Dear AD, I just got my first studio job doing storyboards. I'm almost in shock about it b/c I've been trying for 5 years to break out of freelance into a stable job. The trouble is, I'm paranoid that they'll change their mind about me. I've known a few really talented people who got hired and were told a few months later "it's not a good fit." I'm ready to work really hard and "yes sir, yes ma'am" try my best to do what they want, but what if it's still not enough?
First off, congrats! Getting your first big job takes a lot of work and time!
So, on to freaking out once you’ve got it: All you can do is your best. Best work, best communication, best attitude. If it’s not a right fit after that, it’s not a right fit, and there’s not much you can do about it.Â
Remember “right fit” is only half about your work. It’s not about just being a “yes man” but about being a person that the rest of the office wants to work with. It’s about asking the right questions, being eager (but not needy and desperate), being dependable, trying to make things easier on people around you while you learn instead of harder. Be polite. Take regular showers. The standard person stuff.
But also don’t be so freaked out by success (”Fear of success” is a real thing) that you self-sabotage. Just calm down, do you best, and let things develop naturally.Â
—Agent KillFee
