Number one rule in the arts (or anywhere really): don’t pad your resume. If you say you can ice skate, you’d better be able to manage more than a wobble around the rink – The Actor’s Survival Kit
There is nothing quite like the moment when you realize you don’t have to pad out your resume. For me, looking at my first theatrical CV, properly formatted on a single page with my newest headshot smiling out of the upper right corner – without a single high-school related entry or over exaggerated piece of data, was a moment of extreme pride. That was me on that page, actual professional, highly qualified me…not a bent truth or clouded reference in sight.
Even more so was the first time I ventured into the territory of a multi-page resume. When I was trained in the ways of resume-creation, there was a strict one-page-only tradition, even more so this tradition is huge in the arts. If it doesn’t fit on one page or on the back of an 8×10 glossy, trim something. But I was going out for a production assistant position with the help of a friend of mine who worked in the film industry at the time and she informed me point-blank that multi-page and detailed was not only allowed in such a circumstance, it was practically required. She also told me I would need a resume that highlighted my admin and tech skills.
I was at a loss…despite my brief stint as a secretary; I didn’t even think I had any admin or tech skills. I was an actress for heaven’s sake! I couldn’t even do basic math in my head! What was I thinking??
Then I sat down and really thought of all the various forms of employment I’d had over the years, all the little things I’ve done for bands and dancers and all the errands I’ve run for techies over the years. There’s no way I could sell myself as a technical genius and I sure as heck could never find my way around a sound board, but at the end of an hour, I had three totally legitimate detailed pages that said I could and did have the skills to be a competent administrative assistant if someone were willing to put the time in to properly train me up.
I didn’t get the job, but the sense of accomplishment when I stared at that CV was well worth the effort.