Erin Dougherty, Associate Professor of Costume Design in the Catawba College Theatre Department, was chosen by Zippia.com to contribute job market advice to recent college graduates. Her contribution was chosen from more than 3,000 submissions on predicting the future of job markets.
Zippia is a site for companies who want to recruit top-level staff and job seekers who want to empower their career aspirations.
Speaking to theatre majors, Dougherty predicted trends, such as:
- More transparent job ads, with compensation listed to help candidates know more facts before expending time and energy in the search process.
- A collaborative spirit of artists helping artists, as experienced during the pandemic.
- A continuing demand for tech who have digital and editing skills.
- A need for actors who have presence for the camera, those who can play to the stage but still read genuine if the camera and editing crew choose to do close ups.
- A need for jack-of-all-trades, people who can fit into more than one roll, by both academic and professional companies.
She advises theatre graduates to be persistent. “As everyone is aware, this is a difficult time to be emerging into the industry,” she says. “Think outside the box and take opportunities when then come — commercials, advertisements, maybe window displays or things that don't necessarily scream theatre.”
