When was the last time you looked at your Lister profile? Full membership has its advantages, but if you’re not keeping your profile updated, you’re missing an opportunity, and maybe even missing out on gigs. Full members’ profiles are searchable and available to contractors and other members, as they seek to fill roles, solos, subs and more. Profiles for registered users (i.e. those with a login, but who aren’t currently full members) are accessed less often, but are often linked when you post. If it’s been a while (and for some of you, you haven’t looked at it since the day you joined), it’s probably time for an update.
As part of our summer “Updatepalooza”, take life by the horns and take a moment to update and complete your Lister profile now. Fill in all of the fields that apply to you — blank fields won’t show up on your profile page. This checklist will help:
- Name: This seems like a gimme, but make sure your profile name matches your other professional materials. This is your brand, and both your colleagues and potential employers need to be able to recognize and remember your name easily.
- Sorting tip >>> If you use “two last names” (i.e. your maiden name is now your middle) or a hyphenate, make sure the name people are likely to search with is in the Last Name field. They’ll be more likely to track you down when the time comes.
- Username: This shows up when you post some items, so it should be professional and be some reflection on you. This isn’t something you change yourself, but it can be changed: Contact us if your username needs an update.
- Email: This is crucial — make sure it’s an address you check often. This is not only the way other users will contact you, but the address on your profile is what we’ll use for administrative emails, renewal invoices, etc.
- Want to change your contact information for newsletters? That’s in a separate system: Click here and enter your email to manage your preferences, or use the links at the bottom of any of our newsletters.
- Avatar: This has nothing to do with big blue aliens, but is actually the headshot or “thumbnail” that appears with your profile. If you don’t add something here, our “
greennoter” default figure (right) will appear in that spot. Uploaded image files should be at least 75×75 (so we can see your face), smaller than 1MB, and appropriate for this professional environment. (This ain’t Facebook — don’t show us your cat!) They should also be fairly recent: many people use our site to jog their memories once they’ve met someone. If your photo no longer looks like you, it’s time for an update.
- This help article may offer more information if you’re having trouble uploading your file. Or, you can also send your photo to Lauri as an email attachment. (Members: check your email. You already have my address.)
- Uploaded files may be edited or resized for aesthetic purposes. We want you to look good!
- Password: You can update at any time, and regular updates are recommended. If you get stuck, use the ‘Forgot?’ links in the login panel, or Contact us — we can’t tell you what it is (because we can’t see it), but we can reset it for you.
- [Feel free to ignore the next five fields, shown as drop-down menus: they pertain to system functions, and should be left as is.]
- Rep for Organization: This should be filled in ONLY if you’re an actual, authorized representative of a relevant professional or performing organization. If you sing with a group, or if you’re a member of a union, we’re thrilled for you. (Honest!) But this is not where you should tell the world: it will confuse readers, and may anger those at the organization you list. Save it for your bio.
- Phone: These fields are flexible, and manually updated: they won’t automatically format your number for you. Use a format that’s easy to read (e.g. 213-555-7928) and feel free to mark each number, showing what it’s for, e.g. “213-555-7928 cell”. Your contacts will love you for it.
- Website: Be sure to use the full address, including the “http://” prefix.
- Don’t have a website yet? Get to it as soon as you can: a simple, good-looking website, even just one page, can say a lot about you and what you bring to the table. Services like About.me can provide something visual that works as a temporary fix, and you can always turn to a web-skilled Lister or another designer friend who can come up with a reasonable solution. We’ll write more on web options in a future issue…
- Mailing address: This is for internal use only, primarily for billing. We do not share this information with outside parties without your permission. City, State and Zip do appear as part of your profile, as geography counts in spread-out SoCal.
- Contact method preferred: Tell us what to try first.
- Voice/skill: The second field is optional — please do not set both for the same thing. It just messes with our filters, and does nothing for your chances of getting picked. (Besides, are you really so good that you’re like two sopranos in one? Really?)
- Blurb/bio: Tell us about yourself, and give us a reason to hire you! Avoiding hype, paint a picture about the real skills you’ve built, and the experience under your belt.
- Keep it short, keep it relevant, and keep in mind the type of work you’re trying to get — if you want a church job, a list of musical theater roles won’t help.
- Be honest — people do check references, and specificity counts.
- If your bio says “coming soon”, then “soon” has arrived. Don’t leave this blank for another minute — lack of info sends people to the “Back” button faster than anything.
- The next three sections do not appear on your profile: Eligibility & Approvals, Refer-a-Friend Info, and Additional Information.
- Please do tell us when your birthday is, but everything else at the end is provided for your information. If you feel that any of this administrative information needs to be updated, please Contact us.
- Looking for your subscription history? Click here.
Next step: Check or upgrade your visibility with our Add-on Lists.
Are you experienced and available as a 1) church ringer, 2) temple singer, 3) accompanist, or 4) Catholic cantor? The Church List and Temple List are available now, and can be added to your active subscription at any time: we’ll just prorate the additional fee between activation and your expiration date. Our new Accompanists List and Cantors List will be launched this summer, and we’re looking for a few good musicians to get those lists started. Each additional listing does require specialty eligibility, based on actual work experience, and is only $12 per list. (That’s a buck a month, folks.) You can even submit a separate picture, to highlight your expertise.
- To check an existing listing, go to the Lauri’s List website and log in. Look at the lists, divided by primary voice part, under “The Lists” menu in the brown navigation bar, under the logo. Contact us with changes, or submit a new form if your listing hasn’t been upgraded to the new format yet. (We’ve been trying to reach all of you!)
- Need to update us about your experience so we can upgrade your approvals? Click here to send us details, and we’ll get back to you asap.
- Need to submit a new listing, or to replace an old one? Submit one copy of this form for each list. (NOTE: You can list “also sings _____” in your description, but we allow only one listing per category, in order to keep bulk at bay and make the lists easier to use.)
ProBuilders
If you’re a teacher or coach who works with working professionals, we need you! Your full membership includes a listing in our public ProBuilders Directory, for those who are eligible. (Not everyone will be included — we need folks who are working with pro-level singers!)
- Existing ProBuilders: You can edit your profile anytime by logging in and clicking the pencil-and-paper icon by your name, at the top of your listing. Make sure these listings are up-to-date. You’ll be one of the first to be upgraded to the new premium listings, launching at the end of the summer!
- To tell us about what you’re doing for pros in the area, apply here.
- Do you have an amazing teacher or coach who should be part of this? Recommend someone here.
Questions? As always, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us. We’re here to help!
