General Tips for Jobseekers

In order to find your dream job, you first have to form a clear idea of what your dream job is. Take time to really think about the kind of work you want to be doing. Sometimes what you are most skilled at doing is not necessarily what brings you the most pleasure. That's okay, as long as you are honest about it. Any career choice involves some degree of compromise. Are you willing to sacrifice some income in order to achieve a more satisfying work life, or would you rather make the big bucks doing something that doesn't really bring you great joy? The important thing is to be 100% clear on what you are and aren't willing to do.

If you think you can just show up to a job site and the employer is going to throw dollar bills at you, you are seriously mistaken. Today's workplace is a highly competitive environment, and you need to be able to set yourself apart from fellow jobseekers. The first step is to do some background research on the company for which you'd like to work. Find out as much as you can about their business practices and learn who their competitors are. What are the current events that might affect your prospective employer? How might technological advances impact their business? These are the kinds of questions you should be asking yourself to get in the proper mindset.

Keep alert to the possibility of job scams. (See the scam alerts page for more information on this topic.) Be suspicious if a potential employer asks for highly personal information, like your bank account or credit card numbers. Also, make sure you fully understand and agree to any contract before you sign it. If necessary, have an attorney look at it. Another red flag: the website for the company that is indicated by the employer's email address does not exist or is “under construction.” If you do find yourself the victim of a job scam, you should report it to the legal authorities in your area. If you located this employer on our website, we request that you report the scam to us as well. Also, if you are in the U.S., you should contact the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) by going to their website or calling them at (877) 382-4357.

Instead of focusing on how badly you want a job, try to think like an employer. Imagine you needed to hire somebody to perform the type of job you are seeking and that the pressure was on you to make sure the job was done well. What kind of person would you be looking to hire? Consider the fact that the prospective employer probably has dozens of people asking for a job at any given time. What can you do that will make this employer feel that they absolutely must hire you? What need can you fill that no one else can do as well?

Sometimes it is worth taking a job for which you are overqualified because there is opportunity for advancement down the road. It is not just the job per se that you should consider when deciding where you want to work, nor is it merely the career options available at that particular place of employment. Make sure to take into account what kind of networking possibilities the job offers. For instance, you might decide to work for a company where you are doing primarily gruntwork and where there seems to be very few openings at any higher levels simply because the job will put you in contact with precisely the kind of people who can help you find a better job. When it comes to the world of work, the importance of whom you know cannot be overestimated.

Don't think that just because the company you're applying to is part of the adult industry that you can ignore standard jobseeking protocols. The adult industry is still a business, and the people running adult businesses are still professionals, just like those at any other company. Do the same things you would do if you were applying for a mainstream job — dress nicely for the interview, don't use slang or obscenities when speaking, be polite and courteous, and avoid talking about your sex life unless you are specifically requested to.

While not all jobs in the adult industry require the submission of a resume, some of them do (such as graphic designers, webmasters, and marketing professionals) and it can never hurt to show that you are serious about your career choice. If you decide to create a hard-copy resume, use letter size ivory, cream or neutral colored paper. To make your resume easy to read, use ample margins on the top and bottom and sides. Make sure your contact information is on every page, including your cover letter and reference list. Don't use first person (“I developed a new widget”, for example) in your resume, and don't go out of your way to substitute big words for little ones just to show off (for example, “utilize” instead of “use”). Try to make your resume reflect who you are and what you're all about, not some unrealistic and overblown fantasy of the perfect worker that nobody could live up to. Most employers have scanned through hundreds and hundreds of resumes, and they have pretty sophisticated b.s. detectors, so don't waste their time. Be confident that who you are is good enough, and it will show through. Don't forget to double-check your resume for typos and grammatical mistakes. Only include work experience that is similar to the jobs you're applying for; for example, if you were a pizza delivery person for a summer, but you're applying for a phone entertainer position, don't include the pizza delivery job on your resume. Don't ever falsify information on your resume.

While you don't need to prepare a written resume in order to post your profile on the SexyJobs.com Network, you should definitely take full advantage of your posting to make sure it stands out. Most of the fields are fairly straightforward, such as your age, height, weight, etc. However, the Comments/ Qualifications field is one area to which you should pay close attention. Make sure to include useful background information about yourself ; writing “I am hot,” “Hire me because I want to make some money,” or other uninformative remarks that say nothing about your qualifications for the job is not likely to attract much attention from employers. (See the resume guidelines & tips for more information on this subject.)

No matter how attractive you are, you need to have professional photographs if you are seeking modeling, acting, dancing, or other performing work. Even if you are looking for non-performing jobs within the adult entertainment industry, nothing will turn off prospective employers faster than posting grainy or poorly lit photos in your portfolio. The biggest mistake is to submit pictures taken with a webcam, since these are very low resolution and are usually too small to properly judge anyone's appearance. Another common mistake is to only submit nude photos or worse yet, close-ups of one's private parts. As a general rule, photos that leave something to the imagination are the most effective and compelling. You should always include at least one or two photos in your portfolio in which you are neatly dressed in an attractive outfit. For these reasons, it is well worth paying a photographer to create a nice portfolio of pictures. To choose the right photographer, get references and look at his/her previous work. Are the pictures good enough to be found in top magazines or on video box covers, or are they amateurish? Does the photographer seem to have a good sense of how lighting and background can be used to enhance the image? The better the photos in your portfolio, the more job offers you are likely to receive. (See the photo guidelines & tips for more information on this subject.)

Plan ahead—think carefully about the potential questions that might be asked; structure and organize your answers (preferably in writing) well before the interview, so you won't be caught off-guard. Ask a friend to help you roleplay and practice your planned responses. Be prepared to ask the interviewer questions and prove how interested you are in the company. Look your best for the interview –good grooming and proper business attire can make a big difference. Be sure to bring any certificates, awards, honors or recommendations you've received.

Always arrive early to an interview. Be courteous and friendly to receptionists and other personnel who may be guiding you through the interview process. Greet your interviewer with a handshake and a smile. Express yourself confidently and clearly, maintain eye contact, and remember to smile when it's appropriate. Never interrupt an interviewer. Focus on what you can do for the interviewer's company, not on what the company can offer you. Don't discuss your potential compensation until the very end of the interview.

Send the interviewer and anyone else you spoke with a handwritten thank-you note. If after the interview, you decide you really want the job, you might want to follow it up with a phone call that reiterates your interest in the company.