The Art of Crafting a Skills-Based Resume for Entertainment Professionals
🌟Career Coaching: Learn the Key Components and Create a Winning Resume
BONUS OPPORTUNITY: If you would like to have the skills-based resume templates that we use in our university workshops, please email showbizingnow@gmail.com and we’ll send you a free PDF.
The entertainment industry is notoriously competitive. Landing a job in one of the hundreds of positions in theater, film and television requires a unique approach to showcasing your talents. Enter the skills-based resume.
Unlike traditional, chronological resumes that focus on work history, a skills-based resume prioritizes your abilities, achievements and experiences, regardless of when or where they occurred.
This approach is invaluable in the entertainment world where you might have honed your skills by hopping around in a variety of positions. And our industry often involves freelance work with periods of unemployment in between. A skills-based resume minimizes the impact of these hops and gaps by focusing on your transferable skills.
Here are the key components of a skills-based resume for the entertainment industry:
1. Professional Summary
Start with a strong, three-sentence summary of where you’ve been, what you did there and where you’re going (keep those sentences as concise as humanly possible–this is not a time for purple prose). Tailor this section for each job application by highlighting the specific skills required for the gig.
Your favorite AI app can help here. I find that Gemini is especially good at summarizing content. Feed the bot both your resume and the job listing and then prompt it to write a three sentence summary of your professional experience that incorporates key words from the job listing. Just be sure that whatever the bot gives you is accurate.
2. Skills
Highlight your skills in an easy-to-read list format. Include the following:
Technical Skills: include software (e.g., graphics & editing platforms, budgeting & payroll programs, Google apps, etc.), equipment (e.g., camera, lighting, sound, walkie-talkie, etc.), and any relevant certifications (including first aid and driver’s license if relevant).
Creative Skills: highlight your specific artistic abilities, like storytelling, improvisation, musical composition, etc., and any specific techniques or methodologies that you specialize in.
Interpersonal / Soft Skills: be honest and brief – pick two or three of your strengths. Here are a few that are considered a plus in the entertainment industry: committed team player / collaborator, strong written and verbal communications, adaptable / flexible, punctual, able to prioritize tasks and work efficiently under pressure, effective problem solver. Also include any foreign languages in which you are fluent enough to use on the job.
3. Experience
Include relevant paid and unpaid positions (without mentioning which is which). Briefly describe your role and responsibilities, focusing on the skills you used or learned.
At Showbizing Strategies, we often advise our clients to put their professional experiences into “buckets”, especially if they have worked in a wide range of roles on a dizzying number of projects. For example, you could use “Editor”, “Producer” and “Educator” as the sub-headings for this section, and then describe in more detail who you worked for and on what projects. The bucket method also helps to bridge gaps in employment; so you can say you’ve worked as an Editor from 2019-present, even if that work was intermittent.
Be sure to quantify your achievements when possible. For example, "delivered on time and on budget” or "won the Hiphop Squirrel Award for Best Cinematography".
4. Optional Sections
Link to your online portfolio / website. Only include this if it’s relevant in terms of demonstrating your skills for the gig you’re going after. If you’re applying to be a set P.A., don’t include a link to your acting reel or headshots.
Education, including degrees, certifications and specialized training or workshops.
Include your physical address only if you are NOT willing to travel or re-locate for a job.
A standout resume will of course be free of grammar and spelling errors, so be sure to proofread yours carefully. Slowly read it aloud or have a friend with a good eye take a look.
And please keep it concise! Unless you have been working in the industry for 15+ years, your resume should fit on one page.
A skills-based resume is a must-have tool for anyone working in the entertainment industry, and especially those who are in their early career. By letting producers and employers know exactly what skills you bring to the table, you can stand out from the competition and dramatically increase your chances of landing the job.
Wonderful advice!