Perfecting your CV can be particularly challenging in the acting industry, where your range of roles and experiences must resonate with casting directors. Our guide offers tailored advice on how to distill your unique skills and performances into a compelling narrative that captures attention and secures auditions.
- Applying the simplest CV design, so that recruiters can easily understand your expertise, skills, and professional background;
- Ensuring you stand out with your header, summary or objective statement, and a designated skills section;
- Creating your CV experience section - no matter how much expertise you have;
- Using real life professional CV examples to enhance the structure and outline of your profile.
If you still have no muse to write your professional CV, find some more industry-leading examples.
How complex should the format of your acting CV be?
Perhaps, you decided to use a fancy font and plenty of colours to ensure your acting CV stands out amongst the pile of other candidate profiles. Alas - this may confuse recruiters. By keeping your format simple and organising your information coherently, you'll ultimately make a better impression. What matters most is your experience, while your CV format should act as complementary thing by:- Presenting the information in a reverse chronological order with the most recent of your jobs first. This is done so that your career history stays organised and is aligned to the role;
- Making it easy for recruiters to get in touch with you by including your contact details in the CV header. Regarding the design of your CV header, include plenty of white space and icons to draw attention to your information. If you're applying for roles in the UK, don't include a photo, as this is considered a bad practice;
- Organising your most important CV sections with consistent colours, plenty of white space, and appropriate margins (2.54 cm). Remember that your CV design should always aim at legibility and to spotlight your key information;
- Writing no more than two pages of your relevant experience. For candidates who are just starting out in the field, we recommend to have an one-page CV.
One more thing about your CV format - you may be worried if your double column CV is Applicant Tracker System (ATS) complaint. In our recent study, we discovered that both single and double-column CVs are ATS-friendly . Most ATSes out there can also read all serif and sans serif fonts. We suggest you go with modern, yet simple, fonts (e.g. Rubik, Lato, Raleway) instead of the classic Times New Roman. You'll want your application to stand out, and many candidates still go for the classics. Finally, you'll have to export your CV. If you're wondering if you should select Doc or PDF, we always advise going with PDF. Your CV in PDF will stay intact and opens easily on every OS, including Mac OS.
PRO TIP
Be mindful of white space; too much can make the CV look sparse, too little can make it look cluttered. Strive for a balance that makes the document easy on the eyes.
The top sections on a acting CV
- Personal Details include your name, contact info, and spotlight number for easy identification.
- Physical Characteristics list your height, weight, eye and hair colour which are crucial for casting.
- Acting Experience showcases your previous roles, indicating your versatility and experience.
- Training and Education highlight relevant courses, workshops, and acting schools you've attended.
- Skills and Abilities section displays your unique talents, accents, and languages, setting you apart.
What recruiters value on your CV:
- Highlight your range by listing varied roles you've played, ensuring to include specifics regarding character types, the mediums (theatre, television, film), and the complexity of the roles to showcase versatility.
- Demonstrate formal training and workshops, underlining prestigious schools or coaches, to show commitment to honing your craft and learning from industry-respected figures.
- Include a separate section for skills that are particularly relevant to acting, such as accents, physical flexibility, combat training, dance, and musical abilities, presenting a broad talent portfolio.
- Offer a succinct personal statement/objective at the top of your CV, articulating your creative philosophy or career aspirations, which helps to align your profile with the casting director's vision.
- Maintain a polished headshot and a reel of prior performances as accessible attachments or links within your CV to provide a visual and dynamic representation of your work.
Recommended reads:
Tips and tricks on writing a job-winning acting CV header
The CV header is the space which most recruiters would be referring most often to, in the beginning and end of your application. That is as the CV header includes your contact details, but also a headline and a professional photo. When writing your CV header:
- Double-check your contact details for spelling errors or if you've missed any digits. Also, ensure you've provided your personal details, and not your current work email or telephone number;
- Include your location in the form of the city and country you live in. If you want to be more detailed, you can list your full address to show proximity to your potential work place;
- Don't include your CV photo, if you're applying for roles in the UK or US, as this may bias initial recruiters' assessments;
- Write a professional headline that either integrates the job title, some relevant industry keywords, or your most noteworthy achievement.
