Arts Jobs: Tips for Writing Your CV and Cover Letter
This is one of the most common questions I'm asked in workshops and artist surgeries, so here are some top tips for CV and cover letter writing when you're applying for jobs in the arts...
STEP ONE: DO YOUR RESEARCH
The first and probably most important step. It seems like a lot of work, and it is, but this is what will make you stand out from the crowd. When I was at the Albany, we once received 160 applications for an entry-level administration job in the creative team. The competition is fierce. So anything extra you can do to get noticed is worth it.
Always, always, ALWAYS do lots of research and tailor your CV and cover letter to the place and job you're applying for. It seems obvious, but you'd be amazed how many people don't do this! Even if your application is amazing and you hit all the criteria, if you haven't referenced why you want this role or why you're the right person then the person reading may assume you've just copied and pasted and may not invite you for interview.
If you're applying to a theatre, go see a show there! Or if you can't afford to, look up their current and older programmes and pick out some interesting projects, read reviews of recent shows, and visit the cafe or the foyer if you can. Get a feel for the place and its values. Make sure they will be a good fit for you, as well as you being a good fit for them.
You can learn a lot about people from their Twitter feeds. By all means scrutinise the recent social media of the company, but you'll probably learn more by finding the people. Do the artistic team or senior managers have public Twitter feeds? Have they written for any industry magazines or websites recently? That's where you'll find the little things that really matter. I once wrote an application and just before I pressed send found out (by reading an interview in The Stage) that the Artistic Director hated the use of acronyms to describe groups of people - like LGBTQ+ for example - which of course I'd used to save space on the cover letter. Back to the drawing board, and it bagged me an interview I might not have gotten otherwise.
Find out your potential manager's name, and address the cover letter to that person even if it's just in the body of an email. Staff lists are available online for most organisations and it won't look good to write "Dear Sir/Madam" if you could easily find out your potential future manager is a woman called Beth Jones who's been in the position for 15 years.
STEP TWO: STRUCTURE AND SIMPLICITY
The easier a CV is to read the better, so think carefully about structure and layout.
Use bullet-points when listing duties and responsibilities at a job and make sure the person reading can clearly see the job titles, places and dates even just at a glance.
Keep it clean and succinct, but do try to fit on anything relevant without it looking too cluttered. For example, older freelance jobs can be listed in a simple table or list with dates, locations and show or project names, rather than all of the individual details for each one.
Part time jobs you have growing up or as a student are absolutely relevant, until they’re not. As you get more experience in the sector, you can start to pick and choose what to include depending on the job.
Experience matters more than education in many roles, so after a while when you have enough experience to fill your CV don't worry if your jobs take up most (or all) of the space, rather than qualifications. Unless they're super relevant, e.g. health and safety, first aid, or food hygiene, depending on the job.
Aim for a maximum of two A4 pages for a CV, and for both of those pages to look clean and not cluttered. For a cover letter one page is ideal, or two pages maximum for more senior positions or positions with a long person specification. Any more than this could actually be detrimental unless they've specified a longer word count.
Make sure your contact information is clear, up-to-date and easy to find!
STEP THREE: PROVE IT
Anyone can say they have remarkable communication skills and amazing attention to detail, but how do you prove you're not just writing what they want to hear?
The person specification is pretty much a checklist, and a good route to getting shortlisted is to tick everything on it. You can be creative about how you do that, so don't copy it word for word, but do make sure that if someone was scoring you solely on that list of things, your cover letter or personal statement prove you can do them all.
Keep away from vague statements such as 'I'm confident, proactive and hard-working' and focus on evidence-based statements such as 'I'm organised and proactive: at PLACE I redesigned and simplified the filing system, which improved workflow for my line managers'.
If you're an aspiring producer, and you're applying for an administrative or assistant role to get your foot in the door or learn on the job, be sure to reference why you'll be good at this job, and not just the job you eventually want. If the job description talks about the importance of administration skills and you only write about all the fringe shows you've produced (with no reference to the administration involved and why that experience makes you good at what this job needs) then they may assume you won't stick around because you're not that interested, or that you'll take off as soon as another exciting project pops up, or that you just don't have any actual relevant experience. Skills are transferable of course, but don't make the reader have to work out which ones and to where. Most people are really happy to mentor and develop colleagues once they're in these roles, but you need to get into them first.
STEP FOUR: FINAL TOUCHES AND PRESSING SEND
Another obvious one, but another one lots of people miss - PROOF READ! If you're dyslexic or struggle with spelling and grammar, ask someone else to have a look over it for you before sending. It's easy to make a mistake, or miss a comma, or repeat the same word two sentences in a row, and it can really let you down if 'attention to detail' is in the person specification.
Attach the attachment. We've all done it, but it doesn't make it any less mortifying when sending a job application. Check twice.
Don't leave it until the last minute and then accidentally send it after the deadline. Blaming technology, or your alarm clock, or misreading the time of the deadline usually won’t work. Most people won't be lenient and no matter how good you are you'll miss out! I have done this. It's not worth it. Aim to send it at least the day before.
That said, if you stumble across a fantastic job or opportunity after the deadline has already closed, it's always worth an honest phone call and an ask, just in case.
AND MOST IMPORTANTLY...
Most people are on your side and want you to succeed. If you need help and you're not sure who to ask, networks are incredibly useful. There are physical networks, like your college or university's alumni centre (usually has free job advice even if you left years ago) or a mentoring scheme like Arts Emergency or Sour Lemons. There are digital networks like industry groups on Slack, Facebook or Twitter. And there are lots of ways to meet professionals and peers at workshops and masterclasses - these are often free or low cost and take place at most theatres and arts centres throughout the year.
Never ever worry about your writing sounding self-indulgent. You have to back yourself in these situations. If you think the role might be a bit too senior for you, so what?! There are plenty of people in positions of power in the industry who only got there by blagging it a bit. If you have the experience they're looking for then it's probably just imposter syndrome, and we all need to stamp that down every time it rears its ugly head. Write with confidence - I guarantee there are people less experienced than you chucking an application in, so even if it’s a long shot you might as well have a go.
Be yourself. You've got this.