So you want to get yourself some work experience?
Good decision
For starters, visit Current opportunities to see if there’s anything near you.
If not, don’t despair. It’s actually pretty rare to see a work placement advertised. But it doesn’t mean that your local theatres, arts centres and theatre companies don’t offer work experience. They’re just waiting for you to contact them.
Visit the Where I live section of this site. Here you will find a list of companies in your area that may be able to offer you a placement. Go to their websites and find out a bit more about them. Then draw up a target list of the ones that interest you the most.
Next step is to put together a CV and covering letter.
CV and 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.
Next, make an appointment at our CV clinic and see if yours measures up.
Some other useful CV and letter writing advice sites:
The next bit involves getting on the phone. Grab yourself a pen and paper and find out who is the best person to write to about work experience. It might seem like a faff, but believe me, you’re off to a much better start when you address someone by their name rather than Dear Sir/ Madam.
Now, post or email them out–your choice–unless the company has specifically asked you to do one or the other.
Getting a response
Give it about 10 days and if you’ve not had a response, give them a call. It shows you’re keen and you never know, they might have been just about to call you.
Clever thinking
Other ways of getting work experience as well as taking part in an work placement include:
- Joining a youth theatre
- Volunteering. Check out vinspired
- Work shadowing (Following a theatre professional around for a day or two, obviously with their permission. Otherwise, it’s simply stalking)
- Taking a casual job in a local theatre eg stage hand, usher, bar work
- Working somewhere other than a theatre where you can learn similar skills eg a cinema, a music venue, at an outdoor event, a conference or exhibition etc
- Doing an Arts Award
Recommended reading
Get Into Theatre has asked industry experts to name their most inspiring reads and the books that made them who they are today.
We’ve got books on acting, directing, theatre design, marketing, stage management, street arts and much more.
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.
