ABOUT ME
Having held almost every job in the entertainment industry, Pamela Kleibrink Thompson is uniquely qualified as a career coach. Her monthly column "The Career Coach" is on Animation World Network. She is an internationally known speaker and has presented at conferences such as fmx and SIGGRAPH from Germany to Boston to San Diego to Singapore. She has written and produced training films for AT&T and IBM, and her articles on careers, business, management, and other topics have appeared in over 150 publications.
Her recruiting clients include Walt Disney Feature Animation, LAIKA, Lucas Learning, The Embassy VFX, Technicolor, Lucas Animation, Twentieth Century Fox, Macromedia, World of Tomorrow, Toybox, Framestore, and Digital Domain. She was officially recognized as a top recruiter by Animation Magazine.
In 1998, Thompson created, organized and moderated LA/SIGGRAPH'S Career Boot Camp, the world-famous seminar to prepare artists for careers in computer animation. With over 40 executive panelists from top studios and over 800 attendees, the program was a tremendous success. Thompson co-produced the event in 1999.
Thompson has worked in television and feature films as well as commercials and video games. Her production credits include The Simpsons, Steven Spielberg’s Family Dog episode of Amazing Stories directed by Brad Bird and Paramount’s animated feature Bebe's Kids directed by Bruce W. Smith. Thompson is a founding member of Women in Animation, an active member of the Visual Effects Society, the High Country chapter of the International Coaching Federation, Toastmasters4Writers, LA SIGGRAPH, ASIFA and SCBWI.
TESTIMONIALS
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"Pamela has been very instrumental in assisting my son (who is Autistic) in developing his skills as a VFX artist and providing him with tools/resources to set his expectations as to what a “day in the life” of a VFX artist might look like (career/real world scenarios). She collaborates with his advisor(s) in the VFX vocational program that he is in as well. She consistently takes the initiative to go above and beyond all that is asked. She shows genuine concern and commitment to his success. She spends time with him for at least one hour per week virtually, and then follows up with events, projects, and opportunities that he can explore remotely and in person. Her resume and years of experience speaks for itself. She’s clear that not one-size-fits-all when it comes to coaching and is keen on being receptive and responsive to my son’s feedback about anything and everything pertaining to VFX. What a client will get from Pamela is plenty of substance and engagement. It’s not “out of sight, out of mind” when a session is over. You can tell she enjoys what she does by how she interacts and corresponds even when not officially in a coaching session. I’m certain I’m just one of many who sings her praises. Feel free to contact me with any questions or for additional comments."
Sincerely, Aminah Abdul-Hakim
December 15, 2023
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"Pamela was the shot in the arm I needed for direction, insight, and questions for working in animation. An amiable and easygoing person that can help lead you in the right direction and create a roadmap for your success. I'm so happy I can work with her and learn from her experiences in the industry."
— Nate Fakes Creative Copywriter, Editor and Cartoonist
Red Bull Advertising, 21st Century Fox, MAD Magazine, WPMU DEV, King Features
April 11, 2023
Nate was Pamela’s client
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"Working with Pamela changed the trajectory of my career. I didn’t have the confidence or knowledge to properly “sell myself” as an artist. My weekly meetings with Pamela helped me gain that knowledge as well as gain the confidence to reach out to prospective employers/clients and pitch myself and my skills for employment!"
— Aaron Kohn
Visual Development Artist and Illustrator
April 23, 2022
Aaron was Pamela’s client
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"Pamela provided insight and perspective to my career in a time of change and upheaval in my life, and I will forever be grateful. She is calm and collected - with many years of experience and contacts in VFX and Animation. She also asks the right questions to help guide you in your own process. I highly recommend Pamela for coaching and career services in our industry."
— Aditi Kapoor
Shading Artist | Production Engineer
March 24, 2022
Aditi was Pamela’s client
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"Pam brought such a positive perspective to my career. She is a wonderful coach and will do her best to guide you down whatever path you end up choosing. So thankful I decided to contact her. Thanks again Pam!"
