How can I list being a mucisian on a resume? (job not related to music)

I graduated a couple years ago with a degree in business. I have been self employed since 2010 as a "musician/graphic designer". That's how I'm listing it on my resume at least. Otherwise I have a gap between 2010-present.

I don't really know how I should fill that section in though. Right now all I have is:

"Manage band marketing, promotion, booking and branding"

Seems pretty thin for a 2 year period. The jobs I'll be applying for wouldn't necessarily be related to music, so I don't know how I should handle it.

Basically I've just been in a band. Playing originals and doing cover shows occasionally for extra money.

Originally Posted by: hunter1801I graduated a couple years ago with a degree in business. I have been self employed since 2010 as a "musician/graphic designer".[/quote]
Make sure to show a clear connection between those two. You have a business degree & you are, in essence, running your own business.

To that end, you should consider obtaining an official small business license. If you already have one, good for you. Use that on your applications: "Hunter1801 Company, small business, sole proprietor, since (date)". You can describe the work you do if necessary or desireable: "Manage band marketing, promotion, booking and branding" as well as, I assume, performing.

If you haven't already got a license, get one. You can still put it on your resume. If someone asks about the discrepancy between the company official start date & your time working it, you can honestly tell them that you started doing it, then at a certain point you made it successful enough to require making it official.

Prospective employers with a clue will know that doing anything yourself & earning money doing so, requires seriousness of purpose, ambition & discipline.
[QUOTE=hunter1801]The jobs I'll be applying for wouldn't necessarily be related to music, so I don't know how I should handle it.

I don't know what those jobs are, so I can't say exactly how, but you should find general skill sets & activities you do in your band biz that parallel the skill set required in the job for which you are applying.

Hope that helps. Best of success!

Well me degree is in Entrepreneurship and I list that time period as "self employed". Not sure if it's worth getting a small business license just to say I have it. In reality, I don't really make anything worth mentioning. I just wanted to put it there so I don't have a gap in time.

Originally Posted by: CSchlegel
I don't know what those jobs are, so I can't say exactly how, but you should find general skill sets & activities you do in your band biz that parallel the skill set required in the job for which you are applying.

Neither do I haha. I don't even know where I'm applying to yet. I just need to make a general resume. I'm just wondering what those "skill sets" would even be. Other than the ones I already mentioned.

Hi Hunter,

Getting a gig for a band is direct marketing. It is applicable to sales. You call the place (cold calling), and present your materials (graphics design, product design) and get the gig (close the sale). Plenty of people called the same venues and didn't get the gig, but you did.

Getting people to go to a show is event marketing. It is a subset of sales. You produce compelling artwork with a clear call to action and you distribute it to your target market.

Your resume should list everything you know about computers and software, and everything you know about managing projects (like the band), creating documents (especially excel), working with clients (like the club), making websites (list any that you have made) and working with coworkers (like the drummer).

It's not your fault none of this is lucrative :).



Jon

Thanks Jon, that's the kind of "wording" I was looking for in terms of how to describe what I do in a more presentable way.

indicate it in skills, it is important to indicate any detail, perhaps it is because of this that you will get a job