In the next part of our guide, we'll provide you with professional CVs that showcase some of the best practices when it comes to writing your headline.
Examples of good CV headlines for acting:
- "Sophie Turner - 'Lady Macbeth' in Macbeth | Classical Theatre | Film | Voice Work | LAMDA Graduate | 5+ Yrs Exp."
- "James O'Donnell - Series Regular on 'Urban Justice' | TV Drama | Stage Combat | Screen Acting | 10+ Yrs Exp."
- "Alicia Reid - Lead in 'Whispers in the Dark' | Contemporary Stage | Improv | Dance | RADA Cert. | 3 Yrs Exp."
- "Liam Clark - Feature Film Debut 'The Silent Echo' | Method Acting | Accents | BSc in Acting | 7+ Yrs Exp."
- "Emma Walton - 'Juliet' in Romeo and Juliet | Shakespearean Actress | Musical Theatre | Voiceover | 15+ Yrs Seasoned Pro."
- "Oliver Davies - 'Detective Myles' in 'City of Shadows' | Crime Dramas | Commercials | Meisner Technique | 2 Yrs Professional."
Catching recruiters' attention with your acting CV summary or objective
Located closer to the top of your CV, both the summary and objective are no more than five sentences long and serve as an introduction to your experience. What is more, you could use either to entice recruiters to read on. Select the:
- Summary, if you happen to have plenty of relevant experience. Feature your most impressive accomplishments and up to three skills that are relevant to the job you're applying for;
- Objective, if you're just starting your career off. Provide your career goals and answer how you see the role you are applying for will match your professional growth.
Judging which one you need to add to your acting CV may at times seem difficult. That’s why you need to check out how professionals, with similar to your experience, have written their summary or objective, in the examples below:
CV summaries for a acting job:
- Versatile stage actor with over a decade of experience in classical and contemporary theatre, including commanding lead roles in West End productions. Bringing profound character interpretation skills, exceptional emotional range, and a record of consistently sold-out performances.
- Dynamic screen actress with 15 years on television and film sets, renowned for transformative performances in award-winning dramas and critically-acclaimed comedies. Expertise in method acting, on-screen versatility, and celebrated for a BAFTA-nominated role in an independent British film.
- Former corporate executive with refined presentation and public speaking skills, seeking to transition into acting. Holds over 20 years of experience effectively engaging audiences, managing stage presence, and a passion for storytelling that will enrich any ensemble cast.
- Accomplished journalist with a flair for dramatics, aiming to pivot to an acting career. Equipped with 15 years of broadcasting experience, I bring to the stage/screen a commanding voice, strong improvisational skills, and a history of engaging a diverse viewership in emotive narratives.
- Eager to embark on an acting career, I possess a natural affinity for dramatic arts, bolstered by extensive participation in university theatre productions. With a commitment to continuous learning, I am seeking opportunities to harness raw talent into professional excellence on stage and screen.
- As a recent performing arts graduate with a drive for screen acting, I aim to cultivate my academic training, featuring lead roles in student films and a keen understanding of film production, into a successful career in the entertainment industry, marked by dedication and adaptability.
The best formula for your acting CV experience section
The CV experience section is the space where many candidates go wrong by merely listing their work history and duties. Don't do that. Instead, use the job description to better understand what matters most for the role and integrate these keywords across your CV. Thus, you should focus on:
- showcasing your accomplishments to hint that you're results-oriented;
- highlighting your skill set by integrating job keywords, technologies, and transferrable skills in your experience bullets;
- listing your roles in reverse chronological order, starting with the latest and most senior, to hint at how you have grown your career;
- featuring metrics, in the form of percentage, numbers, etc. to make your success more tangible.
When writing each experience bullet, start with a strong, actionable verb, then follow it up with a skill, accomplishment, or metric. Use these professional examples to perfect your CV experience section:
Best practices for your CV's work experience section
- List your most relevant acting roles first to immediately catch the casting director's attention. Include the name of the production, your character's name, and the venue or production company.
