When do my accomplishments count?

[glenn Taylor]

SoMe joker said you are only as good as your last recordings. I got a lot of work by doing a good job for a few key people. ( Good artists that are good people, other studio's that needed outside help. Bands that were happy because I went overboard to help. SoMe people are not going to be at a phase in their life to help you. May never be. Cut eM loose. FECK eM. bust your butt for the right people or at least ones that Might. The ones that snob you flat out tell theM that you adMire theM,but they Make you feel like they don't give a hoot about you.
SMooze theM then lower the booM. It can't hurt. Shake eM up.

[kennybro]

Nature of this business, I've always found. All of the arts are like that, because there's no mechanism in place, like Ph.D., MD, detective badge, etc... that you can flash to establish your place in a professional pecking order.

Seriously, how do you react when someone approaches you and says, "I worked with so-and-so, bla bla bla," even though they may only be proud of their accomplishments, and want to talk about them.

Basic PR is that your accomplishments can't be communicated through you, because you're not a legit source. One magazine story about you, or someone like Dave Grohl mentioning your name is worth more than ten thousand, "I worked with so-and-so."

[kafka]

Don't name drop or otherwise try to impress through conversation. It doesn't work, and contrarian people will always feel the need to offer a rebuttal. Make sure the quality of your work speaks for itself. Someone with talent who listens is always more impressive than the opposite.

[Whitecat]

Just as you are only as good as your last recording -

An airline pilot is only as good as his last safe landing...

A surgeon is only as good as his last successful surgery...

Lawyers, unfortunately, can lose cases left, right and centre and still get paid... they would be the exception.

[Fletcher]

Some say "its not what you know - its who you know". I tend to disagree, my take on it is "its who knows you know what you know"... you could be the world's greatest solitaire player but who would know that? ...or care?

[slaphappy]

Um...what exactly are your big accomplishments?

[sleepingbag]

You pretty much answered your own question. Your accomplishments 'count' when someone else gives a shit. Like, I don't have anything to my name that any big-name studio guy or even anyone on this forum would be incredibly impressed by probably, but some of the things I've done have made my clients real happy & gotten me new business, etc. so I'm proud of them. But I don't expect anyone to think I'm a big shot because I recorded a few albums!

[AfterViewer]

When do my accomplishments count?
ANS: When you can rest on your laurels. RIP

[gramps]

to slap happy,

i cant speak to your comment about the op but, i've had other engineer/producers refer to me as a "great engineer/producer" (not my words); others have tried to steal people my and sabotage and business. my response after years of this crap was to finally quit. and the saddest part is that i knew some of the people for years before i got into the business. bottom line, i'm too old to want to deal with this shit anymore. have fun.

g

[AfterViewer]

Truth is: When you're hot you will be taken seriously in the entertainment industry. When you're not, it is even hard to take yourself seriously.

[Beat Poet]

Originally Posted by logicll

At what point will others in the industry take me serious?

I had an interesting conversation with somebody who owns a big studio. During the conversation I mentioned a few of my accomplishments not giving all the details or ringing my own bell but stating the truth..

Basically I was brushed off and he proceeded to name drop (some people I know). I fail to understand why I get treated like I just got into audio..? There is this cool club of people who seem to relate. I have done as much if not more than most, I just don't have a ton of industry people shouting my name or magazines interviewing ect..

With my resume I should be treated better....

The person on a higher rung (not matter how slight) will always make the lower person feel like a beginner, no matter how close together in quality their CVs are. Everyone's jockeying for position in music...well in life in general I guess!

[arrowood101]

Welcome to audio 2012. There is tons of guys out there with tons of talent, tons of awards that are having trouble finding work. Wouldn't take it personally. Also there will always be rude idiots in the world.

Also possibly your awards and achievements are not as big as you think. Find your niche and just keep swinging.

[brockorama]

If I don't have a grammy or even a Juno, I don't expect anyone to care about me. I, however, love me to death

[Purple]

I have credits with some big name acts, however my best work has been done with smaller indie artists. Name-dropping gets me credibility, but really it means nothing. Doesn't take that much talent to track vocals for a hit. Takes a lot of work to convert an indie band's idea into a record though.

[anthonythecat]

So, after you finish your name dropping and the guy who owns the big studio started his own name dropping were you impressed by how much of a big man he was or did you just think he was a bit of a knob?

[jimmydeluxe]

A verse from one of my favorite books, the Tao Te Ching:

"The Master does his job and then stops...
Because he believes in himself, he doesn't try to convince others.
Because he is content with himself, he doesn't need others' approval.
Because he accepts himself, the whole world accepts him."

and another:

"If you seek for others' approval, you will be their prisoner."

