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jadedamber · 7 years ago

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So you’re slugging it as a temp...

I’ve debated whether it would help anyone if I posted my thoughts on temp workers in office situations in general and in creative fields in particular, and decided, heck, yes, maybe. So here goes.

I’ve been a creative supervisor in corporate field long enough to have gone through managing a number of temps, and while some (two, let’s be real) managed to stay on to become permanent additions to our department, we parted ways with a much greater number of temps who did not work out for various reasons.

If anyone reading wants to break into a design job, and is roughing it as a freelancer/temp for now, hopefully this will help you up your game.

Things to remember right off the bat:

I. If you’re getting hired as a temp, it probably means one of two things:

1. The company is cheap as hell and doesn’t want to pay for full time workers, and/or 2. It’s a temporary and sudden crunch time, and they need bodies to throw at the crisis.

Both of these things mean that the poor shmuck who will be supervising you is overworked, overstressed, and does not have enough time and resources to train you. It’s not their fault. Most of them would train/hire you in a heartbeat if they had that power. Most of them are happy you’re there, and are dearly invested in you picking up the necessary skills to succeed (because your failure will be on that supervisor’s head).

That means:

II. Attitude is everything. I mean, I’ve had workers who came in with false information about what the job would be (for various reasons) and panicked/resented the fact that they did not know the things we needed from them, but because some of them were open to learning, I had no problem teaching them on the fly, and one such former temp just had their second annual review, if you catch my meaning. It was a good review, too. The other ones used their time with my team as a learning experience and a resume fodder. Still others were gone after a couple of miserable days.

Plus, a good reference from your direct supervisor is a commodity (as I’m learning), and when you’re a temp, your supervisor knows you’re most likely looking around, so most of them are less twitchy about being asked for those.

III. If the supervisor tells you to please ask questions if you don’t understand something - TAKE THEM UP ON IT! I cannot stress it enough. My teammates and I would much rather be interrupted in our work than have to redo something that was done incorrectly due to assumptions or lack of knowledge - or worse, be confronted with the mistake with 15 minutes to hand-off time. If something does not feel right, say something. If something doesn’t add up - speak up. It won’t make you look incompetent, I swear. No one expects a temp to know all the ins and outs of a particular company.

That brings me to next point:

IV. No one cares if you project-managed elsewhere. I don’t care if you delegated tasks to others before. Here and now, I am your boss and if I say we have to do it a certain way, don’t fucking cowboy it out. If you think there’s a better way, and your supe seems cool, by all means, voice it (in a concise way, please) but don’t salute ok and then do it your way because it’s better in your opinion. You may not know something. There might be reasons that are beyond your scope of knowledge. If your boss seems too busy/assholish, ask your teammates.

V. Ask your teammates about your supervisor. If they seem reluctant to answer, that should be as clear a signal as if they complained to you for an hour. On the other hand, in my experience, if the boss is cool, people will be pretty happy to tell you. Take them seriously, but watch non-verbal cues, of course, as those are more accurate, usually.

VI. If your goal is to learn as much as possible and move on - GO ALL IN. Ask your teammates questions, watch how they do things, pick up the lingo, volunteer for difficult tasks. And most of all, shut up and listen. I mean it kindly. If your goal is to learn, then don’t waste your time teaching (or explaining how wonderful you are). You’re there for knowledge, not an ad campaign (unless you’re temping at an ad agency (I’m hilarious, I know, shut up)).

VII. Remember, you’re “just a temp”. I don’t mean it in a derogatory way, but as a reality check. So you think you’re more talented/better worker/whatever than this full-timer over here? Watch and learn what it is that made the company hire that person. You might not want to copy them, but you should at least know what the rules of the game are. Until you find your stride/voice/strengths, it helps to absorb whatever you can.

VIII. Remember, you’re “just a temp”. This also means that your career is not hinged on this job, so if you keep being treated like crap, pick up the subtle (or not so subtle) cues, and talk to your agency about finding another gig. It’s not worth getting shat on if there are other projects out there, and you won’t know until you ask your rep.

