Any advice on how to get a Producer position? (Associate Producer) (apply, tips)

[the_grimace]

I've been really trying to break into project management or producer roles over the last 3 years but have had absolutely no luck. I work as a design professional contractor now, but can't seem to break into these roles even though they suit my strengths and personality more than design does. My conventional skills are very strong, and my communication/organization/planning are some of my best skills. It's a role that I definitely see myself in more than design.

I've done tons of informational interviews over the last year, and literally everyone I talked to pretty much just fell into the position from lateral/promotional moves at a company they were previously at. Not one person told me they got hired as an AP from outside. It almost made me a bit bitter because so many of the folks were just like "I never even wanted to do production, it just happened to fall in my lap". It's been harder for me to make a lateral move as well since I usually am hired onto a project as a contractor, so my role is absolute from project start to end per the contract. I've applied to many open Associate Producer positions, but only got a callback once, and it was actually to tell me that the company thought I was better suited as a designer and urged me to apply for one of their design positions. *sigh...

Any tips for breaking into Associate Producer roles? I'm open to working anywhere, but would ideally prefer gaming, software dev, tech, or media industries (since it's what I'm most familiar with). I've been trying to make the switch for years now, but nothing seems to be panning out. I'm very familiar with AGILE project management, have my Scrum Master certification, am currently preparing for the PMI CAPM certification, networking like crazy, and even going back to school to finish my Bachelor's Degree, but nothing seems to be getting me closer to becoming a producer.

Any tips, tricks, advice from people working as Producers/PMs?

[Chicago87]

If you are a hot female, you can become a "adult actor" in California.

[gnomatic]

Originally Posted by the_grimace

Any tips for breaking into Associate Producer roles? ?

I work in software development, across a few industries over the years. I only encountered the "producer" term with traditional PC, console games, maybe some mobile games companies. The role you described tend to be call product or project manager.

The PM's I worked with have business/marketing and/or engineering related background & education.

I worked with two PM's (at a gaming company) that went from community managers-> marketing and user acquisition -> product/project manager within about two years. Their undergrad was in business and economics. They were both recruited by (and left for) other companies as PM's.

I don't think any of the PM's I worked with for the last 13 years had Agile/Scrum/PMI certification. I suspect the certification is more important with strictly regulated industries (i.e. banking software).

My brother is a PMP, which seems to be required for project managers his industry in his area (construction in NYC). He is a licensed architect, moved to the project management side after he got his PMP certification.

[Blondy]

I don't have a clue about any of these jobs. However, if what is holding you back is being a contractor, and everyone you know who has the job you want got it by being inside the company, why did you not accept the position offered and try to do the same thing later after you got there?

They told you you were better suited for design, but it may have just been that they had a better candidate for producer but still liked you hence why urging you to accept the design job.