Photoshop is doing me dirty.
I’m so used to working with other various media editing apps that converting to The Big One™ has humbled me severely. Nevertheless, it’s a powerful tool I intend to have on my belt.
So what’s new:
In substitution for mood boards (which is a tedious and unforgiving process, no shade to Pinterest), I’ve decided to make recaps! In essence, these will serve as mini blog posts and allow me to reflect on my monthly accomplishments, so I have a very tangible way of tracking my personal and professional growth. I also just miss blogging a lot, and it’s good practice.
In substitution for mood boards (which is a tedious and unforgiving process, no shade to Pinterest), I’ve decided to make recaps! In essence, these will serve as mini blog posts and allow me to reflect on my monthly accomplishments, so I have a very tangible way of tracking my personal and professional growth. I also just miss blogging a lot, and it’s good practice.
When prompted for my portfolio/website, it always feels weird to link this site.
Is it actually a portfolio? Is it a blog? Is it a pet project? The answer is all of the above.
Let’s get into the recap though.
Following the conclusion of my last talent management internship, I’ve been thinking a lot about the direction I want my career to take. I’ve always been so into diversity and inclusion on-screen, that I’d almost forgotten its magnificent importance behind the scenes.
Talent Managers/Coordinators -> Find and manage the talent that has the spotlight on them. Contracts, brand deals, public relations, social media presence. The whole nine yards, practically always on-call.
Talent Management Interns/Assistants -> Help with scouting via providing a fresh perspective on what’s new and in demand, effectively having a say (regardless of how small) on what faces gain representation in the media and entertainment space. That and administrative assistance – which, by the way, is actually kind of fun. Say what you will about The Devil Wears Prada, I would’ve been Miranda Priestly’s assistant in a heartbeat.
I really enjoyed working in talent. Like, really. Since then, I’ve been heavily considering pursuing the talent route and exploring all that it has to offer. The ability to scout female, BIPOC, and LGBTQ+ talent was something that felt so fulfilling, I felt like I was making a difference.
In the same breath, I really enjoy social media. With TikTok having become such a massive platform and talent being scouted and signed to some of the biggest agencies on the west coast, I could see myself working within in the intersection of social media and talent. I’m sure writing would find itself somewhere in there too, if not on the sidelines as a hobby, just because I’m so passionate about it as well.
This brings up my biggest point of this recap: January was a friendly reminder that the days of choosing a singular career path and being committed to it for, well, the rest of our lives, is becoming outdated. That being said, when I find myself editing my resume or applying to jobs, I hesitate to provide myself with a label.
Hi, I’m Elena Hernandez. I’m a….uh…well…damn, what am I?
I’m a writer. Editor. Script analyst. A former (fingers crossed, future) talent assistant. A social media coordinator, as they call it. An 80’s fanatic. Devotee to Starbuck’s iced matcha lattes – with coconut milk.
I’m comfortable with claiming all these titles, and where they’ll lead me. Now to just fit them in my LinkedIn headline…
*Graphic inspired by @issyellelaricchia, photos via Pinterest