So, yeah...that. If you feel like you need others' approval and aren't getting it, maybe you could do things or look into other areas of your life to make you feel better about yourself over all?

On the subject of name-dropping, it usually backfires. If someone asks you, then answer. Otherwise, it can only go badly.

[logicll]

Yes, I don't advocate "name dropping", but I am talking about qualifying oneself as an equal professional. As mentioned it's not like you can say I have a Ph.D. Is it name dropping if you say "My last gig was working for"...

Just wondering how other seasoned pros handle such engagements? I find these things awkward.


* By accomplishments Grammy recognition, well known clients, constant professional results.

[cuckoo.old]

Originally Posted by brockorama

If I don't have a grammy or even a Juno, I don't expect anyone to care about me. I, however, love me to death

+1

[slaphappy]

Originally Posted by logicll

Yes, I don't advocate "name dropping", but I am talking about qualifying oneself as an equal professional. As mentioned it's not like you can say I have a Ph.D. Is it name dropping if you say "My last gig was working for"...

Just wondering how other seasoned pros handle such engagements? I find these things awkward.


* By accomplishments Grammy recognition, well known clients, constant professional results.

It just sounds like you were trying to impress someone, while they were trying to impress you. How do those kind of self-involved conversations end?

Seriously though- what have you actually done?

[DaveE]

People who talk about themselves too much are just annoying. It's much more impressive when I know what you've worked on before you've told me. It's even more impressive if you're just a cool dude and you've never worked on anything I'm familiar with. Be secure in yourself- then other people's perceptions won't bother you so much.

[Ward Pike]

Who cares? Only the most parochial of minds and the most inflated of egos in the mutual admiration society.

Some of my work has won awards in several countries. Who cares? I don't. All that matters is that I'm able to work now and there are singers, musicians, bands who want to work with me.

And I guess as long as I value the contributions of others and appreciate the fact that I'm able to work, that they don't consider my past my best-before date, then I thank them and God for allowing me the opportunity to work.

[arrowood101]

You can't throw a stone in LA without hitting an unemployed Grammy winning engineer.

[Swurveman]

When do your accomplishments count? When you stop looking outside yourself for validation. You should be more concerned about your behavior (hard work, learning, quality relationships etc.) and less about how your image of your self is regarded by others.

[logicll]

So I am suppose to have a conversation with somebody like a studio owner or a band and not tell them what I have done?

I see studio owners and bands clamoring to work with "name people" and discounting people who don't have name recognition. How do you have a healthy conversation getting the message across that you could benefit them and you are not just another hack.

I fail to understand how people manage to form unions.

[kennybro]

Originally Posted by logicll

So I am suppose to have a conversation with somebody like a studio owner or a band and not tell them what I have done?

Bottom line. You, telling someone that you are good carries no credibility. If they ask who have you worked with, then it's their dime, but you're unlikely to be asked, as serious referrals come from inside the business.

That's why people do internships. It get's you inside the business at a serious level. Do good, (and be younger than about 25, or really really damn good and humble about it) and the people you intern for will mention your name if an opportunity arises.

If you get the gig, then you're inside, and you can start dismissing people who's names you haven't heard. Might sound harsh, but trust me, you won't invite a newbie into your guarded world just because he drops a few names on you. If you hear it from someone you trust, you might. Trust is the name of the game. People telling you who they've worked with appear desperate to you. Desperate don't cut it.

[kafka]

Originally Posted by logicll

I see studio owners and bands clamoring to work with "name people" and discounting people who don't have name recognition. How do you have a healthy conversation getting the message across that you could benefit them and you are not just another hack.

Other people have to drop your name, not the other way around. Nobody reads a resume. It's just there to check the box that you have some documentable experience. Honestly, though, even outside the music world, it's very rare that I'll even look at a resume that wasn't passed to me by someone I know. I know a lot of people feel that way. These days, the cost of failure is too high to take a chance on unknowns.

[brockorama]

Yeah, kennybro makes a good point. The proof is in the pudding. If it was me I'd buy a bunch of $5 thumb drives and put my best 3 tracks to date on there, and give them out. You see, I do wedding video as well and I am always handing out cards to try to drive people to my website so they can see my videos, and judge my work and potentially become a client. Its also Facebook ads and Google adwords ads and adding myself to free wedding searches. I dislike that part the most, but I am determined to build a customer base. Its a lot of PR and I am still learning too about business. I am a musician so the tedious task of marketing myself is new to me and I am always trying to learn more. Cheers and keep your stick on the ice.

[logicll]

Wow things get complicated fast... I am so humble I am a ghost. Having the chops but no rep dosent put food in the table...Thanks for the replies..

[Sqye]

Originally Posted by arrowood101

you can't throw a stone in la without hitting an unemployed grammy winning engineer.

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^ ^ ^ ^
this.


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