It seems like good news.
Someone invites you to do a voice over job.
Pretty cool, right?
But there’s just one catch.
There’s no pay.
At first you hesitate. This wasn’t what you signed up for.
Then you think again and wonder “Hmmm”…
“Maybe it’s a good way to get experience and build my resume.”
But is it really?
There are times when free has it’ s place but other times when it’s definitely not the right thing to do and can actually harm your career.
In today’s voice over training video I explore this in depth. I think you’ll find it a real eye-opener!
Check it out below
After you watch the video I want to know your thoughts, whether you’re just starting out or you’ve at this awhile. Have you ever struggled with whether or not to do a job for free? If not, what else are you thinking about?
Let me know your thoughts in the comments box. I want to read about what’s on your mind so I can support you.
To your voice over success,
Susan Berkley,
Founder, The Great Voice Company
Thank you Susan for your expert advise. I really enjoy all your posts, blogs, etc.I have yet to make my demo tapes. I am probably overthinking everything, but it is very important for me to succeed that I feel I must learn EVERYTHING I can ( all the does and don’ts ) before I proceed. You have been extremely informative and I can’t wait to be able to leave you a message very soon saying ” I DID IT”!!!!
Thank you for an informative video. I found this to be true. After I “graduated” from a voice over training program I was asked to come in and do some “spec” work (unpaid). I actually did this twice, hoping I would be offered paying jobs in the future. Never happened so lesson learned. However, I do volunteer for our local PBS station, reading the newspaper live on radio a couple of times a month. It is extremely rewarding and great voice over practice!
Once again, great information! I too thought about doing some volunteer work to get some experience under my belt. Thanks Susan!
Couldn’t agree more. Whatever line of business you’re in as a S/Employed person. Value yourself or others won’t and worse it devalues the pricing for others
Currently taking a Voice over class here in Thousand Oaks,Ca. I have a Deep Baritone Bass voice & have read some scripts from the following:Need for Speed(Pete’s fiery crash & Tobey’s capture/interrogation),T.V.Clorox-Cat’s Gone:30secs.Colonial Williamsburg Radio:Romantic French Cafe…etc 🙂
Susan has excellent tips for those starting out in business or already in business. Charity great. I did a condensed show for the Edmonton Alberta Ballet Company to help them raise funds. I was already in Edmonton doing programs for the world’s largest mall and it was great publicity. I never work for FREE. My background doesn’t require me to work for free. I have one goal with clients. Make them more money than they expected by ‘Exceeding their Expectations! One company gave me a goal of $4.5 million in new sales. I did approximately $100 million. Always leave your clients wanting more. A major retail client I had wanted 6-7 live productions in greater Chicago. They had set their goals somewhat conservatively. I promised them greater responses than they thought possible. As they wrote in their Corporate newsletter. “Mr. Johnson’s promotions attracted 600,000 people and our sales Exceeded our Expectations”! It’s in writing in their newsletter. If possible I suggest everyone get reference letters from their clients. Those positive comments can NEVER be taken away from you. By the way folks, Susan, based on my professional observation, does and knows what her understudies and newbies need to know. She has excellent information and experience that she’s willing to pass on to all of US! I thank her!
Thank you for the plug for Learning Ally. I got my start in voiceover, through Learning Ally. I honed my skills that way, and it later led to my commercial work on audio books.
One of my Learning Ally users (at the time a sixteen-year-old student with dyslexia) is the daughter of the CEO for a book publisher. She asked her dad whether his company published audio books. He said, “No. I wouldn’t know how to find narrators, etc.” She replied, “You should listen to my Learning Ally audio book. The narrator makes math sound like fun.” That resulted in my commercial narration of audio books. Because I have a technical background, I have narrated everything from a documentary on air crashes, to graduate-level psychology books, to science fiction.
By the time I started the commercial work, I was a person with 700 hours voiceover with Learning Ally.