Lets face it, no one likes writing a CV. There is nothing fun about it but unfortunately it is vital for getting work. Here are my top tips to make it as stress-free as possible.
It's Quality not Quantity
CV's should be no longer than 2 pages but if you don't have enough experience to fill 2 pages 1 page is perfectly fine. The reality is organisations get so many CV's that a lot get glanced over. The trick is to make yours stand out. Employers would prefer 1 page of clear, relevant experience then 2 pages of waffle.
If you don't have much professional experience use other experiences that are transferable. Maybe you designed the costumes for a University production or you make clothing for friends and family. Employers will be keen to see you have these skills but also that you are proactive in developing your craft.
What to include:
These are all the things you need to include in your CV and I would suggest in this order.
Name and contact details
Education and training
Work experience (Starting with most recent)
Interests
Referances - You dont't have to put your referance details on your CV but make sure it's clear you have them ready when needed. Never give out anyones details before asking them.
Formatting
Your CV needs to be easy to read so someone can look at it and instantly see why they should hire you.
Formatting is vital for this. Put your headings in bold or underline them so they stand out. Paragraph each section so they are digeastable. Bullet point your skills and experience to reduce rambling.
EXAMPLE:
National Playhouse April 2019- March 2020
Wardrobe Assistant
Main duties include: Sewing (using industrial and domestic machines), modern and historical tailoring, alterations, dyeing, breaking down, fittings, get-in and get-outs, dressing, wardrobe maintenance, laundry, shopping, pulling costumes from store and general wardrobe tasks.
Shows include: Strictly Ballroom, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, Great Expectations, The Graduate, Into the Woods, Richard III, Little Voice and Pygmalion
Proof read, proof read, proof read.
Your CV CANNOT have any typos, spelling mistakes or bad grammar. If this is something you don't feel comfortable in doing ask someone to do it for you. It sounds trivial but it really could stop an employer asking you for an interview. It shows you have rushed and not paid attention to small details which is important in costume. If an employer has been sent loads of applications something as small as a spelling mistake could be the reason you get put on the NO pile, regardless of your experience.
Think about your addresses.
As much as I don’t approve of this, employers do look at where people are based. Unfortunately, they may choose someone local so they don’t have to cover extra expenses. You must NEVER lie about personal details but if you are applying for a job at home, rather then Uni make sure you put the correct local address.
If you plan to upload your CV onto a recruitment website make sure to take your home address off, to keep your private information safe.
I would also suggest checking your email address looks and sounds professional, set up a new email address if you have a silly name in your personal address.
WHAT THE EXPERTS SAY:
To help, I asked several Head of Wardrobes what they are looking for in a CV.
HEAD OF WARDROBE (TOURING)
"I am looking for someone driven, keen to learn and enthusiastic about theatre and costume. Experience is important but if I am about to tour with someone for a long period of time it is important we click and I can see us having a good working relationship. For touring you need to be a team player so I will look to see if this shows through on their CV."
HEAD OF WARDROBE (REGIONAL)
"I always look at the work experience first to see where people have worked before and then usually google those establishments if I don't know them. If someone hasn't got much experience, this doesn't put me off, I just look in their personal interests to see if they can prove the skills I am looking for in other ways. In a workroom it is important that everyone has basic sewing skills to begin with so we tend to have a small sewing test at interviews."
HEAD OF WARDROBE (WEST END)
"It depends on the role they are applying for as to how much experience they would ideally have. A Deputy will preferably have had a similar role in the past or at least 2 years of West End experience. An assistant would ideally have at least a years experience, for dressing I am happy to train anyone up with no experience as long as they are dedicated and enthusiastic to learn."
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