First impressions are important, and more often than not, we don’t make them in person. We all know the application drill: submit your resume, headshot, and cover letter, and make sure your website, online profiles, and various virtual versions of yourself are up to date. Sometimes looking good “on paper” is just as, if not more, important than nailing every move at an audition. These digital windows into your abilities, experiences, and goals as a performer need to be just as charismatic as you are. Below is advice from Rowan Heydon-White, Head of Circus for Circa, and Jenn Haltman, a freelance casting director in NYC, about how to make your resume the best it can be. What I gleaned from their expertise is that a good resume is like a good meal: a well-balanced entree of professional experience and education paired with a carefully curated, complementary, and saucy list of special skills. You have the option of adding a garnish in the form of a personal statement, and, yes, presentation always matters! While part of crafting a resume is fairly obvious – for example, include your contact information – crafting how that information is presented is key to catching a casting director’s eye.

Rowan Heydon-White, Head of Circus, Circa. Content The food pyramid of a performance resume usually consists of the following (in no particular order): your name and contact information, training/education, employment/experience, and special skills. Performers ...