Don’t quit your day job [life]

Day jobs, or survival jobs, are often essential for you to make enough money to continue pursuing your goals as an actor. But they can turn into a Catch 22: you have to work a lot in order to sustain your life in the city, but if you are always working then you don’t have time to audition and energy to invest yourself fully in your acting career. If that is the case, you might as well have gone to business school, and be getting paid a way higher salary for something you are not passionate about.

Classically, actors work as servers at restaurants. You may love it, you may hate it. Depending on how flexible your manager is, you might be able to take time off for rehearsals, shows or important auditions. Some actors complain that if they are on their feet for long shifts, they simply are too exhausted to make it to an audition the next day.

There are countless other things actors do to support themselves in the city: design websites, lead tour groups, teach yoga, personal training. You may find that freelance jobs where you make your own hours, or are able to work from home, are best suited to your lifestyle.

What is your day job? Is it a good match with the life of an NYC actor?