IX. Make yourself useful. Literally if you’re a temp and you become hella helpful to your supervisor, most of them will fight for you to become full time, if that’s at all a possibility. It doesn’t mean you have to be Gal Friday (or Guy Friday) and be a perfect employee. For example, one of my teammates freaks out every time I split her project with another person, but in a crisis situation she’s the one most likely to stay late and get it done, and I value the shit out of her for that. Another one is kind of slow and I don’t give her any of the most urgent projects, but trust me, if there’s anything that takes finesse and painstaking labor, she’s my go-to person. So, if you act like your boss has to, like, deserve your best effort - nobody cares. No one owes you to “get to know you” or discover you. You might be a fabulous painter, but if you can’t cut a straight line (literally a recent problem we had), I’m sorry, but I can’t use you. Go find a job painting, not working in a fast-paced corporate environment.

X. Take them seriously. This should be a no-brainer, but somehow, it’s something that keeps coming up. I respect your right for self expression, but if the company policy states that you can’t wear graphic t shirts, please fucking listen. If you’re supposed to come in at a certain time, please listen. If you’re told that you’re supposed to check in after a certain task, even though you’ve been doing that task since before you were born and can perform it asleep, drunk, in negative degree weather, on your head - please. please. fucking. listen.

I just had to let someone go who was very surprised at the news, despite having had several private conversations/warnings regarding following instructions, and it was frustrating for both of us. They thought they were being very productive, because they were doing so much. I thought they were a waste of everyone’s time and resources, because they kept screwing up - not for lack of knowledge, but because oh... they really meant it not to do THAT to a cricut machine... huh. And oh, I guess THAT’s why you save this file a certain way. Like, I don’t got time to deal with that, bye.

BONUS: If you’re let go, very good chances are, no one will tell you the reason. Your now former supervisor is still overworked and overstressed, It’s an unpleasant conversation no one wants to have, and - since you clearly haven’t made good enough impression - nobody cares about you to give you some tips for the future.

That’s ok - take the silence as your one huge cue, try to remember all the times things went wrong and what, in retrospect, you should have done differently. Again, you were just a temp, it’s not like you messed up your chances at the Project Runway or American Idol or whatever.

Just learn.

It’s not fun, and it’s tough, but hey, you’re the one who wanted a creative job.

Plus it could be that it’s not even you - the agency’s fee might’ve gone up, the big boss has deemed that the crisis has passed (whether it’s true or not), or the budget for a temp has dried up. Most big bosses I’ve dealt with really seem to not consider the fact that temp workers have lives and budgets like the rest of us, and it’s ok to just tell the agency we don’t need them to come in anymore. If your supe is cool, and they have insider knowledge, they WILL warn you if they at all can and they feel like they can trust you not to throw them under the bus.

Use this also to figure out if that is the field you want to be in. One of my best teammates had no clue what they wanted to do after college, temped for my team, and realized they were really into consumer goods (vs. say, web or ad jobs). Another temp knew she wanted to do publishing, worked with us anyway, confirmed it for herself, and left to follow her dream. You just don’t always know right from the start, and it’s ok.

All of the above used to seem very common sense to me, but life disabused me of that notion. And because I realize not everyone is on the same level in life, I hope me sharing these tips will help someone to succeed in this field that increasingly wants more and more experience for entry level positions. Because sometimes temp work is how you get there.

Go get ‘em, tiger!

#creative #corporate #design #graphic design #temp workers #freelance #advice

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marrincostello · 5 years ago

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3 Ways to Work-at-Home Doing Internet Research

Today we're answering a question from a reader. So, if you've been interested in internet research jobs, keep reading.

Hi Holly,

I found your advice in the Woman's World Magazine and have been searching all through the Pinterest for work from home jobs. There are so many to go through, and some want money, and others I am not sure are real jobs. But Holly, I LOVE to research and would like to start a business doing research, but have no idea how to get started. I thought I would ask if you had any ideas since you are seeking ways of possible employment for people.

I hope you will have some ideas and share them with me as I am very eager to get started.

Sincerely, Judy L.

Hi Judy,

Internet Research is an excellent way for you to work-from-home! There are lots of companies who hire freelancers to do their research for them — you just need to know where to look.

Law firms, marketing departments, insurance companies, academic institutions, healthcare providers, political groups, real estate agents, writers, and college students all need researchers.

