Posted by Wade (long) on March 05, 2004 at 21:35:53:
In Reply to: Limited # Invited for Singapore? posted by Frustrated on March 03, 2004 at 23:54:41:
Having sat on a number of committees, I can say that resumes are frequently checked covertly. Might someone involved in something listed on your resume have said something negative about your playing, attitude or work ethic?
Be careful about what is listed and make sure that it is 100% truthful and accurate. Then check it again; and again.
Get a friend to call the ensembles, teachers, or references you list and pose as an employer to see what is said about you. You might be surprised. But ONLY do this if you suspect that things are truly amiss.
Also, ask players for copies of their resumes to see how they should look. These are NOT business resumes and should NOT be formatted like one. And they should be no longer than one page. The more heavy experience you get, the shorter your resume gets.
My resume has never been rejected. Even during undergrad it was accepted for everything to which it was submitted.
There are two really fine articles in old ITA Journals on how to write a performance resume. They both recommend having three versions. I agree. You need a single page performance resume with absolutely zero B.S. like contests and awards won (unless the award would impress the committee) or school ensembles, then you need a two or three pager for getting teaching at schools that does include the best of the B.S. and ALL of your teaching experience, school ensembles and educational background. To get a job as a professor, you will need a Curriculum Vitae (sometimes just called a "vita") which is usually about 12 to 15 pages of everything you have ever done. With this tome, you will need to keep a file of ALL programs containing your name for EVERYTHING your have ever done from college onwards. This will include CD's cut with community groups, premiers of new pieces (even the crappy ones), adjudication experience, recitals, teaching and every stinking ensemble you have played with.
The pain is pairing down your life to a single, blunt, honest page and accepting that many will never want to hear you – just because. And yes – the resume round is supposed to eliminate every possible person to get to a live pool size that that particular ensemble finds workable.
This all comes down to one thing: too bad, you lose this one. Just because one group wants to hear you does not "entitle" you to be heard anywhere else, ever! If this personnel manager says you have too little experience then wait around and get more. Or quit. This is a business, not some contest. I know of at least two orchestras that have disqualified applicants because of typos in the resume, as it is a reflection on your attention to detailed work. (And they were absolutely correct, too!)
Life is hard. If you wish to do so, you may e-mail me your actual resume (as a Word file) and I will take the time to look at it and give you honest feedback. I can send you mine in return so that you can see what they mean by "experience".
Please understand: college ensembles are not considered real experience to the committee of a top flight group like CSO or NYPO. When you win a big gig someday and have had it for a number of years, you will see many subs in your section, and you will see kids that are "experienced" fold when performing for a high-paying audience with three rehearsals. No matter what you think, until you have some substantial (paying and often under-rehearsed) experience behind you, you can not understand why it makes a difference. If you screw up, people complain, people cancel subscriptions, people stop paying to hear you.
Good luck and do not give up because of being turned down. Concentrate on building your resume, and always keep it updated.
Wade "serious about you e-mailing me" Rackley