Your resume represents what you have to offer a potential employer. It should be easy to read and have up-to-date information on it. While your resume is open to personalization, here are some general layout rules to get your started:

Header

Your header should include your name centered at the very top of the page.  Underneath your name, you can place any unions you belong to. Other information in this section should be: your contact information, your height, and weight or dress size. Since headshots are now in color, eye color is no longer necessary.

Credits 

You should start your credits with the medium you’re auditioning for: if it’s theatre, start with theatre credits, film, start with film, etc. It could be helpful to have different versions of your resume saved so that it’s easy to switch it up. Each separate medium should be titled with the relevant credits below. The credits should be split into three columns: title of project, type of role you played (leading, supporting, or if it’s a well known play, you can include the name of the role), and the production company and/or director. 

Training

Training includes acting, singing, dancing, writing; anything you feel is relevant to who you are as a performer. If you are just starting out and do not have many credits, your training should come directly after your header. Once you have built up credits, you can reformat your resume to have training more towards the bottom. 

Skills

Skills should include other languages you speak, any hobbies you are skilled at (for example juggling or a sport such as soccer), and if you have a driver’s license and valid passport. Some people choose to be cute in this section and include things like “shove a whole donut into my mouth.” Bits like this are a personal choice; they can be conversation starters but they can also look unprofessional. If you choose to include something like this, make sure you have a good retort in case you are asked about it.

Extras

If there is an award you won for a particular project, you can include that underneath that credit, indented in. If you had a guest-starring role opposite a principle character on a television show, that actor’s name can be included. Some actors also like to include an extra photo, thumbnail size, that is different from their headshot on the resume portion. The location of this photo is a personal decision.

Check out friends’ resumes for examples and look at public profiles on sites like Actors Access. Once you have a full resume formatted, it should be cut to size and stapled to the back of your 8x10 headshot.