Career Overlap Transition record Edition 1 · ESCO v1.2.1
Table 1Transition record

sound designertosound operator

A sound designer already meets 80% of what the sound operator role asks for. The move turns on 6 required skills not yet in the profile.

From sound designer
80%
Overlap1
To sound operator
52 Skills carried over
6 Required, not held
34.9 Difficulty2
Career overlap Very strong match

80%

Learning distance Real move, short list to learn

34.9/ 100

1 Share of the sound operator role’s weighted skill requirement already met by the sound designer profile. Required skills count in full, supplementary skills at 0.35. Directional: the figure for the reverse move differs. 2 Combines what is missing with how specialised it is, so a gap of general skills scores easier than the same number of narrow ones.

Why

Why this move works

A sound operator role treats 37 of its required skills as things a sound designer already does. These are the ones it depends on most.

  • adapt artistic plan to location
  • adapt to artists' creative demands
  • attend rehearsals
  • communicate during show
  • coordinate audio system programmes
  • draw up artistic production

What stands in the way is 6 required skills the profile does not yet cover. Table 3 groups them; Table 4 says which to take first.

Table 2

Table 2 · What you already bring

Of the 52 skills that carry over, these are the ones fewest other occupations ask for. A sound operator role needs them, and most people applying for one will not have them already. This is the part of a sound designer background worth leading with.

Skill the target role also needs Area
  • already held monitor mixing in a live situation working with machinery and specialised equipment
  • already held set up a multi-track recording working with machinery and specialised equipment
  • already held set up sound reinforcement system working with machinery and specialised equipment
  • already held mix multi-track recordings working with machinery and specialised equipment
  • already held mix sound in a live situation communication, collaboration and creativity
  • already held program sound cues working with machinery and specialised equipment

All 52 carried skills, including the 37 the sound operator role treats as required.

Table 3

Table 3 · What you would need to learn

The 19 missing skills fall into 6 areas of the ESCO skill hierarchy, numbered below in the order worth working in: the areas carrying the most required skills come first, and inside each one the required skills sit above the supplementary ones.

Skill to acquire Tier
01 communication, collaboration and creativity 4 required, 4 supplementary
  • required, not held consult with stakeholders on implementation of a production required
  • required, not held interpret artistic intentions required
  • required, not held intervene with actions on stage required
  • required, not held support a designer in the developing process required
  • optional, not held instruct on set up of equipment optional
  • optional, not held draw up instrument setup optional
  • optional, not held maintain system layout for a production optional
  • optional, not held advise client on technical possibilities optional
02 management skills 1 required, 1 supplementary
  • required, not held prepare personal work environment required
  • optional, not held manage teamwork optional
03 working with computers 1 required
  • required, not held edit recorded sound required
04 working with machinery and specialised equipment 5 supplementary
  • optional, not held assemble performance equipment optional
  • optional, not held maintain sound equipment optional
  • optional, not held prevent undesired changes to sound design optional
  • optional, not held support audio system installation optional
  • optional, not held de-rig electronic equipment optional
05 handling and moving 2 supplementary
  • optional, not held pack electronic equipment optional
  • optional, not held store performance equipment optional
06 constructing 1 supplementary
  • optional, not held prepare sound equipment on stage optional
Table 4

Table 4 · Where to start

The 3 entries a sound operator role is least likely to hire without. The ordering is computed from the skill data, not from what pays.

Each entry opens a course search for that skill. Career Overlap earns nothing from these links.