- Use strong action verbs like portrayed, depicted, or enacted when describing your roles to convey your active involvement in character interpretation. Avoid passive descriptions and focus on your contributions to the success of the production.
- Highlight any leading roles or significant acting achievements to differentiate yourself from the pool of applicants. Be brief but precise about the impact of your performance.
- Specify the type of production (e.g., theatre, film, television, commercial) to demonstrate the breadth of your experience. Tailor this to the role you're applying for, showing relevant industry-specific experience.
- Include the names of prominent directors, theatres, or production companies you've worked with to leverage their reputation in support of your application. This can add weight to your CV and serve as an implicit recommendation.
- Mention any awards or nominations to showcase recognition from the industry, which can be a significant endorsement of your skills and talent. Ensure these accolades are relevant and current to maintain the CV's impact.
- Include training and workshops, especially those unique to your methods or areas of expertise, to demonstrate a commitment to continuous professional development. Specific skills gained from each should be succinctly mentioned.
- For each experience, consider the context of the production and your role in it to provide a story-like flow to your CV. This can make it more engaging and memorable to those reviewing multiple CVs.
- If you have a unique skill set relevant to the role you're applying for (e.g., horseback riding for historical dramas), make sure to prominently feature it. Such details can give you a competitive edge for roles that require special talents or abilities.
- Played leading roles in 30+ stage productions with The Royal Shakespeare Company, consistently receiving critical acclaim for compelling performances and commitment to character authenticity.
- Collaborated with renowned directors and playwrights to bring new works to life, enhancing the company's repertoire and audience reach by roughly 20% during my tenure.
- Mentored junior actors, fostering a supportive environment that increased the ensemble's overall performance quality and was reflected in positive audience feedback and full-house shows.
- Secured a recurring role on the critically acclaimed television series 'British Hearts', which saw a viewer increase of 30% after my character's introduction.
- Contributed creative ideas for character development, which were incorporated into the script and praised for depth, resulting in richer plot lines.
- Engaged in intensive physical training for the role, performing my own stunts that added to the show's authenticity and enthralled the audience.
- Starred in a breakthrough performance in the blockbuster film 'Epic Endeavours', which grossed over £200 million globally.
- Actively participated in international promotional tours and press conferences that led to increased visibility and a fan base expansion of 50% on social media platforms.
- Initiated a charity campaign tied with the film's success that raised £500,000 for environmental causes, demonstrating social responsibility and influencing positive brand association.
- Supported lead actors in the West End hit musical 'Melodies of the Heart', which performed for over 500 nights to sold-out audiences.
- Received the 'Outstanding Supporting Actor' award by the London Theatre Critics for my transformative role that captivated audiences and added depth to the primary storyline.
- Led weekly workshops to improve cast ensemble work which heightened overall show performance and was commended by the production team.
- Adopted a versatile repertoire in voice acting for animated features with DreamWorks Animation, contributing to box office hits totaling over £150 million in revenue.
- Worked closely with animators and sound engineers to perfect the vocal embodiment of characters, enhancing their appeal to international audiences and critics alike.
- Facilitated creative storytelling sessions that led to improvements in scriptwriting, character arc development, and saw a 25% increase in audience engagement metrics.
- Performed as a lead actor in the indie film 'New Horizons', which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival and secured a distribution deal exceeding projections by 40%.
- Assumed a dual role as an actor and assistant producer, influencing creative direction and contributing to the film's under-budget completion.
- Championed a successful social media campaign to promote the film that led to engagements surpassing those of comparable indie film launches by 35%.
- Embraced a diverse array of character roles within the National Theatre's repertoire, contributing to an attendance increase of 15% year-over-year.
- Spearheaded community outreach initiatives aimed at making theatre more accessible, which grew the establishment's local supporter base by 500 members.
- Developed and conducted immersive actor's workshops for the local community, uplifting cultural engagement and receiving commendation from the city council.
