1 Easy-To-Correct Mistake That Makes You Look like an Amateur
If your mother ever told you, “you have one chance to make a good impression,” she understood Hollywood. Generally, the first time you come into contact with a decision-maker or future colleague is through an email or a social media site.
One guaranteed way to look like an amateur is to misspell the person’s name. I know it sounds ridiculous, but it happens all the time. I have a power player literary manager friend whose name is Geoff. When he gets an email or inquiry letter with his name spelled “Jeff” he just tosses it out and that aspiring writer misses an opportunity to get representation.
It seems like this would just be for absolute beginners, but surprisingly I’ve seen it with people who’ve been in the business for a while and should know better.
It’s worth it to take three minutes to get it right. Thank goodness for the Internet.
I'd love to hear your name stories. Leave a comment below or tweet me @CaroleKirsch
All my best, Carole (with an "e")
photo courtesy of colleenpatrick.com
About Carole
Director of WGA's Showrunner Training Program, creator & Director of the CBS Diversity Writers Mentoring Program, international speaker and a leading expert on entertainment career strategies, Carole Kirschner teaches creative professionals how to navigate the often mystifying landscape of show business. Her book, Hollywood Game Plan: How to Land a Job in Film, TV and Digital Entertainment is a primer on how to break in and move up in the entertainment industry. Through her popular workshops, Carole teaches writers, producers, directors and executives the real world strategies that will help them not just succeed, but thrive.