That is the question, and today we're asking it about making your resume the best it can be.
It's a daunting task, isn't it? Compiling all your experience as an actor onto a single sheet of paper and trying to convey who **YOU** are in potentially a single glance? No pressure! And, wouldn't you know it, there are actually little tips and tricks to help you stand out. If you're looking to polish and perfect your acting resume, here are the to do's and not to do's you need to consider.
🤩 TO DO -- Showcase the Best of You
If you glean nothing else from this topic, take this point: sometimes, your resume is the only thing getting in the room (yes, in your place), so you have to let them know who you are and what you're about with impact. Under credits, list your biggest roles with the biggest companies / venues as well as the roles you really identify with. Under training, list any and all mentors you've worked with (because you never know who in the room might make a connection through them). And if you have an impressive (relevant) degree or alma mater, absolutely include it! This is the time to boast a little bit.
🤮 NOT TO DO -- Overload with Too Many Credits
Yes, there is such a thing as putting too many credits on your resume! Like I said in the last point, sometimes a single glance at the resume from casting is all you get. So what happens if they are hit with a solid block of text? They actually don't see specifics at all; the only thing you're telling them is that you work a lot. Yes, sure, it's great to let casting know that you work; however, isn't it preferable to have the power to sway how you want them to see you? Be deliberate in what characters decorate your resume. And hey, even better, feel free to shuffle them around if you're not getting the response you want in the audition room! This is one of the few elements you can wholly control.
🤩 TO DO -- Highlight Your "Type"
You've likely heard the words "type" or "typecasting" in various theatre circles. In general, I think the industry is attempting to eliminate the concept, but in my opinion, typing will never truly go away because, like it or not, we all have certain ideas of what the traditional stereotypes should be. And quite honestly, there's nothing wrong with any one type! So embrace it, don't try to fight it! You a leading man? Great, there are tons of roles for you! You a classic ingenue? Great, there are tons of roles for you! You a quirky best friend? Great, there are tons of roles for you! You a comedic relief? GREAT, THERE ARE TONS OF ROLES FOR YOU! You get me? So let your type come through in your resume. It will show that you know your strengths, and they'll have an easier time placing you.
🤮 NOT TO DO -- Include Credits You Weren't Exactly Right For
We've all been there: in school, maybe you played a role that's too old for you, too young for you, too different from your usual types, etc.. On the one hand, it's great that you had those experiences and you got the opportunity to play those characters when you might not have otherwise, but now that you're pursuing this "for real", have the self-awareness to reflect on the roles you've played in the past that will actually help you in the present and future. And hey, those roles that were too old for you? Hang onto them for the future -- eventually, you will be the right age for them!
🤩 TO DO -- Show Personality Where You Can
Maybe this is a personal preference and others may convince you otherwise, but I firmly believe that everyone's resume should look slightly different to help show who they are. I'm not talking about the credits, the training, or the skills -- I'm talking about the formatting. You think that the formatting of a document doesn't send subliminal messages about who wrote it? I'll give you an example. Someone hands you a resume: it's very minimalist, very modern with lots of clean lines, standard fonts, and uniform spacing. Someone else hands you a resume: the name and headers are in a cursive font, there's a rectangular border in red to match the shirt in their headshot, and there's a subtle watermark of the comedy and tragedy masks. You have vastly contrasting ideas of who those two people are, right? Show yourself in your resume -- let them know who you are as a person and performer, not just a character.
🤮 NOT TO DO -- Forget that This is a Professional Document
Yes, show personality, yes, have some fun creating you on a page, but always remember that first and foremost, you're applying for a job. And as such, professionalism must be a top priority behind every decision you make. So in basic terms, ensure that the formatting is comprehensive, spell check everything, and (I'm hopeful this is obvious but...) no handwritten resumes, okay? The impression your resume makes should be (and can easily be) entirely positive.
🤩 TO DO -- Include All Your Special Skills!
Ahhh, the special skills section of a resume. This is arguably the most exciting section of a resume because it encompasses elements from everything else: you can brag about yourself, you can show your personality, and you can leave a lasting impression. Really take some time constructing this section, and don't hold back! Lots of things you wouldn't think are skills ARE skills. So put those basics on there. Have a driver's license? Excellent, that's a skill! Have a passport? Fantastic, you have the ability to travel! Really knowledgeable about a certain subject? Awesome, specific projects can use that! Then, after those are added, think outside the box. Can you convert oxygen to carbon monoxide? Put a joke in there to show your humor! Have a bifurcated frontalis? That means you can move one eyebrow independently from the other; this might prompt questions or conversation, and any connection made between you and casting is a good thing. Have a proficiency for whittling? I promise, super specific skills like that will make you stand out and absolutely get you a job at some point. Just know that anything you write down, you better be prepared to demonstrate at a moment's notice.
🤮 NOT TO DO -- Lie About Anything
Usually, people say this mockingly in a joking fashion, but it couldn't be more serious: DON'T LIE ON YOUR RESUME, FULL STOP. See how I said in the last point to be prepared to demonstrate a skill in the room? If you're caught in a lie either in your skills or credits, you lose all credibility. And trust me when I say that the NY theatre community is a big little place: word will get around. So just don't do it, be smarter than that.
Ultimately, as you've just read, managing your resume is really a balancing act of many different components -- be thorough but not too detailed, be personable but not too personal, be creative but not too outlandish. But all that said, when in doubt, present yourself the way you want to be seen: you'll be on the right track.
Thanks for reading, #DreamTeamHLJ, and don't be shy about talking yourself up! You deserve to be proud of your accomplishments.
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