A Practical Guide to Starting a Career in Technical Theatre; Section 3, Chapter 2: Résumés

In A Practical Guide to Starting a Career in Technical Theatre, Steve Shelley distills the methodical and tactical steps required to secure a first job and begin building a career into seven distinct "toolkits." This chapter provides an overview of the topic Réumés.

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Chapter 02; The Marketing Toolkit: Résumés

For many professionals, the résumé is one of the most important documents in their marketing toolkit. It represents you when you’re not in the room, and must showcase you at your best. It shows your experience, your knowledge, and professional relationships – those who can vouch for you – and the best ways to contact information. Just as importantly, it reflects your attention to detail: Correct spelling, proper grammar, and a well-organized layout all reveal your professionalism and eye for clarity.

For designers and technicians, the portfolio is often viewed as the second key component of their marketing toolkit. However, for managers in nearly every department, the résumé is the primary document that represents you – and sometimes the only one reviewed during hiring. Broadway stage managers, for example, rarely examine applicants’ production books; they simply want to see what shows you’ve worked on and who you’ve worked for.

Bottom line; whether you’re a manager, designer, or technician, never underrate the time and care that should go into constructing and maintaining your résumé.

Business Résumés

Figure S3-02-01 illustrates the four standard business résumé format choices. After reviewing these formats, the focus will shift to an examination of technical theatre résumé equivalents using the same format names, but beyond that – they are distinctly different.

• Targeted: Customized to a specific job, with every element tailored to show how your résumé exactly fits that position.
• Functional: Focuses on skills and achievements, while de-emphasizing job history.
• Chronological: Lists work history in reverse chronological order, beginning with the most recent.
• Combination: Blends the functional and chronological formats, emphasizing both skills and work history.

After extensive comparative online research, there are two observations:

• 1. There are extensive online websites, templates, advice and AI-type résumé generators available to help create a career placement–type of business résumé.
• 2. Other than format name, none of these documents have much similarity to technical theatrical résumés.

While these four formats serve their purpose in traditional business environments, they don't align well with the informational needs of technical theatre. Comparably speaking, they are relatively vague, lacking the detailed information theatrical employers look for – such as job descriptions, production locations, supervisor names, or years the production took place.
**Insert Fig S3-02-02.jpg** **Caption** Figure S3.02.02 An "Overview" in Standard Résumé **End Caption**

The first difference between business and theatrical résumés lies in the "opening summaries" or "overview" often found beneath the title block in business documents. Figure S3-03-02, for example, shows a résumé that includes a qualification summary, a professional profile, and a career objective.

In technical theatre, however, these sections translate into totally different entities:

• Qualification summary becomes skills.
• Professional profile becomes individual credits.
• Career objective becomes the job title you’re claiming at the top of this résumé – or, as many of us might put it, "how I plan to pay my rent."

Bottom line: Technical theatre résumés skip the hyperbole. After the title block, they jump straight into the real substance – the shows and jobs that demonstrate your experience.

Technical Theatre Résumés




For our purposes, technical theatre résumés have evolved into two primary formats – both adapted from the traditional business styles.


The more common format is based on the chronological résumé. Like its business counterpart, it divides the page into sections – professional experience, education, and skills. The key difference is that, rather than summarizing job duties, a theatrical résumé is typically sorted by job title or position title, followed by a line-by-line list of production credits under each title, starting with the most recent first.


The second format, sometimes called an employment history résumé, blends the chronological and targeted styles. Rather than listing every production individually, it groups work by organization or employer. Each position includes the job title, the producing organization., and a short paragraph (two or three lines) describing highlights or accomplishments – again, starting with the most recent first.


The employment history résumé is common among professionals who have held multiple staff or long-term positions. Since each entry includes a brief description, the format needs fewer individual credits to help fill the page. Readers of this book, however, are likely early in their careers, so they may have fewer staff jobs and less variety to describe. When positions are similar, those repetitive paragraphs can quickly become redundant For that reason, we’ll set aside this format until later in the chapter.


Either résumé style could also be adapted for academic settings. In a technical theatrical academic résumé, professional and academic credits are both listed, but the focus shifts toward educational institutions, coursework, and class projects, as well as community theatre or training programs. Professionals who are established in this sector often maintain a C.V., (short for Curriculum Vitae, which is a comprehensive multi-page document highlighting a person’s entire academic and professional history.) A discussion regarding CV’s is beyond the scope of this book.


