How To Construct An Acting Resume

Acting Resume: The Basics

As with any job interview, a resume is always needed when going into an audition room. You will also need one when trying to get representation. An acting resume is like any resume except it is a resume that is specially tailored to your experience in the industry.

A great resume is free to put together and should be something all professionals actors have handy. A well-written, well-formatted resume to casting agents, casting directors, and other industry professionals, is necessary to show your professionalism. This, in turn, increases your likelihood of getting hired for other jobs.

What to Include in an Acting Resume

Physical Description

There’s a lot of information that you’ll include in an acting resume that you normally wouldn’t include in a traditional resume. For example, it’s expected that you’ll include your measurements and a physical description of yourself in the resume.

-Height

-Weight

-Eye Color

-Hair Color

Contact Information

Contact information like email and phone number should go on the resume as well.

Acting Experience

At the same time, there are other details included in an acting resume that are similar to those you’d put in a regular resume. For example, all information about your work experience starting from latest to oldest should be listed. These are the categories of work that should be on your acting resume.

-Film

-Television

-Theater

You can divide them into three sections on your resume, or combine Film and TV together as well. Whatever your preference is,

When writing your resume, be sure to mention any acting awards or public recognition you’ve received. These help to showcase your work ethic and dedication and may catch a director or hiring manager’s eye.

Formatting an Acting Resume

As with any resume, the structure of your acting resume matters a great deal. If the resume looks disorganized or is hard to read, you’ll be less likely to get hired.

In general, the information should be listed on a n acting resume in the following order:

● Name and contact information

● Agent’s name and contact information

● Acting experience (starting with your most recent job)

● Acting education and training

● Special skills

● Awards

If you’re still confused or have no idea where to begin when it comes to figuring out how to format an acting resume, consider looking online for an acting resume template. There are plenty of free acting resume examples out there that you can look at for inspiration, too.

Tips to Make Your Resume Stand Out

You now understand the basics of what to include in a resume and how to structure it. You might be wondering, though, what you can do to make it more interesting and attention-grabbing. Here are some bonus tips to keep in mind when you’re writing your resume:

Tailor the Resume to the Role

Tailor your resume for the role for which you’re auditioning. Don’t just keep reusing the same generic copy. Updating the resume to the role and highlighting skills that are a good fit for it will help you stand out and show why you’re a great fit for that specific part. If you are going out for a theatrical role, make sure to list your theatrical experience before your film and tv experience. That is what that specific casting director is interested in.

Showcase Special Skills

Speaking of skills, be sure to showcase those that are relevant to a particular role. Do you speak a foreign language? Do you have experience with stunt work? If it seems like it’ll apply to the role, be sure to include it earlier in the skills section of your resume.

Personal Websites/Videos are Fine to Include

As a general rule, it’s fine to include your personal website but I would avoid adding links to videos of performances. Don’t go overboard on your resume. Remember, if your resume is saturated with links, it might feel unprofessional or as though you’re trying too hard.

Keep It Professional

Finally, be sure to keep your resume as professional and easy-to-read as possible.

This means using a professional font like Times New Roman or Arial and spacing the information so that there’s a good amount of white space. Too little white space will make your resume look overwhelming (not in a good way) and may cause people to feel less interested in reading it.

You should also proofread your resume (or better yet, have someone else proofread it for you). If the document is full of typos and grammatical errors, you’re going to have a hard time making a good first impression.

Start Working on Your Acting Resume Today

Now that you’ve read through our tips on putting together an acting resume for beginners, it’s time to get to work. Follow the advice laid out above and you’ll have no trouble constructing an attention-grabbing resume that showcases your experience and shows everyone why you’re the best fit for the job.

Check out the We Are Actors resume builder here for a quick and easy way to construct your acting resume.