If you have background experience in one of the areas above, I suggest starting there first, as you'll have a leg up on your competition.

Where to Find Internet Research Jobs and How to Get Started

You can try searching for internet research jobs on traditional career sites like Indeed or CareerBuilder, but these sites are so large, it can be challenging to find these positions. You'll also have to thoroughly research each job posting as they don't screen companies very well.

Here are some other sites that I recommend using to find online research jobs:

FlexJobs is a paid online job board that caters to flexible work arrangements. The reason I like FlexJobs is they screen every job for legitimacy, so you never have to worry about falling prey to a scam. They also have great sorting options, so it's easy to locate what you're searching for on their website. You can sort jobs by type, schedule, job category, career level, job title, location, or a combination. Some keywords you'll want to explore, include Internet Research, Research, Web Researcher, and Research Assistant.

Fiverr

Fiverr is a freelance marketplace where you can list and sell your internet research services. When Fiverr first came on the market, the premise was individuals would sell their freelance services for $5 (hence the name). Freelancers would keep $4, and Fiverr would take a $1 administrative fee. Today freelancers sell their services for anywhere from $5-$10,000 a pop, and Fiverr takes a 20% administrative fee. Fiverr is free to join, and it's an easy way for you to list your freelance research assistant skills and the niches you specialize in.

Upwork

Upwork is a freelance job board that contains different tasks for freelancers to complete. Simply register for an account (it's free), search for Internet Research positions, and submit your bid. If your bid is accepted, you'll complete the work and get paid through the platform, minus a small fee (usually 10 percent). While many freelancers complain of the low rates on these sites — it can be an excellent way for you to establish yourself in the field and to work with repeat clients. Also, check out this article from Danny Margulies and how he was able to earn six figures from Upwork — he has a smart strategy for using the platform!

Companies That Hire Internet Researchers

Cannabiz Media hires part-time virtual data researchers to collect, fact-check, and analyze license info in the cannabis industry. Applicants must have a strong business or legal research background, excellent communication skills, and be able to work 20 hours per week.

Clickworker is a short task platform and smartphone app, where you can make money by completing microtasks like text creation, categorization, copy editing, proofreading, internet research, and more. You won't be able to earn a full-time income using this platform, but it is a nice way to bring in a little extra money. To get started, sign-up for free, fill out your profile, complete short skills assessments, complete work, and get paid weekly or monthly via SEPA or PayPal.

Fancy Hands hires independent contractors to provide virtual assistant services to individuals and small business owners. In this position, you'll work on tasks like scheduling appointments, internet research, data entry, and making phone calls (so it's not just research). Assistants are paid $3-$7 per task, and payments are distributed every other Tuesday via Dwolla.

I know I mentioned FlexJobs above as a great place to find legitimate work-from-home positions, but they also hire part-time, freelance, job researchers to research and source legitimate jobs, companies, and opportunities for possible publication on their website. Pay is $15 per hour, and you must reside in one of the following states: CO, CT, FL, IL, KY, MA, MD, ME, MN, NC, OR, PA, TN, TX, or VA.

Just Answer hires independent contractors to research and answer questions on various topics. To become an expert, you must have experience in a particular niche, such as a doctor, lawyer, nurse, teacher, or chef. With these opportunities, you're not only researching answers for people, but you're also writing the answers online — so you'll need to have excellent written communication skills. Just Answer pays 20 – 50 percent of what the person is willing to pay for the answer (if it's accepted). Payments are made monthly via PayPal.

For more places to answer questions online, read: How to Make Money Answering Questions Online

One company that hires internet researchers to gather information and find credible sources is Wonder. In this role, you'll work as an independent contractor earning $15-$18 per hour on average. Applicants must have a Bachelor's degree and prior research experience.

Start Your Own Internet Research Business

If the above options aren't what you're dreaming of — you can always start your own internet research business in the niche of your choosing. Here are some simple steps to get you started.

1. Educate Yourself on Running an Internet Research Business

No matter what type of business you're starting, you need to educate yourself on the best business practices. Here are a couple of resources that can help you understand and implement the basics for starting and running an internet research-based business.

