How to Create a Pro Acting Resume: Turn It into a PDF!

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Many actors ask me why they can’t just upload their resume as a Word doc on to their Actors Compass site. We strive to make AC as painless as possible. However, there are certain measures we urge you to take that may seem like a nuisance but are for your own good. Sharing your resume online as a PDF rather than a Word doc is one of these measures. I’m sorry, you just have to deal. You’ll thank us in the end, I promise.

WHY PDF?

Most importantly, phones still cannot open Word (or Pages or Publisher or…) files. That means no one will be able to see all the cool stuff you’ve done on their phone. The worst thing would be to send a file that no one could read. They’ll just say, “Oh, well, next actor.” Also, casting agents and directors really hate weird formatting issues that often occur when they open up a resume in Word or similar software. Folks may very well view or download your beautiful credits if they want to call you in — or offer you a role sight unseen. Yes, that shit still happens (#truestory) but I guarantee it only happens to those who have properly formatted acting resumes. Unlike documents with .doc, .docx, or .pages extensions, the PDF format is the ONLY way to ensure that your resume prints out consistently from computer to computer. Also-also, Word documents sent into the internet ether are vulnerable to hackers.

Don’t let any of these scenarios happen to you because you don’t have your resume as a PDF!

HOW PDF?

Fortunately, it’s really simple to turn a Word doc into a PDF. From the File menu, choose “Save As”, scroll down to PDF, name it something professional like “Yourlastname-Resume-2051.pdf”, et voila! A PDF! Isn’t it hilarious that explaining how to make a PDF of your resume is such a cinch compared to explaining why you should?

Remember, every part of your actor’s business kit is a reflection of you as a performer. Don’t let a messy resume be the boulder in the path of your big break!


The complete resume series: