You have worked hard in school and poured your heart and soul into your acting career. It hasn't been easy but the rewards have been worth it. Now the opportunity has come up to land a position at the company of your dreams.

Many times starving actors have been involved in many positions that don't pay a salary. They basically use these positions as their "good credit" to be able to find their next gig. Schooling is very important to the actors career, as this is the base for where they have learned and studied to perfect their acting career.

Professional actors got their start most likely from the time they were very young, and a professional actor can be any age actually, some have even got their start when they were infants and young children.

A Resume for a professional actor has to be addressed somewhat differently than any other resume.

A chronological format is a good format to follow for this type of resume. You can start off by the opening header displaying your contact information, then you can add as little or as much as you want, but be sure to keep the essentials listed such as your name address, phone, email and contact information.

Your first paragraph summary is the focal point of your resume, this is where you need to insert the "Wow Factor"!

Be sure to put on showcase all of your most relevant and recent successes, such as how you played the lead role in The Phantom of the Opera for the past 5 years. How you won numerous awards for best actor two years in a row at the Actor's Screen Guild Awards. Maybe you have been a mentor to other aspiring actors and have helped them in achieving their goals. Be sure to highlight everything here, be brief but highlight your best qualities and achievements.

Next, you will want to bullet your work history and experience. The key is to use terms that stand out and make who ever is reading your resume want to continue to do so. This after all is a story about your professional life so make it an award winning novel, not a paperback in the clearance section that no one wants to look at.

Highlight your history with action verbs, for example:

- Most recent achievement - Portrayed "Raoul" in "The Phantom of the Opera" original New York Broadway cast from 2004 to 2007.
- Made a cameo appearance in the hit TV show "Friends" twice in 2003
- Directed, produced and choreographed the remake of "Grease", featuring a local teen drama group at the Adrian Croswell Opera House in the fall of 1992
- Was a backup dancer and singer in the Broadway musical "CATS" from 1986 to 1990. You can then proceed with your educational background and any special accomplishments you may have received throughout the years.

The key is to keep it simple and down to one page, if you find that as being problematic then you may want to rethink all you have on your resume. Keeping it accurate, straightforward and to the point is a key essential in a resume for the professional actor.