Posted by Dave on September 18, 2001 at 20:54:24:
In Reply to: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Marine auditions posted by lazarus on September 18, 2001 at 17:15:20:
I was a year out of high school quite a while ago. I was not a very good player at the time but when a spot came open in the "USMB" I decided to send a resume, as limited as it was, and see how it went. At that time, the "USMB" sent out a form when you requested a packet that you had to return to them before the audition. One piece of information they wanted on that form was your height/weight. Upon sending that form back, I recieved a call from the POC a week before the audition who informed me that unless I lost the 8 excess pounds I carried around in a week, I shouldn't even bother coming. I realize now that I didn't have the experience to be taking that audition. I realize now that I had no business in that field. But instead of telling me as much, the "USMB" basically told me I was too fat (without even inquiring about body composition). This was in '88 so those standards may have not even been present. I certainly would have rather heard that the typical winners were usually graduates of fine universities and conservatories and that I just didn't seem to be ready for the audition. Not that I was a bit too rotund.
Needless to say, that's not a great way to start an individual's experience in the audition circuit. In retrospect, the USMB probably did me a favor in telling me not to come, but their bedside manner lacked a lot to be desired.
Here's hoping the consideration you allude to is truly common practice these days.
Dave