2. Get Your Business Ducks in a Row

Once you understand the basics of running a business, you'll need to map out your business plan. Your business plan doesn't have to be a formal document, but you will want to create a list of steps to take.

Here are some common questions you'll need to address:

3. Set Up Shop

After you have the preliminary framework in place, you need to set up your digital footprint, which will include your website and social media profiles. You should also think about which communication, marketing, and organizational tools that you'll need to run your business.

Here are some helpful articles and resources:

4. Get Clients

There are many ways to get new clients, but probably the fastest way is to reach out to family, friends, and past colleagues and let them know you started a new business. Just think, if you send an email to 100 contacts, you'll likely have at least one person who needs or knows of someone who needs your services!

When I started my blog, here is the email I sent out. This is how I was able to build my blogging audience so quickly. Oh, and feel free to use this template and modify it for your business.

Hello Friends & Family, As many of you know, for the past 16 months, I've been researching, writing, and working with a graphic designer to launch a website for women and mothers who would like to work-from-home. As of today, all of my hard work has finally paid off, and I'm proud to announce the official launch of The Work at Home Woman! An online resource for women who wish to work-from-home or become self-employed. Please visit my site and let me know what you think. I'd love to hear your comments and suggestions! I would greatly appreciate it if you could forward this link to anyone you know that could benefit from this site. Feel free to keep up with The Work at Home Woman, and follow me on Twitter or Facebook

Thanks for your support, Holly

There are many different routes you can take to becoming an internet researcher! Whether you want to freelance, find a telecommuting position, or start your own business, there are many viable options available. Choosing a niche where you have experience will help you hone in on the opportunities that are best suited for your skills.

You'll Also Love These Posts:

Studies have shown if you like this blog post — you will also enjoy reading the following articles.

Originally published January 9, 2015. Content updated April 22, 2020.

Holly Reisem Hanna is the publisher and founder of The Work at Home Woman, which has been helping individuals find remote careers and businesses that feed their souls since 2009. Through her unconventional career path of holding over 30 jobs and obtaining two college degrees, she's been able to figure out how to find a career path that you're truly passionate about. Holly's had the pleasure of sharing her expertise on sites like CNN, MSN Money, Huffington Post, Woman's Day Magazine, as well as being recognized by Forbes as one of the “Top 100 Websites for Your Career.” Holly resides in Austin, Texas, with her husband and daughter and enjoys reading, traveling, and yoga.

This page includes some affiliate and referral links. Please be aware that we only promote advertising from companies that we feel we can legitimately recommend to our readers. Please see our disclosure policy for further information.

This content was originally published here.

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kennethherrerablog · 6 years ago

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12 Weird (But Totally Legal) Ways to Make Extra Money in Canada

O, the Great White North. Nova Britannia. Land of Maple Syrup. America’s Hat. The 14th colony. *Whispers* America’s friendliest neighbor.

It must be nice to have the best nicknames around.

And while we’re on the subject of best things, we thought you might also want to know about the best — and weirdest — ways you can pocket some extra Canadian dollars.

But you have to promise not to spend it all on poutine and butter tarts — only some of it.

Note: Monetary amounts are shown in U.S. dollars. Bank of Canada is a good resource to find the current exchange rate.

How to Make Money in Canada

We combed through all of our tips to filter out the best flexible ways to make money in Canada. You can do many of these without leaving the confines of your home.

1. Tell This Company What’s in Your Fridge

Remember the Nielsen company? It’s always tracked TV ratings, but now it wants to know what’s in your fridge.

Once you sign up to be on the Nielsen Consumer Panel, the company will send you a free barcode scanner, or you can use your smartphone. Every time you go shopping, you simply scan the UPC codes on the back of each product and send your data to Nielsen.

Nielsen will reward you with gift points, which you can redeem for free electronics, jewelry, household items or even toys for the kids.

The longer you stay on the panel, the more opportunity you have to earn points toward prizes. You’ll also receive entries for the panel’s many sweepstakes. Prizes include vacations and brand new vehicles.

2. Fill This out While Watching TV

We’re going to be real here: Survey sites aren’t our favorite way to make extra money, because it’s difficult to bag a lot. But if you’re just hanging out and watching TV, why not click a few buttons on your phone and turn your spare time into money?

