Creating a CV

Create your CV.

Before you start. Pick a font that’s clear and appropriate and decide on a layout. You don’t need to become obsessed with the page length, however no more than two pages is advisable.

Include at the top of the page the following.

Full Name
Job title
Phone number and email address
Do not include National Insurance number or DOB

Make sure your personal information is up to date, visible and easy to read and that your email address is professional, no sillynames@gmail.com or false names, it doesn’t create a good impression.

Your additional and relevant qualifications.

Full clean (hopefully) Driving Licence and Own Vehicle. If you haven’t got your driving licence yet please consider obtaining this as soon as it’s possible, it’s a vital qualification to become more employable.
If you haven’t already do the free ‘Basic Coronavirus Awareness Course’ (Screen Skills) https://www.screenskills.com/online-learning/learning-modules/coronavirus-basic-awareness-on-production-training/
First Aid training (St John’s Ambulance) https://www.sja.org.uk/
Another valuable ‘free’ course via Screen Skills is the Tackling Harassment and Bullying at work https://www.screenskills.com/online-learning/learning-modules/tackling-harassment-and-bullying-at-work/
Health and Safety training or any other courses that will give you an advantage to the production is a great way to impress an employer.

Personal statements.

This is the first thing that people will see so make it short, sharp and punchy but most importantly relevant to the role that you are applying for, focus on the reality of the job. “If you were applying for a job as a domestic cleaner you wouldn’t tell them you could lay bricks”
Be careful not to over sell yourself. If it’s in the Film and TV industry, they won’t be looking for a Director or DOP, more likely it will be entry level roles.
Adjectives like “hardworking”, “enthusiastic” and “passionate” sound great, but they don’t tell the employer anything they haven’t heard a millions times before.
Stick to what you have done, not your personality traits.
E.g. “Self shooting filmmaker with 2 years experience across a range of genres including drama, music video and corporate based projects.”

Key Skills

This is a bullet point list of your “highlights”. Include the following:
- Any technical skills – include cameras and editing systems you can use.
- Any awards
- Any languages spoken
- Any experience of foreign filming, VISAs and special licences
- Any other RELEVANT skills like recording sound, PowerPoint, Word, Excel, Photocopier technician.

Main body of your CV. Experience and Employment.

List your credits and experience, starting with the most relevant.
Begin each credit with the following line of information:
- Name of show – Job Title – Production Company/Broadcaster and 2/3 bullet points of they roles you carried out.
Keep it factual
- Think of your CV as a list of achievements. Tell me what you did and what you were proud of in each job. Think about what you did, think about figures, tasks, timelines and bullet point them. Ask yourself “So what?” and “Is that relevant?” E.g. “Responsible for sourcing, interviewing and filming 20 expert contributors from five different countries to discuss the effects of global warming”.
Keep it recent
- There’s no point having one line about your current role and ten points about a job that you did five years ago. Keep it relevant to the job you’re applying for.
Keep it short
- Keep it to one page if you can, at most two pages. Write in short sentences and avoid paragraphs.
Keep it to the point
- Prioritise what’s important to you in terms of your skills and experience. Talk positively and enthusiastically – use empowering words like “Responsible for”, “Ensured” etc. Don’t presume people know what you have done – spell it out.
Keep it honest
- The Film and Television industry is small and you don’t want to get a reputation as an “over-seller” so make sure you can back up any claims you make. Also, don’t have gaps. If you were off travelling or not working during particular time periods, put that in. You’ll be surprised what might be relevant to the job – languages, knowledge of certain cultures, or perhaps you made a short film.

Hobbies and interests

It’s good to show you have a life outside work but be careful what you write.
Where possible, keep it relevant to the job e.g. if you’re going for a job in sports television, talk about a sports team you play for.

Training & Education

Include degree course, university and grade if applicable and any A levels. GCSE’s are not required.

Referees/References

List at least two from your most recent credits.
Include mobile and email addresses – with their consent!

