SMU Success Story: Toni Postell
Posted on: Aug 29, 2024
Toni Postell is originally from Los Angeles and has a background in dramatic arts. Now an entertainment industry professional, she landed a job she loves through hard work, experience, and tenacity. We had the opportunity to speak with Toni about her inspiring journey, where she shared how utilizing Staff Me Up significantly advanced her career in post-production. Her insights offer valuable guidance on finding success in this competitive field.
Getting Started in the Industry
Toni’s entertainment career began with an interest and college education in drama. She felt this helped to open doors for her, leading to her first job at Pilgrim Studios as an executive assistant for the post-production and legal departments. “From there, I was able to get a job I was looking for, finding my background was a match,” Toni recalls.
How Staff Me Up Helped Her Find Success
As Toni’s career progressed, she faced challenges familiar to many freelancers in entertainment: finding consistent work and standing out in a crowded job market.
“Staff Me Up really helped me to kind of organize my skill sets and being able to kind of morph it in a way where execs or people on the other side who do hire, it’ll be a little bit more easier to find me through key searches, keywords, and things like that,” Toni explains. Toni believed that organizing and optimizing her profile’s keywords were crucial for increasing her chances of being found by potential employers. It’s a piece of advice she stands by and gives to others today.
“Staff Me Up is kind of like my tool belt to find jobs for unscripted specifically,” she says.
She came across a job posting for an archival research analyst, a position that aligned perfectly with her skills and experience. What made this opportunity even more promising was that she had a prior relationship with the company. “I always kept in touch with the owner of the company. When I saw the job posting, I knew I had to apply and reach out. [After few interviews], I wound up getting the job. All because I saw it on Staff Me Up and applied.” Toni recounts. “I wouldn’t have known about it otherwise.”
“I was able to really utilize Staff Me Up throughout these past nine years of being a freelancer to keep being booked and busy,” she shares. “I recommend it to others and now use it to hire as well.”
Toni’s advice for those pursuing a career in entertainment: “Keep believing in yourself and never quit. Make sure you do your due diligence as a freelancer to up your skill sets so your resume correlates with your journey. Having up-to-date credits is vital for any application you submit, regardless if it’s for a big network or independent clientele. Always keep your profile up to date. So many people apply to jobs but don’t fill out their profile and wonder why they aren’t being interviewed. As soon as you get a new credit, put it on your profile. It helps.”
If you’re a freelancer looking to enhance your career prospects, Staff Me Up helps showcase your skills and connects you with potential employers, increasing your chances of landing your next big opportunity. Create or update your profile on Staff Me Up today and take the next step in your career journey.
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