Tips as in to get a job or tips as in to keep the job?
To get the job: if you are able to do so, take internships at agencies. Yes, they suck. Yes, the whole industry around internships sucks. But this can help you.
Apply for EVERYTHING in the industry. Work towards getting desk experience, even if it is as a receptionist or in the mailroom. Anything. It’s gonna be a grind, but it’s doable.
Now. To keep the job. This is where it gets rough.
1. Be kind to everyone. People remember those who are shitty to them. Doesn’t matter if they’re receptionists, interns, assistants, full agents, actors, anyone. Be kind to them.
2. Learn how to track calls. Some agencies will have a call tracking software, use it. Some don’t, and just expect you to remember who your boss owes calls to as if it is magic. Create a way for you to remember and keep track. (At my last job I literally had a notepad that was JUST FOR CALLS). (At the job before that we used inentertainment which was the bane of my existence).
3. Learn a coping mechanism that enables you to have thick skin. Now, not everyone has naturally thick skin (me!!!) but you need to learn to let things roll off of you at this job. I did it two ways: I imagined that they weren’t yelling at me but at the desk, and every time someone was unnecessarily bitchy to me I ate a single jellybean. That way I wasn’t focusing on the bitchiness, but on the jellybean.
4. Learn your actor list. Now, some agents want their assistants to do NOTHING related to their actors, just pass calls and schedule emails, but SOME agents need their assistants to do all submitting and calling, and if you’re gonna be submitting on breakdown and then calling to pitch, you need to know them. (plus, even if you don’t have to do those things, it still helps.)
5. Learn how to edit film. Now, this isn’t always needed, but it’s super helpful.
6. Learn the assistants around you. If you’re always calling a certain casting office, get to know their assistants, so instead of it being just “hi, calling for ___” you can have a conversation. It makes everything WAY more pleasant, and if they remember you as that person who CARES, then they are WAY more likely to bring in your actors if you ask nicely.