Final touches

Pay attention to detail! There’s nothing worse than a spelling error or poor grammar to send your CV straight to the bin.
And finally, label your CV clearly so when it’s saved by the recipient it will have your details. Don’t call it CV or My CV – but save it with your name, grade and date for example, Claire Jones – Development Producer – 2021

Create your CV.

Before you start. Pick a font that’s clear and appropriate and decide on a layout. You don’t need to become obsessed with the page length, however no more than two pages is advisable.

Include at the top of the page the following.

Full Name

Job title

Phone number and email address

Do not include National Insurance number or DOB

Make sure your personal information is up to date, visible and easy to read and that your email address is professional, no sillynames@gmail.com or false names, it doesn’t create a good impression.

Your additional and relevant qualifications.

Full clean (hopefully) Driving Licence and Own Vehicle. If you haven’t got your driving licence yet please consider obtaining this as soon as it’s possible, it’s a vital qualification to become more employable.

If you haven’t already do the free ‘Basic Coronavirus Awareness Course’ (Screen Skills) https://www.screenskills.com/online-learning/learning-modules/coronavirus-basic-awareness-on-production-training/

First Aid training (St John’s Ambulance) https://www.sja.org.uk/

Another valuable ‘free’ course via Screen Skills is the Tackling Harassment and Bullying at work https://www.screenskills.com/online-learning/learning-modules/tackling-harassment-and-bullying-at-work/

Health and Safety training or any other courses that will give you an advantage to the production is a great way to impress an employer.

Personal statements.

This is the first thing that people will see so make it short, sharp and punchy but most importantly relevant to the role that you are applying for, focus on the reality of the job. “If you were applying for a job as a domestic cleaner you wouldn’t tell them you could lay bricks”

Be careful not to over sell yourself. If it’s in the Film and TV industry, they won’t be looking for a Director or DOP, more likely it will be entry level roles.

Adjectives like “hardworking”, “enthusiastic” and “passionate” sound great, but they don’t tell the employer anything they haven’t heard a millions times before.

Stick to what you have done, not your personality traits.

E.g. “Self shooting filmmaker with 2 years experience across a range of genres including drama, music video and corporate based projects.”

Key Skills

This is a bullet point list of your “highlights”. Include the following:

Any technical skills – include cameras and editing systems you can use.

Any awards

Any languages spoken

Any experience of foreign filming, VISAs and special licences

Any other RELEVANT skills like recording sound, PowerPoint, Word, Excel, Photocopier technician.

Main body of your CV. Experience and Employment.

List your credits and experience, starting with the most relevant.

Begin each credit with the following line of information:

Name of show – Job Title – Production Company/Broadcaster and 2/3 bullet points of they roles you carried out.

Keep it factual

Keep it recent

​There’s no point having one line about your current role and ten points about a job that you did five years ago. Keep it relevant to the job you’re applying for.

Keep it short

Keep it to one page if you can, at most two pages. Write in short sentences and avoid paragraphs.

Keep it to the point

​Prioritise what’s important to you in terms of your skills and experience. Talk positively and enthusiastically – use empowering words like “Responsible for”, “Ensured” etc. Don’t presume people know what you have done – spell it out.

Keep it honest

Hobbies and interests

It’s good to show you have a life outside work but be careful what you write.

Where possible, keep it relevant to the job e.g. if you’re going for a job in sports television, talk about a sports team you play for.

Training & Education

Include degree course, university and grade if applicable and any A levels. GCSE’s are not required.

Referees/References

List at least two from your most recent credits.

Include mobile and email addresses – with their consent!

Final touches

Pay attention to detail! There’s nothing worse than a spelling error or poor grammar to send your CV straight to the bin.

And finally, label your CV clearly so when it’s saved by the recipient it will have your details. Don’t call it CV or My CV – but save it with your name, grade and date for example, Claire Jones – Development Producer – 2021

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There’s no point having one line about your current role and ten points about a job that you did five years ago. Keep it relevant to the job you’re applying for.

Prioritise what’s important to you in terms of your skills and experience. Talk positively and enthusiastically – use empowering words like “Responsible for”, “Ensured” etc. Don’t presume people know what you have done – spell it out.