1. It Helps to Have Some Friends
I attended Central Michigan University and was the news director for our campus radio station. Some of my classmates ended up getting jobs at local radio stations, and since they knew my work as a newscaster, they asked their station manager if I could audition for them. I didn’t have a demo reel or much experience, so it was the help of my classmates that got me my first audition.
Make these contacts early on. Anyone you meet along the way could potentially help get you a job.
2. Take on a Variety of Jobs
From then on I began to take voice-over work much more seriously, and that just involved doing a lot more work. I got started doing radio voice-overs and commercials. I would do voice-overs for Magic 101 FM in Michigan and commercials and promos for their sister station, WKQZ 93 FM. I also did voice work for pieces that I was editing, local documentaries, and commercial campaigns.
It wasn’t until I came out here to San Francisco and was in a larger media market that I saw more opportunities. I did many phone prompts. That’s what I did for Victoria’s, the Hartford, Internal American Airlines. There are very unusual and interesting voice-over jobs. One of the most important jobs I’ve had was as the voice of Mancini’s Sleep World for California, which got me a lot of attention.
Some different paths:
- Characters (Video games/ animation)
- Commercials
- Telephony
- Data Recording
- TV/ Radio Work
- Museum Audio Guide
- Documentaries
3. Part-time or Full-time
It is usually a side job, especially to start with. Some talent manage to do it full time. I think it’s a mistake to quit your day job when you’re first starting. You need to try it out for a while, and then you see if you can make it into a full time career.
You need to build a good network of producers, which takes a while. The best job is a continuing job, so try to establish an ongoing relationship with a company. If you’ve done enough work you’ve got a great demo, then go for it.
4. The Competition
It is competitive, but not impossible. Voice talent is needed for so many applications! If you sound professional, show a good range of voice work, then you should be able to find a job. One of the things I try to help students with is finding what sector their voice fits into. Once you find your niche, you can land continuing jobs. The best job is a continuing job. It’s when a company hires you and you establish a strong, ongoing relationship.
Some final tips:
