By Ila Couch in New York

When I first arrived in New York City it took me a while to adjust to the idea of talking up my skills to prospective employers.

After meeting with an Executive Producer who began rearranging her desk part way through my job interview I thought I should employ the help of an American friend to tell me where I was going wrong. Following a mock interview she concluded I needed practice telling people how good I was, something Americans excel at. By Ila Couch in New York

When I first arrived in New York City it took me a while to adjust to the idea of talking up my skills to prospective employers.

After meeting with an Executive Producer who began rearranging her desk part way through my job interview I thought I should employ the help of an American friend to tell me where I was going wrong. Following a mock interview she concluded I needed practice telling people how good I was, something Americans excel at.We also discovered I had a problem being too honest. The first time someone asked me how well I knew my way around New York I answered that if they wanted someone who knew the city like the back of their hand I wasn't the person for the job. Needless to say they agreed. I kicked myself for that one but at my next interview when asked if I could navigate and drive a six passenger van I said yes. I'd been driving since I was fifteen and figured now was not the time to second guess myself as to whether I could manage it in a city of 8 million.

When I got the call I had successfully landed my first job I bought two maps of Manhattan and took a copy of the call sheet home so I could study every location I had to drive to the following day. All this study ended up being pointless when I got in the van and met a grumpy camera guy who knew every short cut, which he delighted in barking at me from the back seat. To make matters worse the sound man was a practical joker who liked to sit up front with the window down periodically banging the side of the van door to make it sound like I'd hit a pedestrian.

For not ever having driven in New York I did a fine job and made it through the three month contract without a single accident. Well, that's not technically true. My last day on the job I was whacked in the face by a faulty door at our first location, a bar in the East Village called Coyote Ugly. At first I didn't think I had injured myself at all but a spot of blasphemy from the camera guy and a handful of blood indicated I was wrong. Two stitches and a tetanus shot later I had the beginnings of a nice black eye which I presented to my work mates at the bar later that evening. Five year later I can see the faint remnants of a scar below my left eyebrow.

Tomorrow I find out whether I got job the job I interviewed for today. I've had a bit of a break for the past few weeks, which has been great. I won't go on about it because I hear winter back home is particularly wet and miserable this year. I keep getting emails from people here or on their way over which is great so there should be some more interviews coming in the weeks ahead.

See more Biting the Big Apple blogs

If you are coming to the US to perform, exhibit or promote your creative endeavours please get in touch with her at bitingthebigapple@gmail.com

Use the comment box below