Whether you are looking to land your first television role or an accomplished working actor, a polished perfect resume is a must. An actor’s resume is much different that the traditional resume found in the corporate world. Casting directors and agents will often not give a second glance to resumes that are not formatted according to industry standards. Increase your chances for getting called back by following these professional tips for actor and actress resumes.

List your name in large letters in the center top of your resume. Make sure to use the exact professional name you use in movies, television, radio or theater and not necessarily the name on your birth certificate. Underneath your name list the union you are officially affiliated with – Screen Actors Guild (SAG), The American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (AFTRA), or American Equity Association (AEA). Under the union names you may list a contact phone number and your professional actor website if you have one. Keep it bold and simple.

Under each of the top four sections you will list out each of your professional acting experiences in the following order across the page in columns: Project Title, Role (TV: co-star, guest star, recurring, regular. Film: lead or supporting, Theater: role name), Director’s name and title (for TV and Film) and theater name (for stage actors). Under the “Training” section you can list the school or company where you trained, listing any relevant classes and instructors. The “Special Skills” is your chance to name any skills and unusual talents such as belly dancer, stunt skills, gymnast or whatever you can do that will get you the job. If you have done commercial or modeling work, you can add as an italicized statement that these credits are “available upon request”.

Next, you will want to print up copies of your resume that are sized to attach to the back of your 8 x 10 headshot. Obviously, you’re going to need to keep resumes down to 1 page so that is fits neatly on the photo. Also, avoid listing your height, weight or age; if the casting staff wants these specific details they will ask you during the casting call. An exception to this rule is if you are a model or child actor and know that these personal details will work to your advantage.

Many women aspire to become actresses because acting allows them to use their creativity. Others seek acting careers because they seek fame and fortune. Many women want to learn how to become an actress as successful as Halle Berry or Julia Roberts while others simply want to perform. Although the path to becoming an actress varies, many famous actresses modeled before beginning acting careers. Others starred in school plays. Some actresses were born into the entertainment industry because their parents were entertainers. Still other actresses were discovered while they were busy doing something else. Some auditioned for a role and won the role that put them on their career path. Others enrolled in acting classes, which is a viable path for women seeking to begin an acting career.

A woman who wants to know how to become an actress may begin by enrolling full-time or part-time in an acting school. When choosing a school to learn how to become an actress, women should research the school, faculty members, and alumni to make sure the school is the best place to develop their skills and move them toward their career goals. In acting school, students learn various acting techniques, such as the Stanislavinski technique or the Meisner technique. Enrolling in acting school will give aspiring actresses the opportunity to work on character and scene study. Depending on the curriculum of the school, an aspiring actress should be able to take courses in speech, script development, and improvisation among other courses.

While learning how to become an actress, a drama student should be developing relationships with faculty members and other students. Acting school provides the opportunity for students to begin establishing a network of current industry professionals and future industry professionals. Drama instructors or professors will be able to provide audition leads, career advice, or recommendations when that time comes. The student relationships nurtured in acting school possess the possibility to provide future career opportunities. Students practicing improvisation together in a classroom, for instance, may find themselves in a position to make actor recommendations to directors or writers in the future, or they may be the writers or directors looking for actors themselves. Since the entertainment industry thrives on relationships and connections, developing networking skills while in drama school will inevitably help the aspiring actress when she begins seeking roles in the entertainment industry.