"Dear Chad, How do I get an agent, casting director or a manager's attention when I have no experience in the entertainment business? My resume is mainly made up of acting and dancing experience from high-school and college. How do I make my resume look more eye-catching so that they can look beyond my "no-experience" in the business? Very lost and extremely frustrated, - Victoria"

5 NETWORKING TIPS FROM A WORKING ACTRESS (1348 words)
By Sally Golan

Okay, so who is Sally Golan and why is she giving us advice on how to network in the business? Simple! Who better to take advice from than someone who is in the same position as you and with lots of personal experience to share?

Acting Tips from an Agent

Dear Chad: I started out as a struggling actress for 10 years, then decided to go the other route and work in an agency. I have now been in the agency side of things for 5 years.

How Casting Directors can Jumpstart Your Career
By Rebecca Metz

THE SECRET TO GETTING ACTING WORK

The main thing I wish I'd known when I started is how much of the work of getting auditions was mine to do. It's only when I started paying close attention to what was casting, what I wanted to work on, who was casting it, and getting very proactive about meeting and staying in touch with those people that I started working.

10 Crucial Tips for Making it as an Actor
by Lee Gale Gruen

I am 64 and have only been at this for a few years since retiring from my career 4 years ago. I wish someone had told me the following things. I had to learn them piecemeal, the hard way.

1. Take acting classes. There are a lot of free or low cost acting classes available through schools or community centers. You will not only learn about acting and get experience performing in front of people but you will be able to network with more experienced people in the class.

Tips from an Angry Casting Director
By Anonymous

These tips haven't been sugar-coated or dumbed down. They were written quickly at the end of an exhausting week, after hundreds of actors shot themselves in the foot by ignoring the basics. So we're putting these 7 simple steps out there, in hopes that this might change.

How to Write a Perfect Cover Letter (537 words)

"It's Gracia! G-R-A-C-I-A. I'm not Mr. Garcia! Never have been. Gracia, Gracia, Gracia - get it right!"

These thoughts ran through my head hundreds of times last year while reading cover letters submitted for my latest production. I'm not overly sensitive about my name (I've been called Chad GARcia all my life), but I'm surprised at the number of careless actors out there. Instead of focusing on these letters, my first impression is: This person doesn't pay attention to detail.

How to Impress an Agent at First Meeting (732 word)

"Hi Chad! I bought some headshot envelopes from you last week. I just wanted to say WOW! I sent out my envelopes on Monday and got a call Wednesday from an agency about coming in for a interview. They said they just got my envelope and looked at it and called me up on my cell phone. I was so surprised.

Four Tips for Getting Auditions without An Agent

Ten Interview Mistakes & How to Avoid Them (1640 words)
by Ruth Kulerman

LANDING THE FISH

Let's assume the fishing for representation is over. You've got a bite and someone wants to interview you -- an agent, manager, or casting director. The dreaded interview looms. What do you do? How do you not blow it?

The following examples, positive and negative, are taken from real interviews.