— William Atkin
Lighting TD
February 13, 2021
William was Pamela’s client
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"To initiate the coaching process, Pamela sent me a long questionnaire to fill out. I had never before seen anything like this questionnaire. As I started answering--and it took quite a while, spurring much editing, then scrapping and rewriting--I noticed that my career thinking was already starting to be framed in entirely new ways. I was being prompted to face down exactly why I had chosen the career I had, and be open to possibly different future choices that, in the wording of the questionnaire, might "make my heart sing." That would turn out to be only the beginning of an incredible, fresh self-exploration that continued beyond our several sessions and will certainly continue on into the future. Pamela's concise insights into today's work environment and the current hiring situation in digital entertainment flow from her many years working inside the industry, then also from more recent years as a recruiter, consultant and industry author/commentator. She is familiar with the varied kinds of challenges I face, first from her own direct experience, and also from the many industry clients she has helped over the years. And after just a little conversation, and reviewing the questionnaire, of course, I came to feel that she knew me...in some ways better than I could know myself. I highly recommend her as a career coach."
— Ron Herbst
CG Supervisor/Certified Unreal 4 Generalist/Lighting Lead with 25+ years experience in CG/VFX.
January 4, 2021
Ron was Pamela’s client
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"I hired Pam to give me feedback on my resume and cover letters. In a short amount of time she provided excellent feedback on revising my resume and showed me how to rewrite my cover letter, resulting in a job offer in under two weeks."
— Annette Krause
OAG/State General Counsel & Fair Hearings Division
August 12, 2019
Annette was Pamela’s client
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"The first time I met Pamela four years ago she pointed me to someone who helped me take my career to the next level. We've stayed connected since, and she always listens intently and offers excellent, action-oriented advice. I recently hired Pamela to help me better understand an aspect of the entertainment industry and help me use that knowledge to develop a strategy to better serve my clients. She delivered! And, in her gracious style, challenged me to "step into my magnificence" and take the action that was scary but that would yield the highest and most immediate results. I'm delighted to have Pamela as a 'literary wingman.'"
— Cristen Iris
ghostwriter | book collaborator | developmental editor | book proposals | script consultant | film treatments
March 22, 2019
Cristen was Pamela’s client
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"It is without hesitation that I would recommend Pamela Thompson to my peers and anyone looking for a competitive edge in whatever their creative field is! After being laid off in the Visual Effects industry and struggling to understand the hiring process, the art of the interview, and sustaining my confidence I knew I needed help. At first I thought it was chance that I stumbled upon an article written by Pamela, which was about following up with Recruiters, ironically. After reading the article I looked up the author and knew I had to work with her. I felt it in my gut! It was fate that led me to her! And it was one of the best decisions I have ever made. In only a short period of time working with Pamela she has helped me immensely! From building my confidence to push further and aim higher in my pursuits, to being able to walk into an interview with confidence and ownership, to making me realize not to settle for less and find my value and worth, feeding me encouragement with the tools and traits that I bring to the table. Along with that she has helped me with crafting my resume and cover letter, given me insight to the recruiting process, and is always available for advice and insight in the process of job-hunting, which she offers with generosity and grace! I always look forward to our sessions as she is very personable and warm, professional, and smiles throughout. She is the light that I have been looking for in a dark period. Pamela is someone that I plan on working with not just to get hired back in VFX, but to climb beyond till I have reached the highest peak both professionally AND personally. To not only transform me into a leader in my field but to help me realize the leader within! If you are looking for an "Ace" up your sleeve to conquer the world then look no further with Pamela Thompson! I promise it will be the best decision you've ever made!"
— Mike Zita
Account Manager at William F. White International Inc.
June 20, 2018
Mike was Pamela’s client
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"I highly recommend Pamela as personal and/or career coach! I met her through a conference I was managing at the time, Women and Leadership. This is the largest professional development conference held at Boise State so I had the opportunity to work with several trainers I managed as speakers. I chose Pamela to work with personally for the calm and competent demeanor she projects. She is a wonderful listener and individualizes her guidance to you - not a generic "get a job" model. We started with my resume, which was interesting because I was looking at it thinking, "she's going to tell me to ....." and of course she did! Kind of like knowing that you should exercise but if you hire a trainer you will actually go to the gym. However, she does keep in touch with the latest trends in resumes and had very good advice. She knows what other people are doing so can give you guidance on how to stand out. Where I really felt an amazing benefit was in interview practice. I don't know very many people who like role-playing but I had two of my best ever interviews during my time with Pamela. She was very helpful in helping me evaluate why I was leaving my current job, what I was looking for, and not settling for something that would put me in a similar position six months down the road. I actually turned down a job offer during this time and have never regretted that choice. Without Pamela guiding me, I may have taken it. Another value I found in working with Pamela is that she knows how your skills stack up to other people's. This can be a huge help when looking at a job description that you feel iffy about. I didn't want to sell myself short but I also didn't want to spend hours working on a targeted cover letter and informal questions for a job I really don't have a chance at getting. Pamela was very encouraging in this area and worked with me to address both my obvious and hidden strengths. Even after our time together had ended, Pamela would send me emails that pertained to my job search and she volunteers for another leadership conference I manage for Boise State. She is not flashy or gimmicky - she is sincere and knowledgeable. She made me feel like I could do more!!"
