Acting Resume for Beginners
Be concise, and follow these pointers to elevate your value, merits, and plurality of skills.
With so many avenues for acting these days, it’s prime time for the field. Even if you’re just starting out, you know you’ve got some serious acting chops—and you want the world to know too. Incarnating characters, improving your multiplicity of accents, exuding a presence, adapting your body to the role—these are your fortes. So, how do you present all this on an acting resume for beginners? Think of it as your utmost marketing tool (at least until you become famous and your agent sends you a constant flurry of scripts and screenplays).
Truth is, you don’t need to elaborate too much. But here’s what you should do:
- Include a short-and-sweet acting professional summary that recaps the multiformity of your talents.
- Include any union affiliation, a headshot (plus a description of your appearance and physical malleability, if applicable), and contact info for your agent (if you have one).
- Boast about all your languages and dialects—and the extent of your knowledge.
- Create a credits/experience section that reads like an itemized list for quick, easy scans.
- Highlight any special training (such as method acting and improvisation classes) and special skills (such as dancing, singing, stage combat, acrobatics/gymnastics, and musical instruments).
Really, an acting resume for beginners is like an overture—an opening snapshot that will help get you on the casting floor and then allow you to fully open up and bring out the whole package.
Acting Resume for Beginners
DESIREE THESPIS
website.com/portfolio | desiree@email.com | 555-555-5555 | New York City, NY 00000
SAG-AFTRA
HEIGHT: #’#”
WEIGHT: # lbs
HAIR: #
EYES: #
VOCAL RANGE: #
Union actress with a versatile range that encompasses dramatic, comedic, and period roles. Multilingual—fluent in English, Spanish, and French—and well-versed in multiple dialects, including US Southern, Australian, and Scottish. Experience in short films, web series, television, and the stage.
KEY SKILLS
Voice Acting | Accents & Dialects | Character Development
Advanced Ballet & Jazz | Combat for Stage & Screen | Stand-Up Comedy & Improv
Intermediate Acrobatics | Juggling & Basic Magic | Intermediate Piano & Cello
CREDITS
FILM
Role One | Movie Name One | Movie Production Company One
NEW MEDIA
Role One | Web Production Name One | Digital Production Company One
Role Two | Web Production Name Two | Digital Production Company Two
TELEVISION
Role One | Program Name One | Network One
Role Two | Program Name Two | Network Two
STAGE
Character Name One | Stage Production Name One | Theatre Name One | New York City, NY
Character Name Two | Stage Production Name Two | Theatre Name Two | New York City, NY
Character Name Three | Stage Production Name Three | Theatre Name Three | New York City, NY
ADDITIONAL EXPERIENCE
Production Assistant | Movie Name Two | Movie Production Company Two | New York City, NY
Stand-Up Comedian | Venue One | New York City, NY
Stage Manager | Stage Production Name Four | Theatre Name Four | New York City, NY
EDUCATION & TRAINING
BFA in Acting | College One | New York City, NY
Method Acting Workshop | Organization One | New York City, NY
Advanced Screen Acting | Organization Two | New York City, NY
Ready to Apply to Acting Jobs?
There are some auspicious signs pointing to a promising future for this career too. The Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates a 32% growth outlook for actresses/actors—about 8,200 job openings per year—over the next decade, which is much faster than the average for all occupations. Demand for content on streaming platforms should continue to increase, which in turn will provide more and more employment opportunities for actresses and actors. Plus, the resilient, bigger theaters throughout the country—those with bigger budgets—should have plenty of openings to satisfy a public eager to enjoy the visceral nature of live stage performances.
According to Monster data, the median pay for actresses/actors is $50,740 per year—a rate that can see-saw between $32,623 and a booming $82,538, depending on your experience level and the kind of production you’re involved in. So keep at it. Make sure to optimize your acting resume for beginners. And make use of the Salary Tools on Monster to find out what you’d make within the city you’re living in or moving to.
Meanwhile, check out these options related to the acting industry:
Monster Will Enhance Your Acting Resume for Beginners
Get hired faster and at a higher salary with a customized resume written by our industry experts