If you work within the entertainment industry and have lost your job or had your hours reduced due to the COVID-19 outbreak, you may be looking for remote opportunities that allow you to pursue your passions from home. Depending on your professional skills, interests, and background, a few possibilities could include voice acting, animating, or virtual performing and entertaining. For some tips on finding suitable work-from-home jobs during the coronavirus pandemic, read on!

Use Job Boards to Puruse Freelance Oppotunities

• A wide range of creative work.You'll likely find a variety of jobs that call for creative expertise, such as voice talent, art/illustration, and photography. This is a perfect way to stretch your job search preferences and try your hand at something new, while still exercising your creative skills.
• Clients in need of sales and marketing freelancers. When looking for jobs, you can think outside the box and see if your skills apply to other job categories, such as sales and marketing.
• Writing and editing. If you love to write or have a knack for spotting errors in content, you can look for writing and editing jobs in the entertainment industry.

 Depending on which freelance job board you use, keep in mind that you may need to complete a freelancer profile before you can start bidding on available projects. When building your freelancer profile, you’ll want to display an attention-grabbing headline, some of the best work from your professional portfolio, and a summary of your skills, qualifications, education, and related experience.

Look for Auditions and Open Casting Calls

In addition to utilizing freelance job boards, you can find other remote opportunities within the entertainment industry if you search online for musicians, singers, open auditions and casting calls. Many filmmakers and talent agents are conducting virtual auditions and rehearsals amid the pandemic, so you’ll want to make sure that you’re comfortable working in front of your webcam and smartphone camera before getting started.

Once you’re comfortable with being on camera virtually, it’s time to look for openings. If you’re a musician, actor, model or dancer, you can look online for open auditions and casting calls or through your local newspaper, especially if small businesses are looking for ways to promote themselves during the pandemic.

Moreover, you can use social media to search for acting groups in your area — as these pages regularly post open casting calls and auditions. Plus, you can use these groups to meet and communicate with other entertainment workers near you.

Stay Social While Working From Home

When you’re not used to working from home, remote work can feel lonely and isolating — especially in the age of the coronavirus. To fight loneliness and isolation while working from home, it’s important to socialize over your lunch breaks by calling a loved one or sharing a meal with another household member. Adopting a pet is another great way to combat feelings of loneliness, or you could join an online community that connects you to other workers within the entertainment industry.

The entertainment industry is competitive, but these resources will help you to find what you’re looking for during and after the pandemic. If you don’t find the right opportunity when you first begin searching, it’s best to use this time at home to improve your skills, take a class or two, update your resume, and do everything you can to put yourself ahead of the competition.

Written by Lisa Walker of neighborhoodsprout.org