Consider These RESUME DO's as Suggested by UGA Auditors

[Karen Lane]

Editorial: These responses are VERBATIM. There are commonalities and recurring THEMES that should be taken very seriously. Personal preference, however, also plays a heavy role in these repsonses as you will note when one response seems to contradict another.

RESUME DO'S:
-Have One!!
-indicate if you are local
-Readable font not less than 12pt
-list directors and theatres
-Trim resume to same size of headshot
-List your height, hair color and eye color
-physical stats
-Clarity
-If you have a lot of credits, be selective
-Trim your resume to match your 8x10 photo
-include ht and wt accurately
-Do give me your last 4 - 6 credits in each category; stage, film/tv, etc.
-Make it easy to read
-Large print
-current phone number
-Be honest - if you've only done four community theatre shows or most of your work was at school, that's ok!  Don't pad.
-List the title of play, character name, and production company
-list director over location
-List Directors pLease
-List each character, not lead, supporting etc.
-learn about tables in MS word (if thats what you use)!
-For an audition that is for theater, put your stage credits first and film second.
-name the theatres
-layout simple and clean
-three columns
-current stats
-Fit the resume to headshot
-Email Addresses
-Please learn what a theatre resume should look like
-include a phone #
-Clear distinctions: Stage Screen
-if the theatres are not local area, give us a clue where they are!
-do staple in all four corners
-Include contact information on the resume
-employment emphasis projects should be featured
-I love resumes that tell me what monologues you're doing
-Always attach your resume to your photo at all four corners.
-headshot within 3 years, for over thirty's, every year for youth
-Do keep it simple, one page.
-Columns - Show, character & theater/school
-simple
-current email address
-List production, role, company and director for each credit.
-Start off listing stage experience, followed by camera work, commercials, print, education, etc.. This is a theatre audition.
-Play first, then character, then theatre, then director
-List the name of the theatre company not the venue it was played in.
-For these auditions put your theatre experience first!
-print resume on back of headshot
-local contact number even if have agent
-ALWAYS list directors
-two ways to contact, phone and email
-Attach with staples to headshot
-mailing address
-Staple or double sided tape -- NO paperclips
-include past directors
-Don't forget special skills
-list theatre work at the top if you want me to think of you as a theatre actor!
-attach so that resume is visible when turning picture around.
-Do note your Union status on your resume
-clean format
-Small photo on resume is helpful
-Make sure your contact info is current and correct.
-most recent work at top, include year
-Do leave some 'white space'.
-Separate theater work from film
-where you currently live
-preferably NO handwriting
-Re-order your resume with regard to the type of work you're looking for.  If you want to get cast in theatre, put your theatre credits up top, not your film credits.
-Check for typos and make sure you spell everything sorrectly, including play, character name & production company.
-The most important info to list is your name and how to contact you
-Clearly indicate contact information. Give more than one option.  If I can't reach you I can't cast you.
love seeing the momologue/song written in at top for us - we watch you faster, less notes
-give contact info!
-e-mail is useful...especially if it stays consistent
-Clearly placed contact info
-union status
-Be clear about where you live (if phone number has out of state area code)
-Phone number
-Take the time to cut the excess paper off of your resume
-show where you have worked
-Keep credits simple: Show, Theatre, Director
-list height and general weight on resume
-Limit/edit your resume to one page and avoid paragraph listings...We don't need to know everyshow you have done since the dawn of time.
-**put your email address on it**
-Height, weight, eye and hair color
-name director and production company
-Do include your latest or current credits.
-Education/Training separate out- where, with whom, what
-CORRECT SPELLINGS of all credits
-Use a simple, clean, readable font - no script fonts!
-Include both height and weight, or neither.
-I don't need your weight but I really need your height!
-Use an easily read type font, which is not too small.
-List education/certification
-Include non-theater related education
-listing your audition pieces is a nice touch
-vocal range
-List a phone number
-Adhere resume to picture back to back
-I am requesting your commercial conflicts, please put down at least some of the on camera projects
-e-mail address
-include ability to sight read music
-Do organize it so I can scan it for highlights.
-Age range; height; and Name on front of picture is nice
-Take the time to format and edit.  Columns should line up and misspellings should be corrected.
-Organize your listings either chronologically, beginning with most recent, or by size of role, starting with most major.
-I like to see the audition pieces being done listed on the resume.
-Take care with special skills; don't over-state, but never understate either
-proofread it
-Show, Character, Theater
-Make it easy to read
-Trim resume to match size of headshot
-include willingness to accept out-of-town work
-Do give a neutral, natural headshot that looks like you.
-Current phone number - whether they are local or not
-List relevant skills, but don't get too cute.
-Leave some white space. It's easier visually.
-Securely attach your picture to the resume, sized corredtly.  I prefer an 8 1/2 x 11 to an 8x10.

Phew! I do realize there is a truck load of raw information here. I have purposely avoided 'summarizing' it as I think the 'safe bet' advice that ALL would agree with is pretty obvious.

[Louise Penberthy]

About choosing fonts --

I've got some experience in typography, so based on that and the comments I read, I've got some suggestions.  Also I was recently an auditor at the Mae West Fest auditions so I saw some good and bad resumes there.

However, this is not "official" TPS advice. 

Pick a font that's readable.  Use a good, well-constructed font like Palatino, Garamond, Times New Roman, or some other serif font.  Give your resume to your friends and ask them if they can read it.

Serif fonts are generally easier to read than sans serif (like Helvetica) when you're setting lots of text.  Sans serif fonts work for headers.

Once you pick your font, pick a size that's readable.  Remember that auditors may be in a darkened house.  For some fonts, like Garamond, 12 points is essential.  For other fonts like Georgia, which are designed to be readable at smaller sizes, 10 points might work.

Don't use Comic Sans MS or any other "silly" font.  It doesn't look professional.

Don't set your resume in all caps, it's hard to read.

White space is your friend.  Don't cram so much into your resume that it looks like a sea of text.  Pick a font you can set smaller or figure out what you can leave off.

Make sure your columns line up.

Make the sections of your resume easy to pick out.  Use a different font, or the same font set in bold, for example.  Helps the auditors find the part of your experience they're interested in.

Most people probably wouldn't notice this, but I'd say don't use underlining.  It's an old convention from the days of typewriters.  Consider bold or italics instead.

And then there are some obvious things like make sure the resume is printed cleanly.