The Walk-On Role

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The Walk-On Role

Actors know the "walk-on" as a minor role in a production. Well-known veteran actors take these roles as a wink to the audience (and usually a favor to the directors). New actors take these roles to build their credits and eek out a meager paycheck.

Sometimes, however, the actor does such a good job that s/he's hired on for a larger role in the same production.

Job hunters can find these short-term roles in non-acting industries. They're known by several names (depending on the industry and pay rate): paid intern, temp, consultant, etc. These walk-ons can be found any number of ways. Here are a few:

"To be or not to be." Yes, that is, indeed the question. Shakespeare’s Hamlet posed this in his famous soliloquy, but it should also be posed by job hunters. At some point during the interview process, the hunter will get a pretty good idea whether s/he’s going to get the gig or not. The hiring manager may give indications they’re going with somebody else, or the job hunter might decide signing on full-time would not be a good idea. In this case, the hunter should pitch assisting the company satisfy a need – at least in the short term.

“I wish I could quit you.” If you’ve seen Brokeback Mountain, then you recognize the quote. Many utter words to that effect when they find another job but keep working part-time or per diem for the “old” job for several months - or even years after “quitting.” For some reason, they just can’t quit the “old” job, whether its for added income or just a “security blanket.” It’s usually just a matter of pitching the idea to management during the exit interview.

"Mrs. Robinson, I think you're trying to seduce me!" Most recognize Dustin Hoffman’s famous line from The Graduate. The older, married woman wanted to use Hoffman’s Benjamin for her own purposes. He agreed, though it was obvious their “liaison” could only be short-term. Likewise, if a job hunter comes across an employer who seems too good to be true, s/he has to decide whether to sign on (knowing it will be short-term) or to say no. As the characters proved, sometimes brief relationships (professional or otherwise) work toward a mutual benefit.

IN THE CARAVAN: Walk-on roles can add to your professional credits - short-term paychecks – if the idea is pitched during interviews.

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