— Cathe Scott
Accounts Payables Manager at Boise State University
April 16, 2018
Cathe was Pamela’s client
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"I reached out to Pam during a time of bewilderment, not knowing which career path to take. Not only did she take the time to review my resume, we had an insightful back and forth. She had solid suggestions, not only in regards to my resume but in which groups and individuals to follow. Thank you for your knowledge and insight!"
— Kathryn Jones
Animation Production Executive at The Walt Disney Studios
March 27, 2016
Kathryn was Pamela’s client
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"Pam is an awesome and great Career Coach/Recruiter. She was very helpful in guiding me to focus on my career goals and aspirations. Also, she was very patient and provided me great resources pertaining to my career prospects. I highly recommend Pam as an amazing and invaluable Career Coach and Recruiter."
— Hasson R. Patton
Analyst/Designer
February 16, 2016
Hasson R. was Pamela’s client
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"Pamela gave a wonderful talk on networking to myself and the other students of the Bradley University Interactive Media department. She really had some great tips and insight into relationships and how important it is to nurture and grow relationships throughout your career, even while you're still in school. One thing she told us stuck out to me in particular, because it is something that hadn't been said in other networking talks I had heard. She talked about networking as a mutual friendship, and that no matter how far above you someone is - it's important that you help them in anyway you can. Networking had always seemed like a sort of selfish get-ahead sort of activity to me, but after Pam's talk I really changed my perspective. It's been a year since she spoke at my university and since then I have worked on being a resource to others as often as I can, and building positive relationships with as many people as possible. Pamela is a talented knowledgeable speaker and I am happy to have had the privilege of learning from her."
— Payton Orr
Lead Game Designer @ Game House | Women in Games Ambassador
September 21, 2015
Payton was Pamela’s client
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"I am delighted to write this recommendation for Pamela Thompson. Over the past several months I have had the opportunity to work with Pamela and to receive her guidance in her capacity as a career coach. Although I have been in the animation industry for 25 years, I found that I needed a helping hand in navigating the complicated labyrinth of the animation job marketplace. Pamela’s keen insight into the Animation industry has proven to be the missing piece of the puzzle I needed to surge my career forward. Being an ‘insider’, Pamela understands the industry needs and trends. She draws upon her wealth of knowledge and experience in animation as both a recruiter and career coach to guide you in setting clear goals. With these milestones in place, you are inspired to action and to define the tasks which need to be completed in order to achieve your objectives. Using her natural drive and enthusiasm Pamela has challenged me to step outside my comfort zone, to stretch my limits and intensified my determination. And using the ‘tools’ she provided, what initially felt like a daunting task quickly turned into a challenging adventure. With the momentum I now have, doors which I previously felt were closed to me are opening. My ‘exposure’ in the industry has increased dramatically and my skills - which are now being displayed to their best advantage – are being noticed. It is my suspicion and hope that my greatest career challenge these days will be which job offer to accept. Pamela is a pleasure to work with because her pleasant and positive attitude can make nearly any task seem fun and interesting. I have been thrilled at what she’s helped me to do – things that I did not know I was capable of doing I now accomplish confidently and with purpose. She is an invaluable resource and I feel very fortunate to have found Pamela and have no hesitation in recommending her as a Career Coach."
— Pam Darley
Producer, Pencilish Animation Studios
July 3, 2015
Pam was Pamela’s client
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"Pamela is one of the most patient and humble counselors I've ever come across. Her words are inspirational and has helped me a lot to clear my mind and retain my focus .Whether You are an Expert or a Fresher, she's always there to help you out .She's indeed a great Career Coach, and I'm glad I consulted the right person."