Here are a few of our favorite sites for earning money in your free time:

VIP Voice offers surveys that are relatively quick to complete and reward you with points you can redeem for cash or gift cards.

MobileXpression: After you’ve installed this app for one week, you get to play an instant rewards game for a prize. (Everyone wins something.) We’ve seen users win $25 Amazon gift cards, but some of the other prizes include iPads and Samsung TVs.

SaskWatch Panel: Do you call Saskatchewan home? Insightrix’s SaskWatch lets you fill out surveys for rewards points you can redeem for cash. You’ll voice your opinion on social, political and consumer issues facing your community.

LifePoints Panel is a tried-and-true survey site that’s been around for a long time. This one is easy to use, even if you just have a few minutes to spare. You’ll earn cash and prizes for your opinions.

3. Get Paid to Get in Shape

Listen. Losing weight and getting fit is easier said than done.

But will a little bit of money motivate you?

It’s motivating Marcie Hagner, 44, who has placed a bet on her weight-loss goals through HealthyWage. If she can lose the 50 pounds she bet she could, she’ll pocket $862.

“Money is a huge motivator for me,” she says. “Especially because I don’t have a lot. I don’t want to give somebody $500, especially for something I can control and do.”

Read more about how she’s finding motivation to lose weight through HealthyWage.

4. List Your Extra Space on Airbnb

Have a spare room? Might as well try to earn some money by listing it on Airbnb.

If you’re a good host with a desirable space, you could add hundreds — even thousands — of dollars to your savings account with Airbnb.

A few simple steps can make the difference between a great experience and a less-than-satisfactory one.

Here are some tips:

Make your space available during high-demand times in your area. Think: concerts, conventions and sporting events.

Be a good host, and stock your place with the toiletries you’d expect at a hotel — toilet paper, soap and towels.

Be personable. A lot of travelers turn to Airbnb for the personal touch they won’t find at commercial properties.

(Hosting laws vary from city to city. Please understand the rules and regulations applicable to your city and listing.)

5. Tutor Kids (From Behind a Computer Screen)

Did you know you can tutor kids — without leaving your house? And without them entering your house?

Chegg Tutors is open to applicants worldwide. There are tons of open tutoring subjects, from calculus to biology — even astrophysics.

To sign up as a Chegg online tutor, you must provide two forms of proof you are either currently or were previously enrolled in a university. You will also need a Facebook account. Once your profile is approved, you will be matched with students seeking tutoring in your subject. Tutors earn $20 or more per hour.

Skooli is a Canada-based company that offers tutoring for K-12 courses, as well as college-level classes.

If you are a certified teacher with a bachelor’s degree, master’s degree or specialized instructor qualification (like ESL), you can become an online tutor for Skooli. Skooli tutors are paid $25 per hour.

To apply, you must provide proof of qualifications and education. If they deem you a good fit, you’ll be approved and available to tutor students. Go the extra mile and receive full Skooli verification by also adding a criminal record check.

This extra step gets you a purple Skooli shield badge on your profile, which will garner more attention from parents and students (read: more money), and you could also qualify for special programs that not all tutors have access to.

6. Drive With Uber

Enjoy finding the best route around town? Why not turn it into your side hustle and get paid for it?

As a driver partner with Uber, you create your own schedule and work as much or as little as you want.

If you want to give it a try, here are a few things to keep in mind: You must be at least 21 years old, have at least one year of licensed driving experience (three years if you are under 23 years old), have a valid driver’s license and pass a background check.

Also, your car must be a four-door, seat at least four passengers (excluding the driver), be registered in-state and be covered by in-state insurance.

7. Earn up to $60 an Hour as a Part-Time Bookkeeper

Does earning $60 an hour sound appealing? How about the freedom to work remotely while helping others succeed?

Those are the perks of working as a bookkeeper, says Ben Robinson, a certified public accountant and business owner who teaches others to become virtual bookkeepers through his online course, Bookkeeper Business Launch.

And no, you don’t have to have a CPA to be successful in this business. In fact, all you really need are decent computer skills and a passion for helping business owners tackle real-world problems.

