Experts Weigh In On Current Job Market Trends
November 15, 2020
Given the change of course that has happened in the world, we wanted to provide expert opinions on what aspiring graduates can do to start off their careers in an uncertain economic climate. We wanted to know what skills will be more important, where the economy is doing relatively well, and if there will be any lasting effects on the job market.
Companies are looking for candidates that can handle the new responsibilities of the job market. Recent graduates actually have an advantage because they are comfortable using newer technologies and have been communicating virtually their whole lives. They can take what they've learned and apply it immediately.
We spoke to professors and experts from several universities and companies to get their opinions on where the job market for recent graduates is heading, as well as how young graduates entering the industry can be adequately prepared. Here are their thoughts.
Our Panel of Experts
Capital University
Eckerd College on Florida's Gulf Coast
Southern Connecticut State University
Missouri State University
Willamette University
University of Redlands
Aurora University
Southern Methodist University
Drake University
Texas State University
Elon University
Seattle Pacific University
Ohio Wesleyan University
In your opinion, what are the biggest trends we'll see in the job market given the pandemic?
Dan Heaton Ph.D.: This is a difficult question to answer, since our industry's only previous experience with a pandemic-related shutdown was in 1918. Theatre historian Jonas Barish, famous for his work detailing all the attempts throughout history to stamp out theatre, tells us that those people/groups who have an anti-theatrical prejudice often use public health concerns as a reason to stop doing theatre.
Theatre's redeeming quality has always been its status as an art form humans turn to for entertainment, comfort, insight, and critique. The most significant trend in the next year or so will be theatre companies adapting to public health and safety restrictions and protocols. Suppose theatre companies are allowed to resume face-to-face performances. In that case, I could envision companies needing new positions such as a public health and safety manager (which could be mandated by unions) and/or a public health liaison who coordinates health concerns with members of a production team.
Suppose live, face-to-face productions cannot viably be mounted within safety restrictions. In that case, more companies will create virtual theatre performances, either recorded and streamed or streamed live or performed via a web service such as Zoom. Many theatre companies have already begun creating shows online that incorporate sets, lighting, costumes, sound, music, and choreography, with varying casts. The great thing about theatre artists is that they are creative problem solvers.
What technology do you think will become more important and prevalent in the field in the next 3-5 years?
Dan Heaton Ph.D.: Depending on the pandemic's duration, theatre companies may have to invest in more health and sanitation services for theatre spaces. Inexpensive sterilizing systems and air quality controls could help make theatre spaces safer for performers and patrons. Any technology that makes it easier to incorporate blocking for actors and design elements for productions will be met with enthusiastic applause for online performances. And the technology that allows for more immediate feedback from audiences during a performance would go a long way towards making online arrangements less distant--we need to find a way to reconnect as humans during a performance.
Will there be an increase or decrease in demand for graduates in this field in the next 5 years?
Dan Heaton Ph.D.: Regardless of the continuation of the pandemic, graduates in the field of theatre will be needed. If people have to remain at home during isolation or quarantine, theatre artists will need to create work accessible to people remotely. As this article from American Theatre points out, churches, schools, and theatres are necessary for humans to feel connected, become educated, and hope. Theatre
What type of skills will young graduates need when they enter the workforce in the coming years?
Jessica Thonen: Whether in the theatre realm or not, it is critically important that students develop soft skills related to interpersonal communication and critical thinking. More and more, employers are relying on their staff to be self-starters that can motivate themselves through completing challenges by always thinking through to the next step without waiting for someone to tell them what to do explicitly. Students who are familiar with working outside of their comfort zones (often outside of their focused area of study) are familiar with creating workstreams that allow them to participate in these types of self-motivated work arenas, and makes them employable even beyond their field of study-a good trick to have mastered if you want to be eligible for a wider variety of jobs and open up your options when the job market has limited opportunities.
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for graduates to find work opportunities in this field after they graduate?
Jessica Thonen: Many recent theatre graduates will charge forth, towards the large cities well-known for supporting theatres like New York, Chicago, and Los Angeles. Still, there is a lot of benefit to thinking less about the location and more about the opportunity. For my recent theatre graduates who are serious about working in professional theatre, I encourage them to audition and apply for tours and cruise lines. Cruise ships and tours offer recent graduates an opportunity to sharpen their skills as they perform multiple times a week. Still, the real perks lay in the tour/cruise ship-life: the cost of living is meager as their contract covers housing and food, so students can build an adequate nest egg while seeing the country or even the world.
