the ability to handle things when shit hits the fan. How do you do that? Where do you start?

I'm going to list some reasons why you might not be getting any return emails. Keep in mind, this is all subjective, like most things in life. 

• Your email is tatertotlover@hotmail.com / get a gmail account with a easy to remember and spell username. Get it together, man.
• Your resume is difficult to read and doesn't show any relevant experience to what you're applying for. Make multiple resumes if you do multiple jobs. Also, don't list all 200 of the bands that toured through your house gig. Only list bands you we're hired by. If you don't have a lot of experience, be honest about it. We will be able to tell when we meet/work with you. 
• List references. People you have worked with, preferably for a long time. I want to have a conversation about you with people you've worked with before I move you up to a potential hire. List their name, what they do, how you know them and their email address. 
• In the body of the email you send, write why you think you're a good fit for the job. Why did you apply for that particular job? If it's because you just need a job, say you just need a job and you'll work harder than any other person on the planet. (Just make sure you actually do it.) If it's because you need more experience, say that, but, for fuck's sake be straightforward and honest about it. 
• Add a photo of yourself. This one is controversial, but I do it and here's why.  It puts a face to your name and this industry rewards people who have been around for a while and are recognizable in some form. If they see your name and photo enough, you will become familiar to them and that will ultimately help you in the long run. Play the long game; you can't rush it.

Side note: I once posted an LD position for a tour and someone emailed me a stock photo of a par 64 and the words,"I make lights go pew pew." Don't do this.

  Before you send an email, take a minute to read it. Imagine you're the person hiring for the job. Imagine you've posted a job and you've just gotten 150 response emails. Is what you're sending enough to make them actually consider you? Can you actually do the job they need done with little to no assistance from anyone? Are you actually the right person for that particular job? Do you actually have the correct experience to accomplish what they need done? Sometimes it's no and sometimes it's frustratingly yes, but either way make sure you lay that out for them in a relatable and concise way.

It's easy to get discouraged, but fuck that. Stay positive out there.