Every actor (and most non-actors) knows how difficult it can be to find good work. Add moving to a new city—New York in particular—on top of that? Even once you find your feet, it can take a while to get a paid gig, and you’ll probably want to eat (and pay rent, and maybe take a class) in the meantime.
What’s the solution? Your best bet is any artist’s oldest trade secret: get a (survival) job.
You know the staples: waiting tables, bartending, or working for a caterer short-term. The staples are staples for a reason, but if you’re starting from scratch, it can be helpful to consider your needs over your wants.
Here’s what to look for, generally ordered from most important to not quite necessary:
IncomeThis should go without saying, but it wouldn’t be a survival job if you weren’t doing it just to survive. That means you should be making at least enough money to live, whatever that means for you. Food and rent, minimum, but if you’re paying off student loans, you may not want to risk digging yourself in too deep by getting behind in payments. The same is true for health insurance, car payments, and other regular bills. And who doesn’t consider going to see a
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