Appendix

Appendix · The rest of the record

All 52 skills that carry over
Skill Type
  • already held adapt artistic plan to location skill
  • already held adapt to artists' creative demands skill
  • already held attend rehearsals skill
  • already held communicate during show skill
  • already held coordinate audio system programmes skill
  • already held draw up artistic production skill
  • already held follow safety procedures when working at heights skill
  • already held keep up with trends skill
  • already held mix multi-track recordings skill
  • already held mix sound in a live situation skill
  • already held monitor mixing in a live situation skill
  • already held operate an audio mixing console skill
  • already held operate sound live skill
  • already held organise resources for artistic production skill
  • already held perform quality control of design during a run skill
  • already held perform soundchecks skill
  • already held plan audiovisual recording skill
  • already held prevent fire in a performance environment skill
  • already held program sound cues skill
  • already held record multi-track sound skill
  • already held record music skill
  • already held safeguard artistic quality of performance skill
  • already held set up a multi-track recording skill
  • already held set up basic recording skill
  • already held set up equipment in a timely manner skill
  • already held set up sound reinforcement system skill
  • already held translate artistic concepts to technical designs skill
  • already held understand artistic concepts skill
  • already held use audio reproduction software skill
  • already held use communication equipment skill
  • already held use personal protection equipment skill
  • already held use technical documentation skill
  • already held work ergonomically skill
  • already held work safely with chemicals skill
  • already held work safely with machines skill
  • already held work safely with mobile electrical systems under supervision skill
  • already held work with respect for own safety skill
  • already held adapt existing designs to changed circumstances skill
  • already held coach staff for running the performance skill
  • already held develop professional network skill
  • already held document your own practice skill
  • already held ensure safety of mobile electrical systems skill
  • already held keep personal administration skill
  • already held lead a team skill
  • already held manage personal professional development skill
  • already held monitor developments in technology used for design skill
  • already held provide technical documentation skill
  • already held read musical score skill
  • already held technically design a sound system skill
  • already held tune up wireless audio systems skill
  • already held update budget skill
  • already held update design results during rehearsals skill
13 supplementary skills, helpful but not required
Skill to acquire Tier
  • optional, not held instruct on set up of equipment optional
  • optional, not held assemble performance equipment optional
  • optional, not held draw up instrument setup optional
  • optional, not held maintain sound equipment optional
  • optional, not held maintain system layout for a production optional
  • optional, not held manage teamwork optional
  • optional, not held pack electronic equipment optional
  • optional, not held prepare sound equipment on stage optional
  • optional, not held prevent undesired changes to sound design optional
  • optional, not held store performance equipment optional
  • optional, not held support audio system installation optional
  • optional, not held advise client on technical possibilities optional
  • optional, not held de-rig electronic equipment optional
23 held skills the sound operator role does not ask for
Skill Type
  • not needed by the target role analyse a script skill
  • not needed by the target role analyse music score skill
  • not needed by the target role analyse the artistic concept based on stage actions skill
  • not needed by the target role analyse the need for technical resources skill
  • not needed by the target role analyse the scenography skill
  • not needed by the target role calculate design costs skill
  • not needed by the target role conduct costume research skill
  • not needed by the target role contextualise artistic work skill
  • not needed by the target role copyright legislation knowledge
  • not needed by the target role define artistic approach skill
  • not needed by the target role develop an artistic framework skill
  • not needed by the target role develop design concept skill
  • not needed by the target role develop design ideas cooperatively skill
  • not needed by the target role develop drama production process skill
  • not needed by the target role labour legislation knowledge
  • not needed by the target role meet deadlines skill
  • not needed by the target role monitor sociological trends skill
  • not needed by the target role present artistic design proposals skill
  • not needed by the target role propose improvements to artistic production skill
  • not needed by the target role prospect new customers skill
  • not needed by the target role research new ideas skill
  • not needed by the target role use specialised design software skill
  • not needed by the target role verify feasibility skill
Index

Other moves recorded from sound designer

Full index of moves from sound designer

Note

How this record was compiled

Both occupations are taken from ESCO, which lists the skills and knowledge each occupation is expected to have and marks every one required or optional. Nothing here is a prediction about hiring, and nothing here knows that a particular employer wants a particular certificate. Treat Table 3 as a starting point for your own research rather than a syllabus. The full method states what these figures can and cannot tell you.