It’s a great opportunity for moms who want to work part-time, grads who are just out of college and anyone who wants to bring in real money while working from home.

8. Get Paid for Your Useless Trivia Knowledge

If you’re one of those people who can pull useless pieces of knowledge from out of nowhere, you’ll want to download this app.

It’s called HQ Trivia. With at times more than a million players logging on at 3 p.m. and 9 p.m. ET each day to play, you might’ve heard of it.

“Quiz Daddy” Scott Rogowsky is the game’s main host. He asks 12 questions. You’ve got three multiple-choice options and 10 seconds to answer each. If you get all 12 questions correct, you’ll split the grand prize (around $5,000 lately, though it’s been $25,000 or more on randomly chosen special occasions) amongst the other winners.

The HQ Trivia app is available for iPhone and Android.

Pro tip: Share your personalized referral code with friends and family to get an extra life. Trust us. You’ll want it.

9. Clean up Search Engine Mistakes

Search engines use complicated algorithms to determine the results you see. But they don’t always get it right…

They’re actually full of errors, so companies need real humans to look at the results and judge them for quality, relevance and usefulness. That’s where you come in.

You can find search engine evaluator jobs through Lionbridge. You’ll take a qualifying test, and some companies also conduct a phone interview. Once you’re accepted, you can set your own schedule and work as much or little as you want.

10. Work From Home as a Transcriptionist

Transcribing is a great way to earn cash that requires little to no prior experience and offers flexible hours and workloads. Plus, you can do it from home.

The work sounds easy: Listen to audio and type what you hear. But it can be repetitive and requires a lot of attention to detail.

However, the pay is a pretty good selling point: Earn around $15 to $25 per hour for general transcription, and more if you learn to specialize in the legal or medical fields.

11. Go Watch a Movie

If you want to get paid to watch movies, fill out an application with the mystery shopping company Market Force Information.

The application is just a few questions long, and nearly everyone in the U.S. and Canada is eligible.

Once you’re accepted as an auditor, keep an eye out for email alerts for new assignments in your area. You can accept or decline any assignments — so if a movie’s not even worth watching for $30, you don’t have to see it.

In-theater checks don’t come with huge paydays, but you’ll get a free movie and earn about $10 to $20 an hour for your time.

12. Sell Your iPhone Photos

Those thought-out photos you take can get you more than just social media likes.

Upload your iPhone photos to stock photography sites. Many of them are trying to get away from the “perfect” photo and are looking for more realistic images. After a quick upload, you’ll get an email notification when someone purchases your work.

You likely won’t become a millionaire; sites like Foap pay about $5 per purchase. However, if you have a nicer camera, you can step up your game like Eliza Snow, who quit her corporate job to sell stock photos full time.

This was originally published on The Penny Hoarder, which helps millions of readers worldwide earn and save money by sharing unique job opportunities, personal stories, freebies and more. The Inc. 5000 ranked The Penny Hoarder as the fastest-growing private media company in the U.S. in 2017.

12 Weird (But Totally Legal) Ways to Make Extra Money in Canada published first on https://justinbetreviews.tumblr.com/

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rantraveruminate · 8 years ago

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we’re just like you

I know you are sick of seeing & reading political posts... I'm sick of writing them. I thought I’d chime in after last night’s Golden Globes ceremony, on the back of Meryl Streep outlandishly asking our President elect, and all human beings, to treat each other with dignity and respect. Suddenly there’s been that old drumbeat from those outside of Los Angeles to “shut up and act” and that “Hollywood is out of touch” with the rest of America. Los Angeles is one of the most economically, socially and racially diverse cities in the entire United States, we aren't out of touch with our countries changing demographics, we’re it. The Hispanic family? They live on our block. The Muslim man at the park? He’s our lawyer. The same sex couple with three kids? They’re our neighbors. We are the opposite of “out of touch.” Unless you mean out of touch with the values of 1950? Then yes, we moved on from those… 65 years ago, after the 60’s happened. Sure “Hollywood” is not one of the most diverse industries, but at least it’s aware of the problem and (begrudgingly) is trying. But there’s also this little problem/irony you may not be aware of: not everyone who works in the entertainment industry is rich & famous. In fact most are the complete opposite and are JUST LIKE YOU. The entertainment industry is built on the backs of electricians, grips, carpenters, drivers, caterers, productions assistants, runners, plumbers, seamstresses, launderers, greensmen, secretaries, paper pushers, garbagemen & a million other blue collar jobs I’m not thinking of. The entertainment industry employs hundreds of thousands of people in and around Los Angeles; you couldn’t name or recognize 1% of them. For every patch of grass on a pristine studio lot, there’s a gardener mowing that lawn and watering the flowers. For every kombucha sipping actress tossing her recycled glass bottle away, is a person bagging that garbage and taking it to the dumpsters.