— David Bobb Chandy
FX Artist
April 22, 2015
David was Pamela’s client
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"Pamela is a Recruiting Goddess! Her immense experience, knowhow and people skills were instrumental in influencing my bold career choices. Her lectures and teachings assisted my choice to become one of the pioneering artists in Previs, and form a small company that was at the forefront of Previsualisation. Extremely connected in VFX and animation community, Pamela has a clear and far-reaching overview of industry, people, companies and professions - in present and in the future!"
— Dragan Stiglic
Multidisciplinary Creative Director & P.M. | 3D UX XR VR AR
January 24, 2015
Dragan was Pamela’s client
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"Not only is Pam a genuine down to earth good person, she is very knowledgeable when it comes to animation and networking. Her industry talks are among the most valuable seminars I've had the pleasure to be apart of."
— Brandon Hunter
Freelance Artist
October 18, 2014
Brandon was Pamela’s client
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"Pamela came to my my college, Bradley University, and gave a very insightful and informative presentation about networking to my school's Interactive Media department. Networking is something that isn't necessarily taught at a school, but through Pamela I learned some great tips that I wouldn't have known otherwise."
— Sean Varney
Creative Manager at Kinship
June 27, 2014
Sean was Pamela’s client
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"My experience with Pamela as a career coach has been phenomenal and I would gladly recommend her. Pamela is great at creating a blueprint for career advancement. She genuinely enjoys helping people and it is easy to see when you talk to her. As a professional artist in an industry that is fast paced and constantly changing I consider her coaching services to be a wonderful constant."
— Joseph Ibrahim
VFX Artist @ Joseph Ibrahim | Lighting, Look Development
May 23, 2013
Joseph was Pamela’s client
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"Pamela is one of the most professional and inspiring managers you could ever want. While working with Pamela at Virgin Games I enjoyed working on any Project Pamela was involved in. Pamela remains calm when faced with any challenge. Pamela created a motivated and focused art team. After Virgin Pamela was helpful as a recruiter to some of my friends. I would recommend Pamela in any endeavor she is involved with. Kevin Toft | Art Supervisor | evga.com"
— Kevin Toft
UI/UX and Graphic Designer at Extron Electronics
May 9, 2013
Kevin reported directly to Pamela
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"Pam is a world-class pro with her ability to work with people and find right solutions for staffing. Her work on awn.com testifies to her long-term lover for her career and the people-oriented approach she takes. I couldn't recommend her more highly! "
— Ed Olson
Creative Continuity Lead at Walt Disney Television Animation
April 29, 2013
Ed worked with Pamela but on different teams
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"Pamela is one of those few people that doesn't need a recommendation, because if you know her, you already know what an amazing person she is. But for those of you, who have not been fortunate enough yet to deal with Pamela directly, I advise you to make a connection with her if at all possible. She is delightful, knowledgeable and a joy to work with. She always has a smile on her face and a piece of sage advice to offer. If you're looking to fine-tune your resume, cover letter or develop your career path deeper, Pamela is truly the one you want to talk to. She is an energetic speaker, an insightful career coach, and a talented writer. She will inspire you, motivate you and give you clarity. Thank you Pamela for all you've done for me, your guidance and friendship have been a gift of utmost value."
— Sherry Briscoe
Author of suspense paranormal, urban fantasy, & Medium.com blogger
May 13, 2012
Sherry worked with Pamela on the same team
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"Contacting Pam when my career hit a snag has probably been one of the wisest moves I've made, and I know I'll continue to stay in touch. I've known Pam indirectly for many years from forums and newsgroups we both follow, and had seen her column at AWN. Pam is probably the most thoroughly networked person I've ever encountered, and yet is also very genuine and personable, offering a great mix of supportive understanding, effective, focused, strategic coaching with a pinch of confidence building. Pam was able (and willing) to deal with a few situational curve balls I tossed her way. In the end tho, Pam is just so well informed, has personal contacts everywhere, and is empathetic to individual needs, that she seems amazingly well equipped to connect the right people and situations together. At least that's how it is playing out in my case, so I can easily endorse Pam's services as a career coach/adviser and will undoubtedly call on her again."