The Chronological Résumé Layout

Before diving into structure, let's recall a fundamental fact: The English–reading eye travels left to right, and top to bottom. Therefore, the most important information should appear at the top of the page, and then read down the left-hand side.


A standard chronological résumé for technical theatre typically includes the following sections (from top to bottom):

• Title Block: Your name, professional title or specialty, notable affiliations (such as union memberships), and contact information. Include social media handles or a website if relevant. City and state are sufficient; street addresses are no longer necessary. Some professionals now add a QR code linking to an online portfolio.
• Experience (vertical organization): Divided by job title or position title. A design résumé, for example, might list Design Credits first (most recent at the top), followed by Associate and Assistant Design credits.
• Experience (technical sub-sections): If space allows, include technical credits grouped by relevant specialties – e.g., Electrician for lighting, Scenic Artist for scene design, etc. – further divided by rank (crew head, associate, assistant, crew).
• Experience (horizontal layout): Each credit line typically includes the show title, the director or supervisor, venue, city and state, and year.

When reviewing these sections, potential employers are looking for clear information: what you did on each production, the name of each show, who you reported to, the producing organization or venue, and where the production took place. They may also want to see what year the show was performed – they might know someone who worked that venue when your show was going up, and be able to vouch for you.


Additional sections commonly follow:

• Educational Experience: Organized with the same columnar layout as professional credits.
• Skills: We’ll discuss this in detail shortly.
• Honors: Awards, recognitions, or certifications. If you have them, include them.
• Education: Degrees, institutions, year graduated or years attended.
• References: A list of professional contacts who can speak to your abilities.

Sidebar: The Name Game

In both the professional and educational experience sections of a résumé, each listing should include the name of a director, producer, or direct supervisor. This information can be crucial – most professionals would ever omit them. For many potential employers, any recognized names in those columns can quickly become as important as, or even more important than, any formal references listed at the bottom of the page.


Watch an interviewer’s eyes as they scan your résumé. After studying your title block, their eyes will often drop straight to the bottom of the page to review your references. If they don’t recognize any of those names, their attention immediately shifts to the "director or supervisor" column in your experience section.


Some interviewers scan a résumé using different criteria: They'll first scan the "director or supervisor" or "producing organization" columns (searching for familiar names); after that, they'll review the references.


If you were the designer for the production, list the director, choreographer, or producer – the person you directly interacted with and reported to. If you were an assistant or a crew head, list the person you assisted or headed the crew for. And if you were a crew member, list the crew head's name.


As the crew person, you would not list the designer or director unless they personally saw your work. If they didn’t see what you did – or worse, don’t even know who you are – they won’t be able to comment meaningfully on your performance. The crew head, on the other hand, watched your punctuality, attitude, teamwork, and skill firsthand. Their opinion carries genuine weight. So before you add the famous director’s name to your list of supervisors, give thought if the famous director even knows your name.


For that matter, consider that your reviewer might not know the famous director either. They may, on the other hand, know the crew head – and that person’s endorsement could be what helps you land that next job.


Skills

This section highlights the abilities and expertise that make you stand out. Some newcomers mistakenly believe that skills don't belong on a résumé – they couldn’t be more wrong.

Your skills are what distinguish you from the crowd of applicants vying for the same job. For any entry–level position open to recent graduate applicants, there may be dozens of other equally eager candidates. In such a competitive market, employers often offer modest pay for high expectations. If you're not among the best of the "affordable talent," you may not get the job at all.


Skills can also reveal more about you than your job titles do. They might include hobbies or interests outside of live performance – such as bird watching or astronomy &ndash but keep them relevant and meaningful. While you may see online advice suggest "include a fun fact to start a conversation," avoid frivolous entries like competitive corn shucking or hamster wrangling. My response: "What? You have nothing else that makes you stand out?" If that's what you think sets you apart from the crowd, it’s time to learn something new.


On the other hand, certain skills can offer insight into your creativity or a side hustle. For example, listing jewelry design might reveal a thriving Etsy business, while miniature doll furniture could hint at a passion for precision craftsmanship. Even if these skills don’t directly apply to the position under your name, they can still spark a genuine conversation and show depth of experience.


