Cheers erupt from the crowd, hats are thrown high in the air, and all the graduates walk out with the same thing on their minds: the hunt! Regardless of their profession, everyone wants in. Lawyers, painters, teachers, and jugglers must figure out what they can bring, what sets them apart, and will appeal to employers. People read, write, listen, learn, study, and struggle to become as skilled as they can be. Playground, school, and work: that’s how the life song goes. Or is it? Isn’t a lyric missing in there? “Playground, school, FINDING work.”

No matter how talented the individual is, job hunting is unavoidable. Since a majority of circus artists are freelancers, the hunt remains on most minds between a flip and a flash. There are long-term contracts, some go on performing the same act in the same show for years. However, spending equal amounts of time selling performances as preparing and offering them is a freelancer’s reality.  Securing employment is time-consuming, and booking enough shows to feel financially and emotionally stable can be overwhelming. Artistic administration hours are unpaid and necessary. To earn a living, artists regularly send emails, apply for work visas, fix costumes, and update their technical riders. Scrolling through websites, databases, and social media platforms provides artists an overview of the industry’s status and hints at where their talents and persona might fit in. To avoid being bombarded wi...