It happens a lot. A man I know who is a creative director and writer by profession takes a screenplay or writing project with him to work on over lunch. His server inevitably asks, "So what are you working on?" which leads to the server explaining that he or she is studying to be a writer. Being the nice guy this man is, he hands them his card and offers to look at writing samples and set a time to meet for coffee to offer input. That's usually where the story ends.

"What is with these kids? Why don't they follow up?" he wants to know.

He's referring to young people in college or just graduating. "I know what it's like to try to get ahead and I try to help them out. And they continually drop the ball," he says.

Some eventually do respond--sort of. "It took one guy months to follow up. We met and he tells me how interested he is in my field and wants to work with me on a project. I told him what I'm looking for and asked him to send writing samples. He said he would and I've never heard back."

"When someone opens the door a crack, I'm beating it down with a sledgehammer," explains the man. "I'm opening the door a crack for these students and they don't even realize it, let alone have the gumption to do anything about it."

Another soon-to-be-graduate who's waiting tables but wants to write said she'd send him an e-mail to set a time to talk. A month later, he got an e-mail saying, "I've been busy." He suggested a few meeting times and didn't hear back for weeks again. "Sorry, I've been busy," wrote back the student.

How does this lack of response--or delayed response--look to someone with the power to hire you?

First, you don't have what it takes to cut it. "They don't have any concept of what busy is nor a clue about what it takes to succeed," explains another professional writer. "Once they get into the real world, the velocity of work and expectation of being a professional are light years beyond anything they've done in college."

Second, you lack the personal character you'll need to succeed. "People who are successful create and take advantage of opportunities," says a woman who hires in creative fields. "But these young people seem to lack ambition. They don't have the fire in the belly they need to succeed."

The first man also offered to read a student's screenplay, then received it over a month later. Her slow response demonstrated a lack of passion for her project, he says, and "If you don't have that, how are you going to go the long haul of seeing it made into a movie?"

Young people are not the only ones who don't take advantage of opportunities. "I have offered to talk to one man many times," explains another professional. "But instead I've gotten twelve e-mail messages saying, 'You've been LinkedIn' and asking me to fill out a form. What's that and why would I do that? Why not just follow up on my offer to sit down and talk?"

Has the ease of connecting electronically to many people at once blurred the value of talking to one person at a time? Does taking the initiative to connect with one person seem less fruitful? You're missing out if you think so.

The creative director and writer adds: "My dog has more initiative and persistence than these people. He picks up his squeaky toy, sticks it in my face and squeaks it until I play with him. He knows what it takes to get what you want."

© by Andrea Kay