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Making the Most of Employment for Music Professionals

Network your way to employment for music professionals

By A Antonow
If you are a music professional and are not quite ready or willing to launch your own business, you may be seeking music employment opportunities in order to enjoy a steady income stream while honing your talents. Unlike many career employment searches, looking for musician employment is far more challenging than just looking at music job openings on web sites or in newspapers.

Making the most of employment for music professionals means looking for jobs in non-traditional ways. While it is fine to respond to music job listings, relying on musician job postings alone will not yield steady work. If you are looking for consistent music industry employment, consider:
  1. Join online forums to get an insider's view of musician job openings.
  2. Browse music classifieds to find out who is hiring and what jobs for composers and other musicians are out there.
  3. Create profiles on websites that feature musicians to increase your exposure.

 

Network online to find out about requirements for employment in music

Online music forums are a great way to learn about music job requirements, employers and musical employment opportunities not advertised anywhere else. These forums are also good ways to get to know potential collaborators and employers.
Try: MyAuditions has an active online community where community members can learn more about music employment requirements, discuss challenges and share audition opportunities. US Music Jobs has an online forum where musicians can view posted jobs, advertise their own availability and learn more about getting a job in the music industry.

Look at musician classifieds to find employment, music collaborators and employer requests

Musician classifieds list musical instruments for hire, clubs seeking gigs, bands looking for band mates, and employment options. They are a good way to find opportunities in your area and to learn what sort of musical presence is available near you.
Try: The International Musicians Trading Post is a place to post jobs, view gig opportunities and employment options and access helpful music employment resources. Learn more about how to connect music employers and use music employment classified listings at The Muse's Muse.

Create a web presence to attract employers looking to fill music job openings

An employer should be able to look for your name or a general search string for your area and be able to find you easily. An online web presence allows employers to find you and allows you to add links to your resume, which establishes you as media-savvy and professional. Online sites that allow you to list your information and samples of your music are one way to attract music recruiters.
Try: TAXI allows musicians to post clips of music online and  network with other musicians and industry professionals, and also offers an FAQ with helpful information about the benefits of creating a web presence. Learn more about how online resources increase your employment exposure at SongScope.

 

  • Making the most of employment for music professionals is a two-way street. Of course, you want to land a good music job. However, you will get more benefit from forums and other networking tools if you remember to give as well as get. Participate in the forums and web sites you join and offer some advice and encouragement while you ask questions and learn about jobs yourself.

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