Hi Foxxy, while I get the urge to get a first gig, our advice is usually to get your feet wet in a less stressful surrounding. You will only have one chance for a first impression for a paid gig. And it takes more than just a lot of practice in your bedroom to be “audience-ready”.
Try playing friends parties, house parties, pool parties or your neighborhood bar at a slow night. The important thing is that you get to play with actual people in front of you and learn the ropes of music selection. This will give you a) invaluable experience in “reading” an audience and b) some much needed confidence for that actual first paid gig.
I’ll second Logan that it’s better to be as personal as you can be. If there is a place your really wanna play and think you can handle, stake it out. Go there regularly, look at the way other DJs setup their nights/sets, befriend them if you can (some actually will take a night off occasionally or be ill or need a replacement for some other reason), get to know the staff from the guys at the door to the bar staff to the house engineer to the manager.
.