That being said, graduates who don't end up on tour or with an entertaining contract on a cruise ship can find opportunities in every direction. Our recent theatre graduates manipulate the skills they learned in theatre to excellent careers in event planning, office management, and public relations. When your field of study includes collaborative, creative problem solving, such as theatre does, the sky is the limit.
How do you envision technology impacting this field in the next 5 years?
Jessica Thonen: In the past, technology in theatre has lived within the realm of lighting and sound systems and new techniques in the design and technology realms, but with the advent of virtual theatre, all of that is changing. While many theatres are patiently waiting for the return to in-person, live theatre and all of the magic that offers the performers and audience, we learn a new value exists in virtual theatre. Virtual theatre is more inclusive and can reach farther than the proximity of physical theatre space. Many schools and professional theatres see added value in this arena, and I don't see virtual theatre disappearing entirely.
Already, theatre professionals are racing to become more adept at the technologies required for all the different virtual performances available. We are all learning more and better ways to reach our audiences digitally, out of the pandemic's necessities. This is where technology will continue to grow and expand in theatre, both in producing virtual theatre and in the world of digital marketing. Additionally, more and more auditions that would typically be held in person are necessarily transitioning to a virtual format. While there are disadvantages to this virtual audition process, it certainly saves a lot of money for everyone involved, in addition to a high convenience factor.
Michael Skinner
Chairperson, Associate Professor of Theatre, Advisor to The Crescent PlayersSouthern Connecticut State University
Department of Theatre
WebsiteWhat type of skills will young graduates need when they enter the workforce in the coming years?
Michael Skinner: Much of the same skills as always, with some flexibility and a new focus on technology. Acting skills need to be transferable and malleable, to perform both on the live stage and to a camera's viewpoint for a virtual performance. Scenic design skills will be required to work in the physical sense and the virtual graphic design realm. Sound, lighting, and costume design will need the same flexibility.
All the skills needed always point to the storytelling, so the skills remain the same, but the applications become variable, depending on the medium of performance.
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for graduates to find work opportunities in this field after they graduate?
Michael Skinner: Well, pre-pandemic, yes. Thousands of Theatres across the country had continually hired recent graduates. With the industry on hiatus, many current employees and recent graduates have shifted to virtual performances or even ventured into the V and film realm. Again, all the same, storytelling skills, different medium. With the current hiatus, the one field that is still hiring and desperately needs young members of our industry to step up is Arts Administration. As the theatre world rebuilds itself in the eyes of equitable opportunities and social justice improvements, it is the Arts Administrators that are spearheading this change and are hiring the recent graduates to have a voice in the decisions affecting tomorrow.
How do you envision technology impacting this field in the next 5 years?
Michael Skinner: It is funny that some students are pushing back on the virtual theatre element because they want to go back to the way it was. I do not feel we shall ever return fully to the norm that once was.
When the industry returns with a bang, I believe that virtual performance will now hold a permanent place within our field, bridging the gap between the theatre and film industry. As history has proven in our world for some time, we steal the technology provided for other entities and modify it to our needs.
As we currently are dismantling the logarithms within Zoom, and TEAMS and other platforms to meet our audio and video needs, I feel that there will be a new technology industry for performance platforms that branches off from the corporate meeting tech companies. The merging of the gaming industry, the theatre industry, and the TV industry will merge into faster, more comfortable, and better tech platforms that our current students need to be trained in (and probably help in the development of) before they graduate so that their value is of high demand to keep our stories told.
Kyle Thomas Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Theatre, Coordinator of the BA/BS Theatre ProgramMissouri State University
Department of Theatre and Dance
WebsiteWhat are the best companies to work for?
Kyle Thomas Ph.D.: Graduates with a degree in theatre are highly desirable in companies that seek to reach audiences through performance and storytelling. Students of theatre have developed skill sets that correspond with consumer engagement, shape behavioral responses, and navigate unfamiliar systems through gamified training. For example, the upcoming generation of consumers and users are motivated more by their ability to participate in brand identity than by celebrity alignment with a brand.
