Following Up on a Social Contact

Ravenna writes:

Recently my friend had a party and I started talking to her upstairs neighbor, who is a script supervisor on a great show. We got on really well and I am pretty sure she said they were “always looking for good people” to work on her show.

Now, since I have zero experience I’m assuming we were talking PA job. I should probably mention that I was drunk, not so drunk that I can’t remember what happened, but drunk enough that I can’t remember the details of her offer.

I remember going to bed that night and being genuinely excited. But now, more than a week later, I’m second guessing my drunken memory. Was she just being nice? Does she have any power to get me hired on the show? Should I send her my resume? If so, to her home (since it was a casual encounter) or should I be more professional and send it to her at work?

Well, the script supervisor is a department of one.  She almost certainly was not actually offering you a job.  But, she probably knows people who can offer you a job, and can get you in touch with them.

But don’t get your hopes up– people don’t always really know what’s going on in other departments.  It may appear to her that there’s a high turnover in the art department, but maybe all those new faces are interns.  Maybe the production office is cutting back from three PAs to two, so the one guy who was fired isn’t going to be replaced.  Stuff like that.

That being said, by all means, contact her.  Do not just send her your resume.  If she gave you her card, call her or email her.  Barring that, ask your friend to knock on her neighbor’s door on your behalf (assuming she knows her neighbor well enough).

In any case, send her a quick note or have a quick chat, amounting to, “Hey, we met at Friend’s party last week.  You said Awesome Show might be looking for good people.  Could I give you my resume?”

One last bit of advice (which is really too late to give to you, but I’m writing it here for my other readers): while three hours is too soon, a week is a little slow for a follow up.  She was probably just as drunk as you, and may not recall the conversation with quite your zeal (after all, no one offered her a job).

It’s not too late, yet, but I wouldn’t wait any longer.