Perhaps I can share my own story as a way to shed some light on how (un)glamorous working in Hollywood can actually be. My first job in “Hollywood” was as a production assistant on a little independent movie starring a fringy tv star. My job was to do whatever was asked of me and to “never, not under any circumstance sit down, or you will be fired.” (It’s like the golden rule for new PA’s. Never sit. Ever.) My first day was 15 hours at an abandoned prison near downtown LA. I made $120 for 14 hours, or just about $8.50 an hr before taxes. My 2nd night we shot in downtown LA, My job was to “lock up” the sidewalk in the background of the shot. This entailed me politely asking skid row drunks and drug addicts to please not walk in our shot. The movie’s budget did not allow for me to have a police officer for protection, so I was left to fend for myself (update: I didn’t die). I worked about 3 weeks on the movie. On my last day on the project my call time was 7am in downtown LA, 3 company moves, 2 lost AD’s, (1 for a conflict, 1 for a concussion) I found myself elevated from “green” PA to emergency 2nd AD (I had no idea wtf I was doing and was terrified every minute) 26 hours later, with no breaks, I wrapped my first movie. Then drove home a zombie. My total pay for these 2.5 weeks of work: under $1.000. I went on to PA a few other shows but I literally didn't have the stamina to stand for 15-16 hrs a day, drive an hour home, sleep 5 hrs, and come back and do it all again, in the rain, every day. The people who do these jobs are fucking hero’s. My body literally caught pneumonia 3 times in 2 months while working on my next job, Deadwood. When I worked on Deadwood it happened to be the wettest winter in Los Angeles history. There also happened to be dozens of horses everyday on set, and sometimes I was lucky enough to be the PA assigned to “cue the horse.” This meant, standing beside this perpetually shitting beast and say “now” while the horse dropped 25 pounds of fresh horse pies at my feet for 14 hours. The best thing to come out of that job was like most jobs, the friendships with the people who also worked on the show. Sure I get to tell people “I worked on Deadwood” I usually leave out the almost dying of pneumonia and having to quit in shame parts. This was the end of my days as a PA. (very short career)

My 2nd job was a huge step up. Essentially the same job, but in post production, where the environment was an office and the hours were typically shorter. The pay however, was worse. Under $300 a week after taxes. I was working a full time, highly sought after (entry level) job, yet was living far below the poverty line. At the time my share of the rent and utilities was 1100 a month. Let’s say I wasn’t skinny because I was making healthy choices. This step up of job entailed me picking up people’s lunches. They were all really nice people...No not really. Most were, but those who weren’t really made the job tough on your faith in humanity and basic decency. I also delivered videotapes to movie studios; the coolest part of that job by far. To this day nothing tops walking across a movie studio lot. It is magical. Oh, and I was tasked with plunging the occasional toilet overflowing with actual human shit. Again, Hollywood is really glamorous. For every movie studio I visited, I easily plunged 10 toilets. The first 10-12 months of the job I was killing it. Arriving early staying late (like you do), and getting everyone their lunches on time and accurately. I took great pride in never making a mistake, and the President of the company would routinely say I was doing a great job. Then came the day I was tasked with disposing of actual human sewage from a burst pipe. I attempted to do this with a few coworkers, but we couldn't stop gagging. We informed the president of the company we couldn’t do it. I’d never seen someone so disappointed in anyone before. “I guess I’ll call a plumber.” From that day forward, I was out of favor.

