I started working as a fulltime casting executive at E! Entertainment and the Style Network over 5 years ago. Unfortunately my college communications classes didn't help me in Casting. Instead, I started at the bottom as a casting assistant, as did the other casting directors I know at either a network or casting agency.

You have to be willing to roll up your sleeves and work hard. You'll open thousands of submissions that include headshots, resumes and reels. And someone has to look at them all -- most likely it'll be you! I've sat in thousands of auditions and you have to make the 100th person (or sometimes the 1000th person) feel just as welcome as the first person who walks through your doors. I've traveled all across the country to find talent such as comedians, reporters and hosts. I'm sure it sounds fun but you have to see a lot of talent to find the rare gems. And I've heard my fair share of bad jokes too.

Your job is to pitch the show you're working on to the agents to try to get their best talent, and once you find a pool of talent you like, you then pitch them to the producers and network execs. Its almost like being a matchmaker - matching the right talent with the right shows.

The pay varies. I've had higher paying jobs but I worked in casting because I really enjoyed it. I have a real love for finding those gems because I know they're out there waiting to be discovered.

Maureen Browne - Casting Director / Media Coach