# Being Overqualified In A Different Field



## Gerhard Westphalen (Jun 13, 2016)

I was recently speaking to someone about potentially doing a tech assisting job and he believed me to not be qualified to do it once he found out about the university programs I'm in. Just because I'm doing a classical composition degree here and a film scoring degree at Berklee online he assumed that I'm just a composer with a basic tech knowledge. In reality I stopped focusing on my purely musical education a number of years ago and now primarily focus on tech but just because I'm getting those degrees he thinks otherwise. It doesn't help that I'd like to do graduate programs are well in those sorts of areas. 

So what I'm wondering is, when I try to get tech assistant jobs in the future, which I will once out of university, is there a way to avoid this? Is there a simple way to show that it's not the other way around besides having an endless list of clients/credits (or an established reputation)? There isn't much that I can do in terms of a formal education in the tech stuff short of getting a computer science degree. I just don't want to be instantly flagged as a composer based on my formal education. Or is this something that doesn't happen often that I shouldn't worry about?


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## Daryl (Jun 14, 2016)

What does it say on your CV? Was it tailored specifically for this job? I've never discriminated just because someone has "composer" on their CV, but I've also made it clear that not only won't they get any writing work, but there is a non compete clause in the contract, so my contacts are my contacts, not theirs.

So, make sure that your CV spells out what you can do on the tech front. Don't be shy. As long as it's truthful, you're golden.


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## Gerhard Westphalen (Jun 14, 2016)

Daryl said:


> What does it say on your CV? Was it tailored specifically for this job? I've never discriminated just because someone has "composer" on their CV, but I've also made it clear that not only won't they get any writing work, but there is a non compete clause in the contract, so my contacts are my contacts, not theirs.
> 
> So, make sure that your CV spells out what you can do on the tech front. Don't be shy. As long as it's truthful, you're golden.



In this case there was no CV (and I've never had to submit a CV for any of the jobs I've done). He reached out to me after seeing some of my posts around the interweb. I just mentioned being in university when asked about if I have a day job or anything similar and that's . 

Do you have any tips on what I'd put down for this? Having an endless list of the different things I'm experienced doing in tech loses credibility and there's little to back it up aside from mentioning previous clients.


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## Daryl (Jun 14, 2016)

Feel free to post (or PM) a CV and I'll tell you what I think. Not saying I'm right, but as I've hired a few assistants over the years, at least I can give you my take on it.


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## AlexRuger (Jun 14, 2016)

That's silly. Once you get out of school, just do the best you can on the jobs you do and be vocal (but not overly vocal) about the direction you want to go in. Things'll work out.


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## bc3po (Jun 23, 2016)

Gerhard Westphalen said:


> I was recently speaking to someone about potentially doing a tech assisting job and he believed me to not be qualified to do it once he found out about the university programs I'm in. Just because I'm doing a classical composition degree here and a film scoring degree at Berklee online he assumed that I'm just a composer with a basic tech knowledge. In reality I stopped focusing on my purely musical education a number of years ago and now primarily focus on tech but just because I'm getting those degrees he thinks otherwise. It doesn't help that I'd like to do graduate programs are well in those sorts of areas.
> 
> So what I'm wondering is, when I try to get tech assistant jobs in the future, which I will once out of university, is there a way to avoid this? Is there a simple way to show that it's not the other way around besides having an endless list of clients/credits (or an established reputation)? There isn't much that I can do in terms of a formal education in the tech stuff short of getting a computer science degree. I just don't want to be instantly flagged as a composer based on my formal education. Or is this something that doesn't happen often that I shouldn't worry about?


Ehhhh. Every composer is different. Personally I think you're doing it right. Focus on your classical studies and teach yourself the tech stuff. When I started at RCP no one cared if I had any formal tech training.


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## Saxer (Jun 24, 2016)

Probably the composer was afraid to get someone in the house who "knows everything better". Some needs a hierarchy structure, others welcome qualified help in all areas. Maybe just a self-confidence problem. Maybe experience with assistents who can't subordinate.
My jobs change between (non technical)assistant, arranger, co-composer and composer. Over the years I saw a bunch of guys who started as assistant and co-composed and co-produced. More than the half of them tried at some point to take on the business for themselves. Never heard of any of this guys again but it's always a bad story for the main composer. So having a one-track specialist for the assistant job keeps out of harm's way.