A few months later I was given a modest promotion (with a 19 cent raise. let’s get crazy.) I was tasked with doing the inventory of an abandoned warehouse, it just happened to be infested with spiders (I’m arachnophobic.) I then was given another “promotion” to manage these warehouses, this time without a raise, but I got about 100 keys, so I labeled myself The Keymaster. No one but me thought this was funny, nor did anyone care I’d given myself a title. This job came with the perk of not having to clean up the shit when it backed up in any of the 20 toilets that were my domain, but instead involved me picking up the phone and letting the person who had my previous job know: “hey, the toilet overflowed.” This made me feel like a real shithead. But hey, I put in my time and I was kinda done cleaning up actual human shit. Shortly thereafter, I would have an actual promotion where I would earn a living wage, and be given actual responsibility.I was never prouder for the 3 months I had this job. The I lost my job due to the writer’s strike.

The people I know in this business who are successful (like all businesses really), are the people who work their asses off and willingly metaphorically clean up shit for as many years as needed to get where they eventually end up. The writers, actors, editors, lawyers, grips, drivers, carpenters, plumbers, whatever job. whatever industry. It all starts with hard work, and people in Hollywood are some of the hardest working people I know. They all started at the bottom. Only now a decade later are they making a livable fair wage. And only because of a half century of their respective union’s hard work, are they even earning that. They are still working 14-15 hrs a day, a lot of times away from their families for months at a time. These actors you see on your tv, they are the minority. They are the Bill Gates of SAG. Recent reports suggest as many as HALF of all SAG/AFTRA members live below the poverty line. stats for writers are even more dire. The people who want to work in these fields accept these risks, accept that they may work once and then not for another year, or never again. They accept this with very little complaint publicly. That’s a lot of people scraping by for just a chance at a job. Do you have any idea how hard it is to live in Los Angeles or NYC making minimum wage, or anywhere for that matter? You aren’t living, you’re surviving. Fortunately, our predecessors in Hollywood coordinated strike after strike, and collectively bargained, so that those actors, grips, prop masters, drivers and electricians were paid a fair wage, and given adequate health care. It was the unions of hollywood that did this, NOT the studios offering these things out of the kindness of their hearts. Most of “Hollywood" are union workers JUST LIKE YOU. Drivers, greensmen, electricians, grips. Just trying to do good work, for a fair wage and put a roof over their families heads and food on the table. People in Hollywood work incredibly hard in an insanely competitive industry. The rule of thumb is “never say no” to work. Even if you’ve just worked 90 hrs a week for 6 months straight or haven’t seen your family for more than a few sleepy hours between when you wake up and when your call time is. I have a friend who requires multiple chiropractic appointments a week, has tendinitis in both wrists and elbows. He’s barely 30. I’m sure if you're reading this and you work in a factory, you know someone like this...maybe the someone is you. Thankfully his union provides him health insurance and a fair wage for his labor. He is no different than the steel worker in Pennsylvania, or the woman working the factory line in Detroit, the world just thinks it’s shinier because the reflection from stars are so bright. But that’s another thing. These “stars” they are no different than you or I. They’re human beings with opinions. I’m sure you’d never tell your co worker at the factory or at the office "Hey Nancy, you’re just a paralegal, why don't you shut up and file those legal briefs” as much as you may like to. Of course, Nancy is entitled an opinion. We’re all Americans and we are all entitled to our opinion’s, right or wrong. Liberal or conservative. You have the right to disagree with what Meryl Streep said, you even have a right to tell her to shut up. But you are wrong to say she or other artists shouldn't have political opinions.

2016 saw the passing of dozens of American luminaries, and one of them was Mohammad Ali. Part of his legacy was his willingness to stand up for what he believed was right, Despite intense and unflinching opposition to those beliefs. Despite people telling him to "shut up and fight". He refused. 50 years later we look back, and through the lens of history, most Americans respect his decision to do so. He helped incite a national dialogue at a time when it was desperately needed, And he did it through non violent protest. When someone has been fortunate enough to be given a platform, they have just as much of right to speak up as anyone else, not less. As much as the guy who cooks the food on set, or the woman who grips, or as much as the union electricians who light these stars. They all have opinions and all can and should express them, enthusiastically and freely, without fear of retribution from The President of the United States. Because this is their AND your right as an American.

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