The arts can be a great vocation - even for those who aren’t artists, musicians or actors. Melissa Handley is a few weeks into a job as Ticketing Executive at the Auckland Theatre Company, and she loves it.

Melissa studied theatre in the UK, but decided that acting wasn’t for her. She still loved theatre so she looked for other ways to work in and around the theatre community.

She started her career working full-time in bars and restaurants while volunteering at local arts organisations. This helped her to build the experience she needed to get her first paid job at Octagon Theatre Bolton.

Melissa remained active in her volunteering, even when she secured paid work, doing things like community engagement, assisting in youth theatre and one-to-one support.

This volunteer work turned into paid work, which was followed by another paid job at a different theatre, working full-time in creative engagement. There she put together workshops and sessions for young people and people with learning disabilities. She also coordinated young companies and community companies.

The purpose of these workshops were to help participants use theatre for their own personal and social development. They also had a wider purpose: to make theatre more relevant to a wider, more diverse group of people. “Theatre shouldn’t just be for the wealthy and upper classes,” Melissa said. “Anyone can get a lot out of it and should be able to access it.”

Arriving in New Zealand in January, it wasn’t long before Melissa found The Big Idea and successfully applied for a casual ushering/front of house role listed here. Then she spotted the ticketing executive role with the Auckland Theatre Company. Her experience in both ticketing and the theatre community in general made her a natural fit for the role.

Now she’s a few weeks in to her job, and she’s very pleased with it. She spends every day at Auckland Theatre Company, providing customer service, ticketing and subscriptions services in a small front of house team.

When I asked her what she likes about the job, she told me that it was a “really exciting company, and a new theatre, and a really brilliant team. “You get a lot from working here.”

Melissa’s tips

Here are some tips from Melissa about getting jobs in the arts:

Volunteer!

The classic catch-22 is that it’s hard to get a job without experience, and it’s hard to get experience without a job. One way to short-circuit this process is to volunteer. This helps you build experience and get to know people who can help you get paid work. It’s also satisfying to contribute to a sector you’re passionate about.

Bear with the process

Some job application processes can take a while. If you’re finding this the case, just bear with it - after all, if you wait two weeks, and get a great job for a year or more, then those two weeks are worth it.

Don’t be scared to apply

If you see a job you’d like to do, go for it. The worst they can do is say no. If you apply for a job, you might get it…..if you don’t apply, you definitely won’t get it . So even if you think you may not be qualified, give it a go and get your application in nice and early. You may be surprised.

Roll with the punches

The reality of job hunting, especially in the arts, is that it is very competitive. There may be a lot of jobs you apply for that you don’t get an interview for, it’s just a matter of whether your skills and experience would be a good fit in the team. But when you do get an interview, be prepared and show them you are passionate and would be the best person for the job! Remind yourself that rejections will happen, but don’t let it get you down and move on to the next application.

What are your tips for getting a great job? Leave a comment down below.