Companies need theatre graduates for their ability to craft a story for a brand or product-not just an identity-and then develop practical and powerful ways to place the consumer/user directly into that story so that they feel a part of it. For those reasons, theatre graduates should consider looking into companies that have a vibrant media presence and outreach, seek to form relationships with consumers and users for the sake of affecting change, place a premium on collaboration as the means to success, and value creativity-even when it doesn't always translate to numbers-as the way to stay relevant and engaged with their audiences.
Will there be an increase or decrease in demand for graduates in this field in the next 5 years?
Kyle Thomas Ph.D.: I think we've been seeing demand for theatre students slowly trend upward for some time. The key is teaching theatre graduates how to translate artistic creativity into a language of business. While companies may not call for applicants to precisely hold a theatre degree, most job descriptions seek the qualifications and skil lsets of a theatre student in the positions they advertise. Working in high-stress environments under a deadline with a strict budget on a task that requires innovative approaches is precisely what every theatre student has done when they work on a production. There is no reason to think that jobs seeking those qualifications will be on the decline any time soon.
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for graduates to find work opportunities in this field after they graduate?
Kyle Thomas Ph.D.: Urban areas still tend to have the most diverse options for students of theatre. But I see that trend changing already. The recent emphasis that many companies have placed on work-from-home setups will undoubtedly continue shortly and, perhaps, change the nature of how and where we work permanently. Notably, many theatre graduates have been taught to navigate platforms like Zoom (not to mention social media) as a digital space-where creative forms of engagement make for enjoyable work environments and practices that imbue entire teams with the tools for success. So, while a big city might seem desirable for a recent theatre graduate, the days of remote-work are just beginning.
Rachel Steck Ph.D.
Faculty Associate Dean for Faculty Development, Professor of Theatre and Women's & Gender StudiesWillamette University
Theatre Department
WebsiteWhat type of skills will young graduates need when they enter the workforce in the coming years?
Rachel Steck Ph.D.: Young graduates who have breadth in the performing arts will be more successful. They need to be strong communicators and collaborators. They need to understand how to work within a timeline and specified resources. They need to be rigorous and creative thinkers. They need to understand the entire process, while working within their specific areas. They need to find a way to say yes, while advocating for healthy/safe working environments and relationships.
Theatre artists also have their skills (acting, directing, designing, technical, administrative, education, etc.), and they also need to understand how to be producers. The pandemic and economic downturn mean that programming will be smaller and tighter. We will have to take on multiple roles and wear multiple hats for each artistic endeavor. We also need to be active advocates for the importance of arts in our communities.
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for graduates to find work opportunities in this field after they graduate?
Rachel Steck Ph.D.: Typically, I could share some wonderful artistic communities across the country. The pandemic has shifted all of this. Right now, I would encourage graduates to think broadly and creatively. Find the communities of artists that are doing the type of work you want to do. I believe the pandemic exposes where smaller cities have thriving and creative opportunities, especially for emerging artists.
How do you envision technology impacting this field in the next 5 years?
Rachel Steck Ph.D.: I do believe the pandemic will have enduring impacts on the arts. Everything is going to change. It already has. Broadway will have been shut down for more than a year. Regional theatres work has moved to online and, in many cases, focusing on new work. I hope that there will be some positive changes, including but not limited to, more diverse and equitable opportunities for all artists. We have a chance to reset the environment. I hope we can build artistic communities that support the whole artist and prioritize the amazingly diverse artists in our country.
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for graduates to find work opportunities in this field after they graduate?
Trevor Norton: The vast majority of work in the entertainment industry still centers around Los Angeles and New York, but there are opportunities all over the country and world. Chicago, Seattle, Minneapolis, and many other American cities have vibrant theatre scenes. Internationally, India and Korea are rising film meccas. Rather than "break-in" to Hollywood, there are also other cities with many film production. For example, Netflix has a 28-acre production facility in New Mexico, and film production work is growing in Atlanta.
Stacy Joyce
Associate Professor of TheatreAurora University
Theatre Department
What experience really stands out on resumes?
Stacy Joyce: For Theatre, as actors or technicians or designers or administrators, any professional experience while in college stands out. Students working in summer stock over the summers or doing an internship at a local professional theatre show that they will understand the industry's professional expectations.
If a graduate needs to take a gap year, what skills would you recommend they try to enhance and how should they go about doing it?
