Wardrobe Supervisor 

(Female, Age 26) from Boise, ID

This is a REAL-LIFE job profile written by a Female aged 26 who works as a Wardrobe Supervisor in Boise, ID. We have removed all names and personal information in order to protect privacy. This professional kindly spent a bit of their time to complete one of our job profile surveys so that prospective job seekers like you could read their insights. Please excuse any punctuation or grammatical errors in this profile.

At a Glance

Current Job

Basic data on your current job

Job Title Wardrobe Supervisor
Salary $26,000
Other Compensation None Set
Hours/Week 45
Company Size (not answered)
Location Boise, ID
Years Experience 1 year

Career Ratings

Opinions on your CAREER overall (i.e. not just your current job)

Years in Career 0
Education (not answered)
Income Rating 0 / 10
Interest Rating 0 / 10
Work-Life Rating 0 / 10
Fulfilment Rating 0 / 10

Current job Q&A

Describe the type of organization you work for.
Trey McIntyre Project is a small (<50 employees) modern dance company (non-profit) in Boise, ID. The company has 9 dancers who tour over 1/2 the year around the nation performing. Describe your job role and responsibilities.
I run the costume shop and wardrobe for a modern dance company. I travel with the dancers half the year, doing laundry, repairs, and alterations on clothes. At home, I work in our costume shop headquarters to prepare new costumes for new shows, alter or repair old costumes, manage rentals to other companies, create paperwork for the run of the show, and order supplies for the dancers.

Please list an additional benefits (beyond compensation) that you receive.
health and dental insurance

Do you feel you are under/over or well/fairly compensated at your current position?
under compensated for the amount of work and stress

Does your job entail you working with others on a daily basis? Is this something you like/dislike about your job? Please explain.
Yes, I work with others collaborating on new ballets all the time. I like it, but there is no set schedule so people barge in and interrupt my work whenever they feel like it.

Do you work collaboratively with supervisors/managers?
Yes

Do you work collaboratively with your co-workers?
Yes

Describe your work location (e.g., office, home, theatre, in the field) and what you like/dislike about working in it.
The headquarters is in an old warehouse. We don’t have temperature control. This has been detrimental to my health, esp. this winter.

Please rate each of the following aspects of your current job on a scale of 1-10 (10 being the highest/best):
Income: 4
Benefits: 5
Hours: 6
Co-Workers: 2
Supervisors: 3
Job Title: 8
Level of Responsibility: 7
The Actual Work: 1

A day in the life of…

Please describe a typical workday for you in your current job:

5am to 6am
6am to 7am
7am to 8am Get up and ready for work. Commute 1 mile to office.
8am to 9am Arrive at work. Check emails, create a schedule for the day with fittings, errands, etc.
9am to 10am Staff meeting. Generally a bit of a time-waster as administration doesn’t pertain to my area (production).
10am to 11am Tour meeting to discuss upcoming tour dates/details.
11am to 12pm Begin costume repairs/alterations.
12pm to 1pm Continue repairs/alterations
1pm to 2pm Continue repairs/alterations
2pm to 3pm Possible costume fitting. 15-30 min. for lunch.
3pm to 4pm Communicate with costume designer about upcoming new show. Update/create paperwork for running the show.
4pm to 5pm Run errands: shipping costumes, buying new costumes, etc.
5pm to 6pm Continue running errands. Come back to HQ and check email again and reply to any new requests.
6pm to 7pm Go home. Enjoy free time.
7pm to 8pm
8pm to 9pm
9pm to 10pm
10pm to 11pm Check work email one last time before bed.
11pm to 12am

Table of Contents

How you got your job

How did you get your current job?
internet

What was the application process?
submitted resume online/email; interviewed 3 times

Did you have to interview for your current job? If yes, what did the interview process entail?
Yes; 3 different Skype interviews with various managers at the company.

If you can remember, what questions were you asked during the interview?
I don’t recall.

Do you feel your employer properly prepared you for your job? Explain.
NO! I was shown my work area the first day and told “go.” I wish expectations had been communicated clearly and protocol explained.

Was there training for your current position? If yes, what did it entail?
No.

Do you feel your educational background prepared you for your job? Explain.
Yes, I have all the artistic skills necessary for this job.

If applicable, do you feel your internship experience helped you prepare for your job?
n/a

If someone wanted to go about getting a job similar to yours, what would you recommend for him or her to do?
Scour backstagejobs.com and network as much as you can.

What skills do you think a person should have if they want to pursue a position like yours?
Advanced sewing skills, knowledge of performing arts and backstage experience. Good social skills, ability to keep calm under pressure, excellent organizational and budgeting skills.

Do you feel that you need a certain level of education or training to be successful in your job?
Either a few years experience or a college degree in costume design.

What advice would you give to someone who was about to start work in your position/ line of work?
Get ready to work hard for very little money. But the people you work with are passionate and inspiring.

Long-term career plans

Is your current employment part of your overall career plan? Why or why not?
Yes, although touring will wear on anyone after several years.

What are your current career goals?
Gain touring experience, start designing, eventually teach at university.

Is there anything else you would like to share about your career?
It’s tough, but I love what I do.

Prior work history

Please list your most recent jobs prior to this current job:

Title Length Salary Description
Prior Job 1 Graduate Assistant 2 years 4400 Full time student working 10+ hours/week in the costume shop.
Prior Job 2 Crafts artisan/Wardrobe 4 months 6000 Created costume crafts for shows and worked wardrobe run crew. Housing provided by company (not included in salary).

Educational background

Please list your educational background:

High School GPA:4

GPA School Degree
College (Undergraduate)
or Technical/Vocational
3.99 Ohio State University BA theatre
Graduate or Professional
(Masters or Doctorate)
3.95 University of Cincinnati MFA Costume Design