If you do stagehand work, I'd look into exhibit design for sure. A lot of companies do work for the big trade shows and conferences if you're near the area where those happen. They basically build sets in the exhibit hall and need the same kind of building and managing folks.

The applying is really the most soul crushing kind of grind, may you have good luck and endurance going through those job apps.

I feel your pain as a fellow former art student. I have a BFA and spent time trying to make part-time in retail and gallery jobs work. I got a solid no or crickets from every job that needed a portfolio submission.

I would try looking into any jobs that are even slightly related to art, even if the job itself isn't artistic. A lot of times, having experience with art and creative thinking can make your resume attractive. Apply to anything that even slightly catches your interest or at any company that does work you like.

Careers can take really weird paths if you're open to it. Opportunities are different everywhere, but I wanted to share my path because it's a hilarious mishmash to me.

I ended up getting my break in a job as an office admin for an exhibits design company that was working on site at a museum that was under construction. It was hands down the most unique job I've ever had, and i got to rock a hard hat and high vis daily. Inspecting heavy machinery was not something art school prepped me for.

From there, I jumped to media asset management (front end, not IT heavy) for an educational media company. They were interested because they saw a museum and project management on my resume, and I googled enough of the technical terms to pass the phone screen. I was memorable because I said I was looking forward to having a job with indoor plumbing during the in person interview.

My latest job picked me up because I had user training and digital asset management experience. I'm working somewhere that was on my bucket list of places to work, which I never thought would happen.

It can get better, it just might get really weird first.