I was talking with some actors about the difference between the things that get you in the room and the things that get you the job (they’re not the same things, sometimes). Obviously, there are myriad things to consider, but I’m gonna focus on three this week: Relationships, Resumé, and Rightness.

Your relationships will always be the dominant factor in getting you into the room. Fact. When someone knows you, when someone knows your work, when someone has become a fan of the work that you do, you have a fast-pass into their office. That’s not a favor. That’s a thank-you for being consistent.

So, how do you start working on that today? Research your targets. Know your bullseye. Build your brand.

Your resumé can get you invited into the room before a relationship exists. Your rockstar credits will get you opportunities, but you’ll find that relationships lead to those bookings, which create that amazing resumé. See the cycle, here? Of course, your resumé becomes a letter of recommendation on behalf of everyone with whom you already have a relationship, which leads to invitations into rooms where you don’t yet have relationships. So, yay!

How do you start working on that today? Create your own content. Period. Every time I hear an actor lament the lack of credits, the lack of reel, the lack of full-on, within-your-control, brand-specific PROOF of your abilities, I say, “Fix it.” FIX IT! Just shoot something. You have no excuse these days for absence of material. If your world is the stage, mount your show. Creating credits is easier today than it’s ever been. Get at it!

Finally, your rightness is something that is totally out of your control. Of course, you can enter the room based on your relationships and/or your resumé (YAY, YOU!) and then just not be right for the role, and that’s not your problem. Sometimes you’re brought in but you don’t line up for the part, today. No big deal. If you do good work, if you stay on-brand, if you show the buyers, “Here’s what I make look effortless,” and then leave it all in the room, you’ve worked toward building your fanbase. Awesome.

So, what can you do to be right for the role?

Keep showing up. KEEP SHOWING UP. Eventually — by controlling the things that you can control — you’ll be rewarded for lining up with those things that you cannot control. Badass.

Bonnie Gillespie is living her dreams by helping others figure out how to live theirs. Wanna work with Bon? Start here. Thanks!

Originally published by Actors Access at http://more.showfax.com/columns/avoice/archives/001574.html. Please support the many wonderful resources provided by the Breakdown Services family. This posting is the author’s personal archive.