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## dannthr (Jun 24, 2016)

Everyone has their blind spots.

I watched a big composer dismiss me (his demeanor changed and he said "oh, that's why you write so well") because I told him I majored in Creative Writing even though he had just finished telling me that you can't learn how to compose in school.

In my experience, your portfolio is the whole of your value to someone. You want a tech gig, show off your tech skills--make that part of your portfolio--show off complex templates in a video, show off your Kontakt programming skills, show off your Reaktor patches (or Max/MSP or Kyma if you're fancy).

But you can't expect to change people's predispositions. If they believe that traditionally trained composers can't do tech, then you have an uphill battle trying to prove them otherwise.


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## JohnG (Jun 24, 2016)

Use two different CVs.


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## AlexRuger (Jun 24, 2016)

dannthr said:


> I watched a big composer dismiss me (his demeanor changed and he said "oh, that's why you write so well") because I told him I majored in Creative Writing even though he had just finished telling me that you can't learn how to compose in school.



Wait...what? I legitimately don't understand the point here.

-Composer says you can't learn to compose in school.
-You tell him you didn't learn to compose in school.
-Composer responds by saying that you compose well, but...dismisses you? What?

This only makes sense if the composer was being sarcastic about you being a good composer. In which case, you're way better off not working for him because that's a seriously dick move.


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## dannthr (Jun 24, 2016)

Writing as in words--he seemed to decide that I was better suited to write about music than to compose it.


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## AlexRuger (Jun 24, 2016)

Oh wow. Ouch.


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## dannthr (Jun 24, 2016)

Either way, it doesn't matter who the person is--employer, client--don't rely on them to use their imagination, it probably won't work in your favor.

As an employer, I have learned the hard lesson to never use my imagination on what an employee might be like--same with hiring musicians. I just hired some musicians for a project and had a bunch of people chiming in for the paid gig, but the enthusiasm alone isn't enough--neither is the verbal assurance--if I can't hear that you can do it, I can't risk my client's money on the venture.

People want to hire sure things. If they don't believe that you can do what you say you can do then it's as good as you not being able to do that thing to them.

Creative work and contracts are a trust based relationship, there are lots of things that can validate someone's trust in you, but mostly its one of the following three: portfolio, credits, referral.

Every CV and every portfolio should be catered specifically for the job to which you're applying, anything less is doing yourself a discredit and your prospective client a disservice.


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## dgburns (Jun 24, 2016)

i think personality is the most important.Thing is,we work in tight quarters,and if I had a nickel for everytime a new intern was around,ultimately the line comes out "so what do you think of new guy?".....,which is asking "does he/she fit in here?"

I think that question is asking a few things at once,so things like competency,personality,eagerness,but no too eager,remembering things so we aren't repeating requests.background life experiences,intelligence and adaptibility.And yes tech skills,but those are specific skills and knowledge that in fact change all the time.

I've seen alot of interns and people I thought would work out did not.Some with great ears and experience,but lacked drive/initiative or personality.Some just moved on because being in a non creative role simply wasn't what they thought working in a studio was going to be like.

I watched a show on fighter pilots where the new guy to the squadron had to keep care of the popcorn making machine which was some kind of squadron maskot thing.the popcorn needed to be filled at all times.Failure to fulfill this task usually meant the new guy did not stick around.The thinking being that if he really cared for the well being of the group,he would be keeping that popcorn machine hopping as a sign of respect for the rest of the team.team before anything else.
For us it's the coffee mugs.we have a drawer where the dirty ones go.New guy(or gal) needs to keep the mugs clean.not only for us,but for talent and clients that come by.nothing worse then the coffee mugs not clean when client is looking for a coffee.If they pass that one test,they MIGHT be able to keep a client happy.that's the thinking anyway.


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## gsilbers (Jun 24, 2016)

see the tree and not the forest. 
you'll enconter different folks out there who each one thinks different about different things. 
composers spend a lot of time alone... so youll find some very opinionated/sour folks out there. 
as well as stable nice guys. 

you pass out your cv and info for what you want to do and how you want to do it. and see were it lands. 
as aformentioned, its a lot of lonley guys in their studio so its more of who you know and connections than the cv.


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