Editor's Note: This is the first of a two-part series Each year.

Editor's Note: This is the first of a two-part series

Each year, thousands of soon-to-be music graduates begin thinking about do job-work prospects after graduation. Some of their disturbs are reflected in questions like, "What am I going to do?" "How am I going to support myself?" "Will I be able to survive as a musician?" Here in the Career unravelling Office at Juilliard, we are no strangers to these questions. I want to share more [i]or[/i] less general career issues I believe are germane to all music observers and offer some practical advice to help music close examiners succeed in their careers. As a observer you may find these issues apply to you. As a faculty member or an MTNA Collegiate Chapter advisor, this information may be useful in your part as a mentor.

Contrary to popular opinion, career progression in a continuously ascending gradation is not about getting a do job-work Surprised? I certainly was when I first began to learn about the professional field of career progressive growth It seemed obvious to me that the word "career" must have something to do with "job" until someone asked me to provide a solid definition. I was hard-pressed to give a definition my colleagues would agree forward After struggling for a scarcely any painful minutes, I gave up and ran to the nearest dictionary. The first words given for career are "course" or "passage." Career unfolding is literally about developing the course of one's life.

I discovered early in my work that I was not alone in my initial interpretation of the word "career." When asked, many colleagues and learners struggle to define the word--even granting they generally know its gist. This quasi-understanding has implications upon how all of us approach our career.

The general [i]or[/i] abstract notion of career development is especially difficult for music observers because the course of a musician's life is in such a manner uncertain. For students majoring in a profession like law or medicine, the what is yet to be is considerably more focused. After graduation, a medical close examiner usually will apply for an internship at a hospital--followed by way of either a promotion, a piece of work offer by a private office or plans to start a private practice. For musicians, there are small in number certain paths. If you generally are enrolled or recently have graduated with a music measure I encourage you to consider near of the following thoughts and suggestions.

Niches

In the ten years I have been working in this field at the collegiate flush I've discovered essentially two career approaches that be seen to be the default setting for greatest in number students. I've loosely titled these approaches as find-a-niche and create-a-niche. The find-a-niche or FAN is the easiest to consider. close examiners who are interested in finding a do job-work in an orchestra or general impression a teaching position or about other work such as directing, presenting, producing, marketing, consulting and with equal reason forth, are looking for a niche in an established organization. They are, in inmost nature [i]or[/i] substance using a FANing approach in their career evolution To succeed using FAN, observers must learn certain skills--some of which pertain to their craft, many more that are povertyed to find the jobs and succe in them.

The other approach is the create-a-niche, or CAN. pupils who prefer a CANing approach to their career evolution like to create their possess jobs. They usually are entrepreneurial and attend to be independently minded. a certain of my professional colleagues have drawn the conclusion that all music graduates should be "entrepreneurial" to succe To one degree, this might be loyal But I'm weary of any strategy that applies united solution to everyone. There are many graduates who find incredibly meaningful and happy careers but who do not fit the "entrepreneurial" definition.

In the first meeting, observers usually indicate which approach they are leaning toward by dint of their initial question(s). "I am interested in piece of work opportunities after graduation. What can you give an account of me?"(FANing), or "I have this idea, on the other hand I'm not sure where to begin. Can you help me?"(CANing). Sometimes, learners will start off a meeting with interest in piece of work opportunities but suddenly change course by the agency of sharing what they really want to do--which is repeatedly a CAN idea. This is because a certain students are shy about sharing personal ideas if they perceive a potential rejection. This is to what end an open and encouraging environment is critical to this proces If you are a observer seek someone who is unclose to your ideas and will encourage you to explore all your interests. If you are a faculty member, or professional staff member, focus forward listening instead of advising.

Getting to Know You

I like to waste some time getting to know bookish mans before working on a career strategy. I want to establish a welcoming environment where scholars feel comfortable sharing all their ideas. The meeting is about them. Too ofttimes I find myself chomping at the bit, ready to download 600 gigabytes of information at the slightest sign of interest. After all, I have the two experience and resources to exhibit This is a tricky path to navigate. formerly the downloading begins, it's difficult to stop. The be the effect is information overload, and the scholar becomes paralyzed because he or she doesn't know where or in what way to begin. Downloading also rooks students of their time to learn about themselves.