A CV is like a messenger you send ahead to big you up
Get Into Theatre checks the pulse of your CV and writes a prescription to improve its health. The CV clinic is open for surgery. Send yours to info@getintotheatre.org
Below you can see our experts’ assessment of our latest CV. You can find other CVs in our previous clinics section in the right hand column of this page.
Basic CV tips
- Keep your CV to two pages
- Make it functional–a CV is not a place to experiment with fancy paper, trendy fonts and all the colours of the rainbow
- Always include a brief synopsis (about three sentences) at the top introducing yourself and outlining your career objectives
- Unless you’re applying for an acting job, don’t add a picture
- Don’t just list your work experience. Make sure you include some bulletpoints about what you learned/ achieved through it
- Check spelling and grammar really carefully.
Covering letter
The purpose of a covering letter is to introduce yourself and communicate something of your personality. It can also be used to highlight the most important parts of your CV. A covering letter demonstrates that you can write in sentences and spell and use grammar–so make sure you look through it carefully (in fact get someone else to double-check it) before you send it off.
It is not necessary to handwrite a covering letter these days, despite what your parents might tell you. But do take time to lay it out well–and make sure you include a contact phone number and email address.
Check out our sample covering letter
Some other useful CV and letter writing advice sites:
Latest CV
Graduate looking for first proper job in theatre
This English and performance graduate is keen to get into theatre directing or production. She wants to apply for an internship she saw advertised on this site and needs her CV to be in tip top condition.
Profile
This CV is missing a short profile at the top that briefly introduces you and sets out your aims. You could change the slant of this section if you were looking for a directing or producing internship or job. Without this section, your CV seems a bit impersonal.
Relevant experience
Your experience is great–seriously. And I think you are absolutely right to split it into relevant experience and other experience. You include useful information about your responsibilities in each position, which really helps a potential employer to get a picture of what you can do.
Education
You are right to add in your education at the end of your CV–even though you have great grades. Your experience is definitely more important at this stage of your career and you have lots of it to shout about.
Summary: You have great experience and grades and your CV is well laid out and clear to understand. It is just missing a profile section at the start, which will introduce you and bring a bit of personality to your CV.
Show a commitment
Does your work experience section look a bit bare? Well get out there and do something. If you really want to get into theatre, you will be expected to show that you are dedicated.
Get skilled up
Could a qualification improve your chances?
Feedback
As the new kid on the block, we’re just finding our feet. Get Into Theatre would love to receive feedback about what we’re doing and how we could do it better.
