Knowing Your Worth as an Assistant: Expectations, Opportunities, and Negotiations (PT168)

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Alex and Nick take an honest and practical look at what you should be expecting and asking for as an assistant in a TV writers’ room or entertainment industry desk.

From our real personal stories and tips negotiating your rate/benefits, to finding value from your job even when things get dire, this is a jam-packed episode you don’t want to miss, all about knowing and fighting for your worth as an assistant in Hollywood.

What should you expect from a support staff position in terms of salary and benefits? What are common ways you might get screwed over? How do you ensure that you are being compensated fairly for your duties? What are ways of getting the most out of every professional opportunity? Why is negotiating a rate important and how should you approach it?

Content

1 – Preface (00:00:55)
2 – Expectations versus reality: what pay and benefits you should expect, and how you might get screwed over (00:02:28)
3 – Getting compensated for your job: salary and negotiations (00:30:41)
4 – Creating opportunities during and after your job: creativity, relationships, and paying it forward (00:53:03)
Takeaways, Resources, and Next Week On (01:19:44)

Links

TV Writing Incubators and the Evolution of Access (PT125)

Resources

#PayUpHollywood Town Hall (Video)

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Special thanks to Alex Switzky for helping us edit this episode.

You can find Paper Team on Twitter:
Alex – @TVCalling
Nick – @_njwatson
For any questions, comments or feedback, you can e-mail us: ask@paperteam.co