Stacy Joyce: In many ways, it would depend on their area of interest. But across the board, it would help to learn about the Theatre and or film/television industry in a broader sense. How do these separate worlds function? And I would also advise graduates to begin to develop their network. Some ways to possibly do this include volunteering or interning for a professional theatre, entertainment union, talent agency, casting agency, or production company. Another option is, perhaps, looking for a part-time entry-level position in the industry, not necessarily in the area you wish to pursue, but that still gives you insight into the inner workings of the drive you want to enter.
What technology do you think will become more important and prevalent in the field in the next 3-5 years?
Stacy Joyce: I understand that, for actors, more and more of the initial audition process moves to self-tape submissions, so actors will need to be comfortable with creating a polished self-taped bid. I also understand that a lot of voiceovers, both auditions and even some actual voiceover production, have moved to actor's home studio set-ups, so understanding how to record and mix audio will be useful if that is of interest. I think, across the board; people will need to know how to use editing software.
Blake Hackler
Associate Professor and Head of ActingSouthern Methodist University
Theatre Department
WebsiteWhat experience really stands out on resumes?
Blake Hackler: As you know, right now, the performing arts industry is in a period of total shutdown. There are few to no jobs available, and even the most seasoned professionals are concerned about the industry's future. The question of what "stands out " on a resume is only relevant when someone is hiring. However, the answer remains the same: solid training, evidence of a progression in both the quality and visibility of a performer's job history and more than ever, evidence of an ability to move between several fields (i.e., television/theatre/commercial/film)
If a graduate needs to take a gap year, what skills would you recommend they try to enhance and how should they go about doing it?
Blake Hackler: During a gap year, graduates would do well to focus on two areas: Building skills in their chosen field and building usable skills in an alternate "survival" field.
- Jobs in the TV and Film industry are already starting to return. Graduates in acting should focus on skills they might not be as practiced in; on-camera classes, voice-over training, commercial audition technique, etc. The pandemic has forced a kind of instant accessibility, and training opportunities with top professionals in every area of the performing arts are available from the comfort of one's own home. Of course, not everyone can afford classes right now. In this case, performers could use this time to focus on creating their materials. If you own an iPhone, you can make a movie. I don't know how to, but I know most of my students could figure it out with minimal effort!
- The pandemic has forever released performers of the idea that cultivating survival skills is an artistic cop-out. Instead, artists must be highly trained in their chosen field and be skilled in other workforce areas.
- Performing artists are keenly aware of the lasting effect Zoom, and other online platforms will have on the performing arts. Interest in and mastery of these technologies and the possibilities available on and through these platforms will be a necessity moving forward.
What type of skills will young graduates need when they enter the workforce in the coming years?
John Graham: The ability to audition remotely. With many large "cattle call" auditions such as UPTA and SETC going virtual this year, it forces theatre companies to cast from afar. I can imagine that many theatre companies will begin to re-think their casting protocols and see the "Zoom-Audition" as a cost-effective way to recruit, attract, and gain talent. We're witnessing it in the University recruitment process already with "Accepted" and other online recruitment tools.
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for graduates to find work opportunities in this field after they graduate?
John Graham: Many newly graduated Theatre majors think that NYC is the place to go to start their acting career, but that's a bit like judging the Indy 500 is the place to start your racing career. Many newly minted BFA Actors are unaware of the broad array of performance opportunities for them in every region of the country. "Go where there's public funding for the arts" is a maxim I stick by. Unfortunately, these days most "Theatre towns" (e.g., NYC, Chicago, L.A., Atlanta, etc...) are overrun with out of work performing arts professionals. So: where to go right now to get hired? Don't move an inch. As we've seen these past months, most performing art jobs are remote, so get your shit together by cleaning up your online presence and then jump when offered a job. These are strange and remote times, so immediate location matters little. Except: "Go where the public funding for the arts is!" So, move to Europe if you want to have a decent life in the arts because it isn't supported here in the states.
What type of skills will young graduates need when they enter the workforce in the coming years?
Kaysie Brown: Creative problem-solving and critical thinking skills are imperative. They also need to be self-driven, proactive, and good collaborators. Dancers develop all of these skills in our program.
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for graduates to find work opportunities in this field after they graduate?
Kaysie Brown: During these times, the exciting thing is that the world has opened up to our graduates through virtual auditions and job interviews. We have a current graduate who auditioned with the Dayton Contemporary Dance Company remotely and made it into the 2nd company! The audition process began with a video, and when he made it to the last cut of 24 applicants, they auditioned via zoom. Additionally, every year our graduates find teaching jobs throughout Texas and beyond, which has been no different this year. Another current graduate got a job teaching dance at a high school in Florida.
How do you envision technology impacting this field in the next 5 years?
Kaysie Brown: I see technology mainly affecting our area. Video or Screendance has been evolving beautifully throughout the years. Since COVID 19, many more screen dances are being created and performed. A new type of knowledge of how to produce virtual productions is developing due to these challenging times. Still, when this all passes, I believe the ability to share presentations virtually will continue due to the possibility of reaching a broader audience. Additionally, our students are having to develop skills for learning online. The dance pedagogy students learn how to teach online, giving them a leg up on their predecessors. Once again, the potential global reach has been an exciting new aspect that we've encountered using technology. We've had students Zoom in to take a class from our student teachers from Oregon to Trinidad!
Julio Matos
Associate Professor of Performing Arts and Music Theatre DirectorElon University
Department of Music
WebsiteIn your opinion, what are the biggest trends we'll see in the job market given the pandemic?
Julio Matos: In terms of trends or shifts, the venues that have transitioned to an online format have recovered in ways that the regular theatre season has not. Television, film, web series, and online content are slowly returning; therefore, shifting to filmed/video work has been key to surviving as an industry.
What technology do you think will become more important and prevalent in the field in the next 3-5 years?
Julio Matos: Self-producing has been on the rise for years. The training and technology required to produce high-quality, self-tapes and submissions, content, and film editing are necessary for training programs to integrate into their curriculum, if they are to remain relevant.
Will there be an increase or decrease in demand for graduates in this field in the next 5 years?
Julio Matos: As the industry shifts, so will the methods by which artists are trained. The multihyphenate artist-entrepreneur will continue to thrive, given the need for arts to reflect society and the artist as a mirror of one's strengths and frailties.
What type of skills will young graduates need when they enter the workforce in the coming years?
Candace Vance: Theatre Artists need to have a reliable technique and practiced expertise to enter the workforce successfully. There is more competition than ever! Also, Theatre Artists are required to think out of the box, work creatively, and manage diverse communication styles and platforms.
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for graduates to find work opportunities in this field after they graduate?
Candace Vance: There is professional Theatre in every major city in the USA, and now more than ever, theatre is happening across cities with the use of virtual platforms!
How do you envision technology impacting this field in the next 5 years?
Candace Vance: Theatre Design is always evolving and artistically incorporating new technologies. Because of the COVID health/safety precautions, the rest of the Theatre world uses technology more and more for production meetings, taped auditions, even rehearsals, and performances in some cases. As we (hopefully) move out of the COVID crisis, I imagine some of these new technological practices will stick. I think we will likely find benefit in some of them and fold them into our more typical working ways.
Rashana Smith
Instructor of Theatreand DanceOhio Wesleyan University
Department of Theatre and Dance
WebsiteWhat type of skills will young graduates need when they enter the workforce in the coming years?
Rashana Smith: Those graduating with degrees in dance will need to be as versatile as ever. Indoor theaters are mostly closed during the pandemic. Choreographers and directors shift their focus outside and to video to keep doing work and finding new ways to present movement material to people in different situations. The dance surfaces themselves are challenging norms. Instead of a sprung floor covered with Marley vinyl flooring, dancers may be dancing barefoot in the sand, swimming in the water, dancing in trees, or rolling on concrete - all potentially in front of a safely distanced small audience or through the lens of a camera. Site-specific and digital performances are not new concepts, but we are leaning on them heavily now.
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for graduates to find work opportunities in this field after they graduate?
Rashana Smith: New York has been the epicenter for professional dance performances. However, anywhere can be an excellent place to create and present outdoor work for the masses, or even small performances for neighborhoods craving live performances and artistic expression. Other aspects dance degrees address that can send graduates to anywhere worldwide - such as social justice, art advocacy, business/studio entrepreneurship, dance therapy, health and fitness positions, etc. These positions can take place virtually; dance studio owners find ways to hold classes online, for example.
How do you envision technology impacting this field in the next 5 years?
Rashana Smith: Technology has already impacted the field of dance in significant ways. Zoom classes and Instagram Live has provided more accessibility for dancers with a wide range of interests, experience, and skill levels. As venues start to solidify new ways of presenting work, more video and camera work includes VR and AR (virtual and augmented reality) material to develop a deeper connection with dance for audiences.