Skills that cross into adjacent entertainment media – film, television, theme parks, or events, for example – can also make you more versatile. Experience in those areas can become a bridge to new opportunities, and with enough credits, you might adapt your résumé into a new version, with "Film Technician" or "Television Technician" as your position title, using many of the same core skills. "Theatre Technician" might then be reduced to a single line in the skills section.


One way to identify valuable skills is to study other people's résumés. If you see skills you don’t yet have – but which might give someone else an advantage – find out how they learned them and start developing those abilities yourself.

Honors

Honors are another way to help you stand out to potential employers. Achievements such as Best Scenic Design @ KCACTF or Outstanding Stage Management are absolutely worth including. This section is also the right place to list any technical certifications, specialized training, or professional affiliations – such as IATSE or completion of a masterclass in a particular craft.

However, not every organizational membership carries the same weight. Basic memberships in educational associations like USITT or SETC often suggest only that you paid a fee to join, and can come across as filler if they aren’t accompanied by evidence of participation, leadership, or achievement. Instead, focus on recognitions that demonstrate active engagement, skill, or excellence.

When in doubt, apply this rule of thumb: If you’ve earned it – flaunt it.


Education

Separate from the individual production experiences, this section highlights the academic institutions you've attended. Each school should typically be listed on a single line, beginning with the name of the institution, followed by the degree or area of study, the location, and the year. If a university has multiple campuses, include the specific location to avoid confusion. Listing your years of attendance can also be useful, as it provides a timeline and may help your reviewer connect you with others who attended at the same time. This might also be the section to include non-degree professional training programs or certifications as well.


If you've earned academic distinctions &ndash such as Dean's List, Magna cum laude, or other commendations &ndash include them as well. These details are usually listed on a second, indented line beneath the institution, rather than under the "Honors" section, since they relate directly to your education.


For résumés intended for academic or teaching positions, this single-page document may quickly expand into a CV, allowing it to include in-class teaching experience, shop supervision, seminars taught, academic certifications or awards, along with published essays or research projects. Mentioning notable mentors or instructors can also add valuable context – particularly if they are recognized names in your discipline.


References

References are people who can vouch for your work ethic, skills, artistic aptitude, and proficiency. Ideally, these are individuals who have directly supervised or collaborated with you in a design or technical capacity. Each reference often includes their name, title, organization, phone number, and email address.


Some references prefer to maintain their privacy and not have their contact information published. In those cases, standard protocol is to omit that information and instead, state "contact info available upon request."

When the reference approves to allow their contact info to appear on a résumé, providing both an email and phone number gives employers the flexibility to choose how to reach your reference, depending on the urgency of their request. When the need for rapid reference response arises, including both email address and telephone number allows the interviewer a choice as to how to contact the reference, based on how quickly the response is required.


When selecting references, choose wisely. A good reference does more than say you're likeable – they should be able to speak honestly about your performance, professionalism, and talent handling challenges. The most effective references are those who have witnessed your work under pressure and can describe how you met those challenges successfully.


Standard protocol is to include no more than three or four references per résumé. Again, since the English–reading eye reads left–to–right, the most applicable reference to this specialty version of the résumé is aligned to the left margin.


Always ask permission before listing someone as a reference. This is important for several reasons:

• Courtesy and awareness. By asking, you put yourself on their radar, and avoid the awkward moment when someone receives a surprise call and thinks, "Why would they use me as a reference?"
• Respect for privacy. The potential reference may request you not use their name. While that might not be what you want to hear, at least they’re telling you now, rather than stating that to a potential employer.
• Respect for privacy. The potential reference may prefer you not list their contact details publicly. As discussed above, honor that request by omitting their contact info and instead, state "contact info available upon request."
• Professional readiness. It ensures your references are prepared to receive calls or emails about you – especially when time is of the essence.

Whenever you send a résumé with references, notify those individuals with a quick heads-up that they may be contacted. If possible, share the names of the potential employers or positions, so your references can appropriately tailor their responses. Even a brief notification helps – they’ll be ready and won’t be caught off guard.


The last thing you want to happen is for an employer to call one of your references and hear the response: “Who?” As a rule, make sure that each reference you list will remember you – and your work &ndash at least three years after your last collaboration.


Finally, choose references who are both reliable and responsive. Employers often move quickly; if your reference doesn’t return a call or email promptly, it could cost you the job. If you discover that a reference has been slow to respond {or didn't respond at all,) check in with them or consider replacing them with someone more accessible.