- Portrayed a range of historical figures in the docudrama series 'Legends of the Past', which was nominated for a BAFTA award for Best Factual Series.
- Applied method acting techniques to ensure genuine portrayals that enhanced viewer immersion, leading to a syndication deal across major educational networks.
- Engaged with historians and scholars to deliver factually accurate performances, enriching the educational content and appealing to a wider demographic.
What to add in your acting CV experience section with no professional experience
If you don't have the standard nine-to-five professional experience, yet are still keen on applying for the job, here's what you can do:
- List any internships, part-time roles, volunteer experience, or basically any work you've done that meets the job requirements and is in the same industry;
- Showcase any project you've done in your free time (even if you completed them with family and friends) that will hint at your experience and skill set;
- Replace the standard, CV experience section with a strengths or achievements one. This will help you spotlight your transferrable skills that apply to the role.
Recommended reads:
PRO TIP
If you have experience in diverse fields, highlight how this has broadened your perspective and skill set, making you a more versatile candidate.
Describing your unique skill set using both hard skills and soft skills
Your acting CV provides you with the perfect opportunity to spotlight your talents, and at the same time - to pass any form of assessment. Focusing on your skill set across different CV sections is the way to go, as this would provide you with an opportunity to quantify your achievements and successes. There's one common, very simple mistake, which candidates tend to make at this stage. Short on time, they tend to hurry and mess up the spelling of some of the key technologies, skills, and keywords. Copy and paste the particular skill directly from the job requirement to your CV to pass the Applicant Tracker System (ATS) assessment. Now, your CV skills are divided into:
- Technical or hard skills, describing your comfort level with technologies (software and hardware). List your aptitude by curating your certifications, on the work success in the experience section, and technical projects. Use the dedicated skills section to provide recruiters with up to twelve technologies, that match the job requirements, and you're capable of using.
- People or soft skills provide you with an excellent background to communicate, work within a team, solve problems. Don't just copy-paste that you're a "leader" or excel at "analysis". Instead, provide tangible metrics that define your success inusing the particular skill within the strengths, achievements, summary/ objective sections.
Top skills for your acting CV:
Script memorisation
Characterisation
Improvisation
Voice projection
Dialects and accents
Physical expression
Singing
Dance
Stage combat
Acting techniques (e.g., Meisner, Stanislavski, Chekhov)
Creativity
Emotional intelligence
Resilience
Adaptability
Collaboration
Time management
Self-discipline
Communication
Active listening
Empathy
PRO TIP
If you have received professional endorsements or recommendations for certain skills, especially on platforms like LinkedIn, mention these to add credibility.
Further professional qualifications for your acting CV: education and certificates
As you're nearing the end of your acting CV, you may wonder what else will be relevant to the role. Recruiters are keen on understanding your academic background, as it teaches you an array of hard and soft skills. Create a dedicated education section that lists your:
- applicable higher education diplomas or ones that are at a postgraduate level;
- diploma, followed up with your higher education institution and start-graduation dates;
- extracurricular activities and honours, only if you deem that recruiters will find them impressive.
Follow a similar logic when presenting your certificates. Always select ones that will support your niche expertise and hint at what it's like to work with you. Balance both technical certification with soft skills courses to answer job requirements and company values. Wondering what the most sought out certificates are for the industry? Look no further:
PRO TIP
Use mini case studies or success stories in your CV to demonstrate how your skills have positively impacted previous roles or projects.
Recommended reads:
Key takeaways
Impressing recruiters with your experience, skill set, and values starts with your professional acting CV. Write concisely and always aim to answer job requirements with what you've achieved; furthermore:
- Select a simple design that complements your experience and ensures your profile is presentable;
- Include an opening statement that either spotlights your key achievements (summary) or showcases your career ambitions (objective);
- Curate your experience bullets, so that each one commences with a strong, action verb and is followed up by your skill and accomplishment;
- List your hard and soft skills all across different sections of your CV to ensure your application meets the requirements;
- Dedicate space to your relevant higher education diplomas and your certificates to show recruiters you have the necessary industry background.