— David Nix
Partner, videographer, colorist & editor at Digima24.comPartner, videographer, colorist & editor at Digima24.com
May 3, 2012
David was Pamela’s client
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"I attended a talk by Pamela at the Siggraph 2009 in LA where she talked about how to get into the industry. She gave some great insights into the process of recruiting and what goes into a great showreel, cover letter and CV. Her advice helped me get to where I am today and I am very grateful."
— Maxim Fleury
Studio Asset Art Lead at Guerrilla
April 27, 2012
Maxim worked with Pamela but on different teams
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"I could literally go on and on about what makes Pamela Thompson such a great selection as a career coach for anyone wanting a great start or readjustment to a career in the animation, gaming and multi-media industries. I consider it a shame that I was only able to choose just three attributes to describe such an outstanding professional. Pamela is not only a worthy expert at what she does but she is very personable, creative, punctual, and provides excellent work for her clients. In short, Pamela goes above and beyond the call of duty to help her clients. Having an expert take such a personalized interest and commitment to the advancement of a client's professional goals like Pamela Thompson does is absolutely priceless."
— Cheryl Englehart
Publisher/Animation Producer
April 25, 2012
Cheryl was Pamela’s client
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"I've known Pamela Thompson since 1993 when we both worked at Virgin Interactive. She was in charge of attracting top artists to the company to work on video game projects - a new industry at the time. In my 17 years in LA, I have seldom met anyone more connected to talented people in all areas of the entertainment industry - film, animation and interactive. Pamela is tireless, hard working and talented. We are not related by marriage or birth, but I am proud to know her as a colleague and friend."
— Connie Nartonis Thompson
Producer at Cinesite, London
November 6, 2007
Connie worked with Pamela on the same team
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"Having known (and worked with on one occasion) Pamela for better than a decade at this particular point in time, I hired her as a career coach in 2001 when the hand-drawn animation industry was in the middle of a confusing and radical shift toward CG animation. I knew that she was already branching out into that area, and she was extremely helpful in directing me and my efforts toward furthering my knowledge of these "foreign" animation processes! Her suggestion to me was that I not only study Maya, but also to study storyboarding. Both ideas paid off, as I was able to land a couple of story jobs and subsequently became proficient enough to assemble a small CG animation reel, which also included examples of my studies in compositing. I was later contacted by a colleague of hers and was asked if their company could use my CG reel. As a result, my work was on display at an animation industry recruiter's booth at the 2006 Comic Con. Had I not had her encouragement, I probably wouldn't have had the confidence to extend myself as far as I did. Her knowledge, expertise, and gentle yet forceful stimulation have carried me farther than I would have been able to transport myself. Her two suggestions for me have led to numerous opportunities within the animation industry, and I still consider her the sole reason why I'm continuing to grow and prosper as a well-rounded artist after such a chaotic period as the one I previously described, a time where many "one-trick pony" animation artists were forced to find employment in areas outside of the industry. I'm more than honored to recommend Pamela in this or any forum, and would not hesitate for even one second to refer another artist who needed guidance in her direction. Her friendship and thoughtful communication with me throughout the years have shown that she is more than "just" a career coach, and her numerous collaborators and associates are more than testament to this wonderful attribute. I simply cannot speak highly enough of her."
— Todd Jacobsen
Animation Industry Professional
December 3, 2009
Todd was Pamela’s client
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"Pam is always on top of the industry as a recruiter. Always letting me know what jobs are available and willing to speak for me to get the job interview and position. She is very professional and I highly recommend her to help aid others in finding a position for them that fits their qualifications. "
— Ken Bailey
Senior Lighting Artist / Lookdev Industrial Light & Magic
April 27, 2009
Ken worked with Pamela but they were at different companies
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"As production coordinator, Pamela was the keystone in the production staffing of “Family Dog”, an animated episode of Steven Spielberg’s “Amazing Stories” directed by Brad Bird. She was thorough, reliable, organized and extremely hard-working. She was an essential and invaluable team player on this Hyperion/Kushner-Locke production."
— Alexander V. King
Motion Picture, Animation, and Themed Entertainment Professional - consulting & seeking new opportunities
April 14, 2008
Alexander V. managed Pamela directly
